RNLI Lerwick Lifeboat reaches Poole for planned refit

Since leaving Lerwick last Thursday morning, the Severn-class lifeboat RNLB Michael and Jane Vernon (17-10) has travelled over 750 nautical miles to the South Coast of England. On the way, the crew had overnight stops at RNLI lifeboat stations at Peterhead, Hartlepool, Lowestoft and Newhaven to rest and to refuel the vessel, before setting off each morning, finally arriving at Poole early afternoon yesterday (Monday).

The crew navigated through the busy shipping lanes of the Thames Estuary and the English Channel, passing landmarks such as the White Cliffs of Dover and the chalk stacks known as ‘The Needles’ on the Isle of Wight. With mostly favourable weather throughout, they made good progress each day, reducing speed for areas of poor visibility on stretches of the East Coast and The Solent.

Over the coming months, RNLI technicians will now undertake a major refit of the 28-year old vessel in the specialist facility, which includes two large boat halls to maintain and manufacture lifeboats in the RNLI fleet. Propellers and engines will be removed and overhauled, and all major systems inspected, replaced or upgraded where possible. The condition of the fibreglass hull will also be closely checked before repainting.

RNLB Michael and Jane Vernon was built in at Cowes, Isle of Wight in 1997 before entering service in Lerwick that year. Although the vessel has had maintenance over the years at other boatyards in Scotland and the North of England, this is the first time that the vessel has returned to the South Coast since she was launched. The RNLI All-Weather Lifeboat Centre opened in August 2015, bringing the process of building and maintaining lifeboats in-house and under one roof.

The RNLB Michael and Jane Vernon is currently the only Gold-medal Severn-class lifeboat in service in the entire RNLI fleet. After the rescue of the crew of the cargo vessel Green Lily in November 1997, Lerwick Lifeboat Coxswain Hewitt Clark was awarded a Gold Medal, the RNLI’s highest award for gallantry, with Bronze Medals awarded to his five crew.

For this voyage to Poole, the four crew members, Deputy Coxswain Tommy Goudie, Technician Paul Hutchison, and Navigators Peter Kerr and Craig Webb, shared the necessary tasks at sea – acting as helm, and covering navigation, radar, radio communications and watchkeeping. These roles were demanding at times, in poor visibility, in narrow channels or in busy shipping lanes.

Relief Severn-class lifeboat RNLB Fraser Flyer (17-17) will provide cover in Lerwick over the next few months while RNLB Michael and Jane Vernon (17-10) is in Poole.

Tommy Goudie, Deputy Coxswain said: “It’s been a long and memorable trip and we’re pleased to have brought our lifeboat safely to Poole for a thorough inspection and refit at the RNLI’s specialist facility. We’ll hear more about the progress of work in the coming months but this refit will give our Severn a new lease of life, to continue to save lives at sea for years to come.”

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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