
Two Fowey RNLI volunteers pass out as qualified all-weather lifeboat crew
Two Fowey RNLI volunteers have completed their training and passed out as fully qualified lifeboat crew on Fowey’s all-weather Trent lifeboat. Gary Jane and Will Maher passed out after completing their training in September this year.
Will, who runs his own design company in Fowey, joined the Fowey lifeboat crew in March 2023. So far he has spent a total of 132 hours at sea on the lifeboats, having also qualified as a trained inshore lifeboat crew earlier this year.
Gary, who works locally, joined the crew in April 2023. Like all crew members, he started as shore crew whilst undergoing his training for the all-weather boat. He has spent 104 hours at sea on the lifeboat so far.
As all-weather lifeboat crew members, Gary and Will help to operate the lifeboat during training and rescues and help to ensure the safety of casualties. They have undertaken regular weekly training since joining the crew, including boat handling, radio communications, casualty care, navigation and radar.
The Trent class lifeboat was developed in the early 1990s and introduced into the RNLI fleet in 1994. Fowey’s Trent class, the Maurice and Joyce Hardy, arrived in Fowey on 25 September 1996. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 25 knots, the Trent was the fastest all-weather lifeboat of the time and the first to be able to cover 250 nautical miles. Fowey’s lifeboat is fast and agile enough to respond quickly in all kinds of weather and sea conditions. She is ideal for offshore searches and rescues and has the power to tow large boats to safety. Should she capsize in severe weather, she will automatically right herself within a few seconds.
Comprehensive medical equipment that can be used by the crew is carried onboard, including oxygen and full resuscitation kit, Entonox for pain relief, large responder bag and three different stretchers.
Fowey’s Trent carries a small XP boat, which is an inflatable daughter boat with a 5hp outboard engine capable of 6 knots. This allows the crew to access areas the Trent cannot reach. She also carries a portable salvage pump which crew can take onboard boats taking on water to try and save them from sinking.
Since the 1990s and particularly since the arrival of the Trent class, the number of services undertaken by the all-weather lifeboats per year has increased greatly. Along with the rest of the Fowey volunteer crew, Will and Gary are trained and ready to go out and save lives at sea, 24/7.
Fowey Lifeboat Coxswain, Jonathan Pritchard said: ‘I am delighted for Gary and Will. They have both worked very hard and shown dedication and enthusiasm throughout their training process. They are an asset to our team and everyone at the station congratulates them on their successful passing out.
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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