Barmouth RNLI prepares for the arrival of their new lifeboat

Crowds are expected to line the beach and lifeboats from Aberdyfi, Criccieth and Pwllheli will escort her in as she arrives by sea at approximately 11 am.

After further crew training, she will take over from the Station’s Mersey class all-weather (ALB) lifeboat the Moira Barrie which has looked after lifesaving in Cardigan Bay for over 26 years since her arrival in 1992.

The new £2.2M Shannon class lifeboat is the first modern all-weather lifeboat to be propelled by water jets instead of traditional propellers, making her the most agile and manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat yet. Reaching top speeds of 25 knots, the Shannon is nearly 50% faster than the Mersey, giving crews the ability to reach those in need even faster. Additionally, the Shannon can turn in her own length or stop almost instantly, making going alongside a vessel to take off casualties a much safer option.

Launching the new boat is much improved too. Measuring just over 13m in length, the Shannon can be launched off the beach via a new and improved launch and recovery system. And after being recovered from the beach bow first, a turntable in the carriage rotates the Shannon 180º ready for her next launch; meaning casualties can be reached sooner and our volunteer launching crews are better protected.

Barmouth RNLI Coxswain Peter Davies said:

‘This is fantastic news for the town. We are delighted that the RNLI has decided to allocate a brand new Shannon lifeboat to Barmouth.

We will be sorry to say goodbye to the Moira Barrie, she is a lovely boat and has served us well for more than 26 years, but the challenge for us now is learning to handle the very best that 21^st century lifeboat technology has to offer.’

The ALB Moira Barrie will remain on station for a number of weeks before handing over to the Ella Larsen once all training is complete. The new boat will be officially named in a ceremony at the station planned for 8^th June 2019.

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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Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries

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