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The Kents

Duke of Kent visits six RNLI stations and welcomes new boat.

The Duke of Kent, President of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI),  will embark on a two-day visit to six Welsh Lifeboat stations and the Holyhead Coastguard Coordination Centre Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th October.

Later this week, he will celebrate his 80th birthday on 9th October.

The Duke of Kent, aboard the RNLI Severn class relief lifeboat, ‘The Duke of Kent’, currently stationed in Tobermory. 2009

The Duke of Kent, aboard the RNLI Severn Class relief lifeboat, ‘The Duke of Kent’, currently stationed in Tobermory. 2009

Prince Edward succeeded both his parents as President of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1969. As President, he has attended many RNLI events, including the official opening of RNLI College by the organisations Patron, The Queen, in July 2004. In April 2005, at RNLI Headquarters in Dorset, he attended the naming of a new all-weather lifeboat, The Duke of Kent.

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Their volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland from 236 lifeboat stations. The stations also include four along the River Thames and inland lifeboat stations at Loch Ness, Lough Derg, Enniskillen and Lough Ree. Additionally the RNLI has more than 1,000 lifeguards on over 180 beaches around the UK and operates a specialist flood rescue team, which can respond anywhere across the UK and Ireland when inland flooding puts lives at risk.

On the first day of the President’s trip he will visit three stations that will include:

Abersoch Lifeboat Station, Pwllheli, Caernarfonshire;

Pwllheli Lifeboat Station, Tocyn Brwyn, Pwllheli, Caernarfonshire;

Porthdinllaen Lifeboat Station, Morfa Nefyn, Pwllheli, Caernarfonshire.

Later that evening he will attend a Dinner for Royal National Lifeboat Institution representatives at Chateau Rhianfa, Beaumaris, Anglesey.

The next day, The Duke will visit:

Moelfre Seawatch and Moelfre Lifeboat Station, Lifeboat House, Moelfre, Anglesey;

Holyhead Coastguard Coordination Centre, Prince of Wales Road, Holyhead, Anglesey;

Holyhead Lifeboat Station, Newry Beach, Holyhead, Anglesey;

Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station, Fron Towyn, Lonlsallt, Trearddur Bay, Anglesey.

The visit to Abersoch Lifeboat Station will see the Duke welcome the stations new B-Class, Atlantic 85 lifeboat, the Peter and Ann Setten. The boat is provided as a result of a bequest from Mrs Ann Constance Setten, from Shropshire, who had been an RNLI supporter during her lifetime.

The station’s current lifeboat is an Atlantic 75 rigid inflatable and will enter the RNLI’s relief fleet, once the new lifeboat is in service. This boat was also provided to the RNLI from a bequest, by the late Margaret Bench of Solihull in the West Midlands.

Poole’s Atlantic 85 and lifeboat crew righting a capsized yacht.

Poole’s Atlantic 85 and lifeboat crew righting a capsized yacht.

RNLI lifeboats are divided into two categories: inshore and all-weather. The B class lifeboat is one of three classes of inshore lifeboat (ILB) – the B, D and E classes. The B class usually operates closer to shore than all-weather lifeboats, in shallower water, close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves.

There are two types of B class lifeboat – the Atlantic 75 and the Atlantic 85.
The name Atlantic derived from Atlantic College in Wales, where the rigid inflatable B class was first developed. ‘75’ and ‘85’ are derived from a length of nearly 7.5m and 8.5m respectively.

The Atlantic 85 design allows room for four crew members and more kit than the Atlantic 75 lifeboat.

The craft is powered by two 115hp engines and has a stronger hull and greater top speed. The added radar allows the crew to operate more efficiently in poor visibility and she also has VHF direction-finding equipment.

A manually operated self-righting mechanism combined with two 115hp 4-stroke inversion-proofed engines keep her operational even after capsize. She is also capable of being beached in an emergency without sustaining damage to engines or steering gear.

The Atlantic 85 carries a full suite of communication and electronic navigation aids, including VHF radio, VHF direction finding, intercom, DGPS and electronic chart, radar and hand-held VHF, as well as a searchlight, night-vision equipment and illuminating para flares for night-time operations.

The Atlantic series play a vital road in the RNLI’s capability to keep our waters safe and in 2010, B class lifeboats launched 2,995 times and rescued 2,942 people, saving 101 lives.

Abersoch RNLI provides a 24-hour lifesaving service for Abersoch and the surrounding coast, the service is invaluable to anyone that ventures out on the water. The purely voluntary crew have been keeping the Cardigan Bay coastline safe for over 140 years and relies heavily on fund raising.

Since Abersoch RNLI Lifeboat Station was established in 1869, it’s dedicated generations of volunteer crew members have launched their inshore lifeboat over 934 times, rescued 828 people and saved over 244 lives.

In short, over the years they’ve rescued almost the equivalent number of people to the population of Abersoch itself.

After closing between 1931 and 1965, the station has completed an aggregate of over 108 years of service, saving lives at sea.

Over the years, two prestigious Silver medals have been awarded to the volunteer crew of Abersoch for their courage and seamanship displayed while saving those in danger. Plus three “Framed Letter of Thanks” and “Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum” four times.

The Duke, who pays visits to lifeboat stations nationwide to meet volunteers and fundraisers, in 2009 celebrated 40 years as President of the RNLI. At the organisation’s annual presentation of awards, he was presented with a diorama in recognition of his four decades of service and commitment.

The Duke has made many visits to lifeboat stations this year and in March, The Duke joined the volunteer crew on exercise aboard Exmouth RNLI’s Shannon class lifeboat, R and J Welburn. The Duke was able to launch the lifeboat into the Exe Estuary and was shown the lifeboat’s unique Launch and Recovery System. This launch The Duke’s third visit to Exmouth, having visited in 1984 and 1996 to name lifeboats previously.

The RNLI relies on public donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. As a charity, it is separate from but works alongside, government-controlled and funded coastguard services. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved at least 140,000 lives. Volunteers make up 95% of the charity, including 4,600 volunteer lifeboat crew members and 3,000 volunteer shore crew. Additionally, tens of thousands of other dedicated volunteers raise funds and awareness, give safety advice, and help in their museums, shops and offices.

For more information, please visit RNLI.org

Photos: With grateful thanks to the RNLI