Looe RNLI volunteers congratulate their newest D Class inshore lifeboat helm

Yesterday evening, Wednesday 11 March 2026, Looe RNLI volunteer crew member, Rich Jones, was joined by crewmates, Jonty and Mark, along with RNLI assessor / trainer, Ollie George on the charity’s D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith II for his lifeboat helm assessment out in Looe Bay. This assessment is designed to test Rich’s command of both an incident and the D Class lifeboat, together with his navigation skills, and knowledge of search, rescue and emergency procedures.

A helm on a RNLI inshore lifeboat is the volunteer crew member in command of the lifeboat during all aspects of an operation: launching, at sea, and recovery. When taking the helm, Rich Jones will have responsibility for the safety of the lifeboat’s crew, casualties and making any critical decisions during rescues. It takes years of hard work training both here at the station and at the RNLI’s college in Poole to become a helm, Rich’s helm assessment started last week with passing a written exam testing his navigational skills, seamanship, search patterns, and culminated with yesterday’s assessment out in Looe bay, where Rich had to put all the theory into practice.

Taking up the story, Rich explains: ‘The assessment started around 6.30pm with a tasking to investigate reports of two persons in the water after a small rib was taking on water behind Looe Island. With darkness falling crew grabbed the night bag containing search lights and night vision equipment, before launching the charity’s D Class inshore lifeboat Ollie Naismith II. Leaving the harbour, I asked Jonty to enter the last known coordinates into the chart plotter and we arrived quicky on scene. The incident soon turned into a search for two missing people believed to be on the boat, with Rich requesting additional support from Looe’s Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II, which had been launched on exercise around 7.15pm. During the assessment and on our way back to the station assessor / trainer Ollie threw some emergencies into the scenario for me and the crew to deal with, finally returning to station after more than two hours at sea.

During the debrief Ollie shook hands with Rich to congratulate him on passing out as a qualified D Class helm. Rich goes on to say 'I would like to say a big thank you to my crew Jonty and Mark, crew on the Atlantic 85, shore crew and Launch Authorities who gave up their evening for my assessment. I would also like to thank other members of our crew who have put in so much time to help me qualify as a helm’

Clive Palfrey, Looe RNLI’s Lifeboat Operations Manager says: ‘We all congratulate Rich who has passed out as a fully qualified D Class helm after so much hard training, and I also thank all the crew and trainers who have spent much time involved with his training, a real joint effort from the station’

ENDS

Notes to editors

Photos:

· RNLI assessor / trainer Ollie George (right) congratulating Rich Jones (left) by the D Class ILB Ollie Naismith II
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Rich Jones and crew preparing the D Class ILB Ollie Naismith II for launch
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

· Launching the D Class ILB Ollie Naismith II with Rich Jones at the helm
Photo credit RNLI / Ian Foster

Information:

· Re-established as an inshore lifeboat station in 1992, Looe RNLI operate two inshore lifeboats
An Atlantic 85 Sheila and Dennis Tongue II and a D Class Ollie Naismith II

· For further information on Looe RNLI Lifeboats please visit our website https://rnli.org/find-my-nearest/lifeboat-stations/looe-lifeboat-station

· Looe RNLI Facebook page www.facebook.com/LooeRNLI

Media contacts

For more information please telephone

Ian Foster, RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for Looe Lifeboat Station, on 07902 753228 or [email protected] or [email protected]

or Emma Haines, RNLI Regional Communications Manager, on 07866 668847 or [email protected]

or Amy Caldwell, RNLI Regional Communications Lead, on 07920 818807 or [email protected]

Key facts about the RNLI

The RNLI is the charity that 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 146,700 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.