Double success as two Peel RNLI crew qualify as lifeboat navigators

Will Senior and Sam Styles successfully completed their rigorous final assessments, marking the culmination of months of intensive training on board Peel’s Shannon class all-weather lifeboat Frank and Brenda Winter.

The role of a lifeboat navigator is critical to the station's lifesaving capabilities. Operating in pitch darkness, heavy swells and poor visibility, the navigator is responsible for safely plotting courses, monitoring complex electronic systems, and ensuring the crew reaches those in distress as quickly and safely as possible.

Both Will and Sam have dedicated countless hours of their spare time to mastering the advanced navigation, radar and communication systems unique to the state-of-the-art Shannon class lifeboat.

Mike Taylor, volunteer Coxswain, Mechanic and Navigator for Peel RNLI, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled for both Will and Sam. Passing out as a navigator requires a massive commitment, high technical skill and the ability to perform under intense pressure.

‘Having two crew members qualify in the same week is a fantastic boost for Peel Lifeboat Station and significantly strengthens our operational capability to save lives at sea around the Isle of Man.’

The successful pass-outs ensure that Peel RNLI continues to maintain a highly skilled, fully qualified roster of volunteers ready to launch 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Notes to Editors:

• Peel RNLI is based on the west coast of the Isle of Man and operates a Shannon class all-weather lifeboat, Frank and Brenda Winter.
• Photos of Navigator Will Senior and Navigator Sam Styles onboard the lifeboat are attached (credit: Claire Hamer).

RNLI Media Contacts

For more information contact Claire Hamer, Lifeboat Press Officer on [email protected].

Alternatively you can contact Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith, Regional Communications Manager on [email protected] or 07977 728315, or contact the RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789.

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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