5 TOUGH LITTLE LIFEBOATS THAT JUST REFUSE TO CAPSIZE

5 Tough Little Lifeboats That Just Refuse to Capsize
By David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, 19 September 2016.

When you think of lifeboats, you might think of small, wooden, open-top boats, like the ones dropped into the water, like something from Titanic. But lifeboat technology has come a long way since then. With modern engineering and robust high-buoyancy materials, it's possible to make tiny little life-saving ships that won't go down even if the waves take to rolling them all the way over.

Here are five little lifeboats that just refuse to capsize.

1. RNLI Shannon-class

Here's the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's (RNLI) Shannon class lifeboat, just refusing to be anything other than right-side-up.

2. RNLI Tamar-class

This video of a capsize test of a Tamar-class RNLI lifeboat by Barry Perkins shows the ship righting itself from a disorienting but fun first-person angle. Flips right up like a winner.

3. Courtmacsherry test, in 1994

For some historical context, here's a lifeboat test from 1994 at Courtmacsherry, one of Ireland's oldest lifeboat stations which was founded back in 1825. This one with a rather fitting soundtrack.

4. Interceptor 48

Making sure your lifeboat can flip is one thing, but making sure it can flip with people inside is another. After all, that's when it really matters. This test of an Interceptor 48, made by Safehaven marine includes a crew and some shots from inside during the flip. It's kind of like an aerial loop if it was at surface water.

5. Hyundai

Unlike some of the more boat-looking fare, this lifeboat by Hyundai looks more like a plump orange submarine. It make not be the handsomest lifeboat you'll ever see, but anything that can safe your life will look beautiful when the chips are down. Watch it flip back around with ease.

Top gif image: RNLI Tamar-class lifeboat capsize test. Credit: Created from Barry Perkins/YouTube.

[Source: Popular Mechanics. Edited. Top image added.]