New inshore Atlantic 85 class lifeboat arrives at Kinsale RNLI

It replaces

Miss Sally Anne Baggy, which will be retired after 15 years of service that have seen her involved in countless high profile incidents including the rescue of 30 young people from the training ship Astrid in 2013, and plucking three fishermen from treacherous seas as their trawler Sean Anthony sank in 2016. Both rescues featured prominently in the BBC television series, Saving Lives at Sea.

The new boat is named Miss Sally Anne Baggy II - Never Fear, Baggy’s Here, in honour of Sally Anne Odell, a lifelong supporter of the RNLI who was known to the crew as The Godmother. She paid for the original Kinsale lifeboat and RNLI station and remained in close contact with the crew. Sadly Miss Odell died on 27 November last, but made provision in her will for the new Kinsale boat and associated running costs for the duration of its working life. The new lifeboat will be officially named at a special ceremony and service of dedication at Kinsale RNLI’s lifeboat station later this month.

The new lifeboat has some advancement on its predecessor. The Atlantic 85 design allows room for four crew members and more kit than the Atlantic 75 lifeboat, which only had room for three crew members.

The lifeboat is powered by two 115 horse power engines and has a stronger hull and greater top speed of 35 knots. The added radar allows the crew to operate more effectively in poor visibility and there is also VHF direction-finding equipment.

The vessel has a manually operated self-righting mechanism which, combined with inversion-proofed engines, keeps the lifeboat operational even after capsize. The lifeboat can also be beached in an emergency without causing damage to its engines or steering gear.

The Atlantic 85, which was introduced to the RNLI fleet in 2005, also carries a full suite of communication and electronic navigation aids, as well as a searchlight, night-vision equipment and flares for night-time operations.

Kinsale RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew began a period of familiarisation training on Monday afternoon under the guidance of RNLI assessors, with a view to the new boat being fully operational by the end of the week. The original Kinsale lifeboat will continue to respond to emergency calls during this training period.

Speaking following the arrival of the new lifeboat, Kinsale Lifeboat Operations Manager Kevin Gould said: ‘We are all sorry to say goodbye to the original Sally Anne Baggy, a great lifeboat that brought many people to safety during her 15 years of service, but we are proud to be the custodians of this new lifeboat that will allow our volunteers to save many more lives in the years to come. It is a fitting testament to the spirit and generosity of Sally Anne Odell.”

The RNLI is a charity which relies on voluntary contributions and legacies.

Ends

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.

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