Weymouth lifeboat crew pass outs

Volunteer RNLI crew member Jules Hutchings and Lyle Stantiford passed out as Assistant Mechanics of the all-weather lifeboat 'Ernest and Mabel' in 2017 with Karl Sargent passing out as Deputy Coxswain.

2018 saw volunteer crew Alice Higgins pass out as Helm of the Atlantic 75 Inshore lifeboat 'Braemar' while volunteer Lyle Stantiford has just passed out as Deputy Coxswain of the all weather Severn Class lifeboat 'Ernest and Mabel'.

Following a rigorous training programme both on station and at the RNLI collage at Poole, Lyle was assessed by a Divisional Inspector and passed out after a final training session on Wednesday 5th December.

Lyle who is the skipper/owner of a local angling boat has been a volunteer crew member of Weymouth All-weather and Inshore lifeboats for 12 years.

Weymouth Lifeboat Operation Manager Malcolm Wright said; "I am very pleased that Lyle has joined Karl, Alice and Jules in showing such dedication to the RNLI and Weymouth lifeboat station. I am proud of the professionalism that Jules, Karl and Lyle and all our crew show on an almost daily basis, now that Lyle has passed out as Deputy Coxswain, among other things, he will be responsible for our volunteer lifeboat crew members who operate the all weather lifeboat during rescues and will be responsible for their safety and the safety of those they rescue".

RNLI lifeboat crews respond at a moment's notice when their pagers go off. They give up their time and comfort to save lives at sea and are regularly called away from their families, their beds and their work, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

As well as going out on rescues, crew members also commit to regular training afloat and onshore, and additional specialist training. All the volunteer crews at Weymouth are encouraged to take qualifications such as RYA Yacht Masters and then they can take on extra tasks on the lifeboat such as Helms, Navigators, Assistant Mechanics or Deputy Coxswain.

RNLI crews are prepared to drop everything and risk their lives to save others at a moment's notice. Their lifesaving work is essential, often difficult and sometimes dangerous. And with only 1 in 10 volunteers joining the RNLI from a professional maritime occupation, training is especially important. That’s why we provide our crew members with first-class training, equipment, guidance and support..

Our lifeboat crews train together every week, at sea and ashore. Weekly RNLI training exercises focus on teamwork, technical competence and safe operating procedures covering everything from boat-handling, search and rescue, and navigation, to radar training, radio communications and casualty care. Crews also practise rescue scenarios involving other emergency services such as the Coastguard and fire and rescue services. Every crew member follows a structured programme of competence-based training and assessment. This covers an agreed range of skills and competencies necessary to complete particular tasks. They also undertake operational training, designed to help them meet required fitness standards. Crew training is a continuous process and the learning never stops.

The RNLI Collage at Poole is the home of lifeboat crew training. Around 1,200 lifeboat crew members take part in one or more of over 40 different courses on offer at the college each year.

Crews train using our first-class facilities, which include well-equipped training rooms, a learning resources centre, live-engine workshops and a state-of-the-art Sea Survival Centre - featuring a wave tank and lifeboat bridge simulator.

The Sea Survival Centre gives crew members practical experience in sea safety and survival techniques. In the wave tank, crews experience simulated real-life conditions including darkness, thunder, lightning and rain.

Training at RNLI College includes taught workshops and courses, and uses learner-centred activities and distance-learning materials – all designed to support crew members' competence-based training.

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.

Learn more about the RNLI

For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.

Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.