30 years on the lifeboats with Weymouth RNLI second coxswain Dan Stuttle
In June 1995, when Dan Stuttle joined the crew at Weymouth Lifeboat Station, the first Inshore Lifeboat, the Elizabeth Bestwick (an Atlantic 21 class), had only recently arrived.
30 Years on the Lifeboats: A Conversation with Second Coxswain, Dan Stuttle
In June 1995, when Dan Stuttle joined the crew at Weymouth Lifeboat Station, the first inshore lifeboat, the Elizabeth Bestwick (an Atlantic 21 class), had only recently arrived. With no dedicated boathouse, it was kept afloat in the harbour and supported by a small group of newly recruited volunteers. “It was a big change for Weymouth Lifeboat Station,” Dan recalls. “Some of the long-standing crew weren’t quite sure what to make of this new little boat at first, but it quickly proved just how valuable it could be.”
For Dan, joining the lifeboat crew was simply the next step in a life shaped by the sea. Born and raised in Weymouth, he grew up diving, fishing and running safety boats for water sports events. After studying mechanical and electrical engineering at Weymouth College, he moved into marine engineering full-time and later set up his own marine services business. He has now run the company for around 25 years, balancing the demands of self-employment with the unpredictability of lifeboat callouts.
When the RNLI approached him in 1995 to help establish the new inshore lifeboat operation, the decision came easily. He completed his inshore lifeboat course on the Isle of Wight and formally joined the team, beginning what has become an impressive three decades of voluntary service.
Over the years, Dan has seen nature of rescues change significantly. “These days we’re often called to people who have chartered a boat for a week or bought a 40 ft yacht with no experience at all,” he says. “They get in a pickle and assume the lifeboat will just come and get them.” Yet despite the shifts, the essence of the role is unchanged: being ready to respond when someone needs help.
Dan’s long service means he has no shortage of memorable shouts. Early in his career, he and long-serving crew mate Jules spent hours in dense fog searching miles offshore for a lost RIB, completely out of Coastguard communication range. On another rescue, the crew located a lone sailor 16 miles south of Portland Bill after the skipper of his yacht had been swept overboard. “It was like trying to find a pin in the ocean,” Dan says.
A standout incident for him was the grounding of the MV Ena Sheer at St Aldhelm’s Head during severe weather. “I’ve never seen the sea like it,” he recalls, a reminder of how quickly conditions can turn.
Balancing lifeboat responsibilities with running a marine services business has brought its challenges. Callouts have disrupted sleep, weekends and family time. “You might get called at 1am, get home at 5am, and still have a full day of work ahead of you. The knock-on hits me most the next day.” His wife and children have grown up with the pager sounding at all hours. “You miss things, you have to. But we’ve always made it work. And we’re lucky now, there are more coxswains, more deputies, more crew to share the load.”
Now marking 30 years on the Weymouth lifeboats, Dan speaks warmly of the team around him, the experience within the crew, the new generation coming through, and the shared commitment that keeps the station running. Three decades on, he remains a calm and capable presence at Weymouth Lifeboat Station, still ready to respond whenever the pager sounds.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
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