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Kippford RNLI welcome relief lifeboat

Lifeboats News Release

The volunteers are Kippford RNLI waved goodbye to their D Class lifeboat Ronnie Sinclair this week as the boat returns to the RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre for refurbishment. A relief lifeboat has been placed on service at Kippford for the duration of this process.

Relief lifeboat D-875 arrives in Kippford

RNLI/Laura Wilson

D-875 arrives in Kippford

With 110 stations across the UK and Ireland having a D Class the current Kippford lifeboat D-854 was placed on station in April 2021. All of the inshore lifeboats in the RNLI fleet are built and maintained at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre in Cowes, Isle of Wight. As part of the planned lifecycle of the D Class the boats return to the centre midway through their time in service for a full maintenance check and refurbishment where required.

In order to maintain cover at each station a fleet of relief lifeboats are deployed for the duration of the planned work. Kippford is pleased to welcome D-875 The Gentle Jekm to the station and the crew are looking forward to taking her out on exercise soon.

D Class lifeboats were first introduced to the fleet in 1963 and have been evolving since then, the current version IB1 has been in operation since 2003. With a top speed of 25 knots and the ability to manoeuvre in rocky and shallow waters close to shore the D Class is the perfect boat for Kippford and the surrounding area.

Lifeboat Operations Manager, Gareth Jones, said: ‘We’ve had a D Class lifeboat at Kippford since the station started in 1966 and an important part of maintaining an effective service is to ensure the lifeboats are looked after during their lifetime. We’re pleased to have a relief boat on service whilst Ronnie Sinclair is away and operations will continue as normal at the station in the meantime.’

Notes to editors

· Kippford Lifeboat Station has been operating since 1966. To learn more about the station go to https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/kippford-lifeboat-station

· Attached photos of relief lifeboat D-875 arriving in Kippford

RNLI media contacts

Laura Wilson, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07756 125917, [email protected]

Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]

Tom McGuire, RNLI Regional Communications Manager for Scotland and Ireland, 00353 87 476 4436, [email protected]

Martin Macnamara, RNLI Regional Communications Lead for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]

RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789

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

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

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