Arran RNLI welcome back Rachel and give her a proper Firth of Clyde shakedown
On Tuesday 10 September, the volunteer crew of the Arran RNLI Lifeboat Station made a special trip to Troon to collect Rachel Hedderwick, the island's Atlantic 85 B class lifeboat as it returned from a four-month refit.
A farewell was given to the relief vessel Paul and Stella Rowsell which served the island well during the summer before the grins appeared as the crew took a look around the 8.5m rigid inflatable lifeboat (RIB).
With two brand new 115hp 4-stroke engines, Rachel Hedderwick is one of the fastest in the fleet; her top speed is 35 knots and although she’s an inshore lifeboat, designed to operate in shallower water, the B class can handle fairly challenging open sea conditions too.
On the way back the Firth of Clyde decided to test this with strong winds and a big swell. Needless to say Rachel Hedderwick handled this weather like the seasoned pro she is and was made ready for service after arriving in Lamlash.
Rachel Hedderwick was placed on service at Arran in July 2014 and was funded by a generous bequest of Miss Rachel Antoinette Hedderwick.
A spokesperson from Arran RNLI said: ‘As a charity, we rely on voluntary donations to power our lifesaving work - as we have done for 200 years. With a B class lifeboat costing over £320,000 and kit costing over £1,900 per crew member the Arran RNLI volunteers are very grateful for all the support received from the local community.’
Notes to editors
· Arran lifeboat station has been operating since 1970. To learn more about the lifeboat station go to: https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/arran-lifeboat-station
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