Tamar, sprung to reduce the shocks in heavy seas. Most Shannons are launched by a newly designed Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS) by which a tractor propels the lifeboat on its cradle into the water. The cradle is then tilted and acts as a mobile slipway as the boat is launched by release of a single bow strop from the wheelhouse, rather than the old carriage launched method of four chains being released by crew members on deck. Recovery is bow first onto the cradle, which then rotates through 180 degrees, enabling the boat to be launched again within ten minutes. Some Shannons are due to be kept afloat at moorings or a pontoon berth and the boats are also capable of being slipway launched, although only currently has a slipway launched Shannon. The boat at Workington uses the same davit crane system as the previous Tyne class boat. Fleet Note 1: Relief boats use the launch method of the station they are covering. Boats are capable of any of the launch methods but may require minor modification. References External links RNLI Fleet Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats