| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Steam-class |
| Builders | |
| Operators |  Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Built | 1889–1901 |
| In service | 1890–1929 |
| Completed | 7 |
| Retired | 7 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Steam / Steam Tug |
| Displacement | 30-133 tons GRT |
| Length | 50 ft (15 m)–95 ft 6 in (29.11 m) |
| Propulsion | Water-Jet, Propellers |
| Speed | 9 knots (10.5 mph; 16.5 km/h) |
Steam-class lifeboats are a small group of six steam powered lifeboats, and one steam-tug lifeboat, built between 1889 and 1901.
The first 3 were the first lifeboats of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to use Water-Jet technology. This was over 120 years ahead of the present day Shannon-class lifeboats, the first of the modern fleet of RNLI lifeboats to use Water-Jet technology.