This article reviews the various lifeboat designs on show at the fourteenth International Lifeboat Conference in Gothenburg. The boats present this year, and their equipment, covered a very wide range of operating philosophies, administrational organizations and technical designs. The speed range varied from 8 to 25 knots, and the displacement from around 6 tons to 200 tons. Only one third of the boats were 100% self righting but most of the remainder had a high range of stability, generally thought to be around 90 degree .