▁launch ▁tra ctor ▁which ▁was ▁specifically ▁designed ▁for ▁the ▁Royal ▁National ▁L if eb o at ▁Institution ▁( R N LI ), ▁to ▁launch ▁and ▁recover ▁lif eb o ats ▁from ▁beach - launch ed ▁lif eb o at ▁stations . ▁The ▁tra ctor ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁Clay ton ▁Engineering ▁Limited ▁in ▁Knight on , ▁Pow ys . ▁ ▁The ▁tra ctor ▁is ▁now ▁largely ▁being ▁dis cont in ued ▁because ▁the ▁R N LI ▁have ▁now ▁replaced ▁the ▁Mer sey ▁class ▁all - we ather ▁lif eb o at ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁ ▁Sh annon ▁Class ▁L if eb o at ▁which ▁uses ▁the ▁new ▁La unch ▁and ▁Rec overy ▁System ▁from ▁Sup ac at . ▁ ▁Description ▁ ▁This ▁am ph ib ious ▁tra ctor ▁has ▁been ▁designed ▁to ▁launch ▁carriage - launch ed ▁lif eb o ats ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Mer sey - class ▁all - we ather ▁lif eb o at . ▁The ▁tra ctor ▁can ▁deploy ▁its ▁pay - load ▁in ▁to ▁a ▁sufficient ▁depth ▁of ▁water ▁to ▁ensure ▁a ▁safe ▁launch ing ▁of ▁the ▁lif eb o at . ▁For ▁recovery ▁the ▁lif eb o at ▁is ▁win ched ▁from ▁shall ow ▁water ▁back ▁onto ▁its ▁carriage ▁allowing ▁the ▁tra ctor ▁to ▁ha ul ▁the ▁carriage ▁back ▁across ▁the ▁beach ▁to ▁its ▁bo ath ouse . ▁ ▁Working ▁protocol s ▁ ▁The ▁vehicle ▁has ▁been ▁designed ▁to ▁work ▁over ▁varying ▁beach ▁environments ▁and ▁can ▁easily ▁launch ▁and ▁recover ▁lif eb o ats ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 1