‘Safety on the water’ skills taught at Rye Harbour
Sharon Gozna, volunteer lifeboat crew member at Rye Harbour RNLI, recently trained as an RYA (Royal Yachting Association) instructor for Kent and Sussex Powerboat Training.
Henk Ruysch and Chris Wilkinson set up the training school in 2004 because they felt that there were too many people on the water who did not have the requisite skills. By doing so, they have helped make the waters safer for other boat-owners and helped to save lives at sea.
Sharon has been involved with the RNLI since 2007 and the skills she has learnt and studied for have proved helpful while training for her National Powerboat Level 2 qualification. In turn the coaching and teaching skills that Sharon has developed during this process will feed back into her work as an RNLI volunteer crew member.
She set out on Saturday 28 July from Rye Harbour with three candidates, including a 13-year-old girl, who were taking the RYA Level 2 course, in a 6 metre Humber RIB (rigid inflatable boat). Before they launched Sharon carried out all the safety checks needed and showed them all the boat’s key parts. This was day one of the two-day course.
Sharon said, 'The course provides the skills and background knowledge needed to drive a powerboat and is the basis of the International Certificate of Competence (ICC). After the course the candidates will be self-sufficient power-boaters and aware of their own limitations and those of the craft.'
Whether training powerboat drivers or crewing the Rye Harbour lifeboat Sharon is dedicated to saving lives at sea.
RNLI Media contacts
• Kt Bruce, Rye Harbour RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer (07789) 818878 [email protected]
Paul Dunt, Regional Media Officer (South East), 0207 6207426, 07785 296252 [email protected]
• For enquiries outside normal business hours, contact the RNLI duty press officer on 01202 336789
RNLI online: For more information on the RNLI please visit http://www.rnli.org/. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre.
Key facts about the RNLI
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is the charity that saves lives at sea. Our volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Ireland from 237 lifeboat stations, including four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.
The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity it is separate from, but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 our lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in our museums, shops and offices.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter 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 or by email.
The RNLI is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number 20003326 in the Republic of Ireland.
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.