RNLI lifeboat downsizing controversy - Waltion-on-Naze, Aldeburgh & Arbroath

[LittleSister]

Following the recent thread on the ECF forum re unhappiness at Walton*, the proposed changes there and elsewhere are hitting the national press.

‘Putting lives at risk’: UK coastal towns revolt against smaller lifeboats

(*Not Waltion, but can't edit the title.)

 

[nortada]

As OP you should be able to edits your title in the normal way.

 

[Juan Twothree]

Following the recent thread on the ECF forum re unhappiness at Walton*, the proposed changes there and elsewhere are hitting the national press.

‘Putting lives at risk’: UK coastal towns revolt against smaller lifeboats

(*Not Waltion, but can't edit the title.)

The issues with Walton Lifeboat are solely to do with the pier, which is falling apart, but the RNLI doesn't own.

So the RNLI are putting a 25 knot Shannon at Clacton, 5 miles along the coast, where there is an existing ILB station.

The arguments haven't been about whether or not Walton ALB stays, as there's simply nowhere to put it, short of the RNLI building its own pier. The issue has been about what sort of ILB should replace it, a D class or an Atlantic 85.

As regards Aldeburgh, their ALB launched on service 6 times last year, and has launched once so far this year.

The RNLI reviews each station every five years, as local boating patterns, and hence demands on the lifeboat, change over time. Plus it's a fact that many of these stations are only there because a town used to have a huge fishing fleet, with the lifeboat being rowed.
Even the more recent "traditional" looking lifeboats, in use up till the 1990s, could only do 8 or 9 knots. All of the current ALBs can do 25 in pretty much any weather, so it's hard to justify having two ALB stations 5 miles apart.

The vast majority of lives saved is by ILBs, and has been for many years. So it's a bit of a stretch to say that these decisions will cost lives.

 

[fifer]

The issues with Walton Lifeboat are solely to do with the pier, which is falling apart, but the RNLI doesn't own.

So the RNLI are putting a 25 knot Shannon at Clacton, 5 miles along the coast, where there is an existing ILB station.

The arguments haven't been about whether or not Walton ALB stays, as there's simply nowhere to put it, short of the RNLI building its own pier. The issue has been about what sort of ILB should replace it, a D class or an Atlantic 85.

As regards Aldeburgh, their ALB launched on service 6 times last year, and has launched once so far this year.

The RNLI reviews each station every five years, as local boating patterns, and hence demands on the lifeboat, change over time. Plus it's a fact that many of these stations are only there because a town used to have a huge fishing fleet, with the lifeboat being rowed.
Even the more recent "traditional" looking lifeboats, in use up till the 1990s, could only do 8 or 9 knots. All of the current ALBs can do 25 in pretty much any weather, so it's hard to justify having two ALB stations 5 miles apart.

The vast majority of lives saved is by ILBs, and has been for many years. So it's a bit of a stretch to say that these decisions will cost lives.

You make a good point here.

I suspect local pride is the driving grievance rather than any practical safety issues. No-one currently getting to go out and do lots of fun training wants to see their hobby get downgraded while the local crew up the road keep theirs. Downgrading the lifeboat station is direct evidence of the 'decline' and loss of importance of their town.

Some of this local feeling is similar to the issues around closures of local A&Es. All the evidence suggests that you have much better prospects if you get treatment for strokes/heart attacks/trauma etc in large regional tertiary centres. But you can only fund and staff these if you close several local hospitals to be able to pool the resources. People will hang on to the death for their local service and will be wilfully blind to the broader benefits of consolidation.

What can you do.

 

[Juan Twothree]

You make a good point here.

I suspect local pride is the driving grievance rather than any practical safety issues. No-one currently getting to go out and do lots of fun training wants to see their hobby get downgraded while the local crew up the road keep theirs. Downgrading the lifeboat station is direct evidence of the 'decline' and loss of importance of their town.

I wouldn't say going from a 15 knot Mersey to a 35 knot Atlantic 85 is much of a downgrade to be honest.

The volunteers at the station can continue as crew (the same age limit applies to both boats), they can get to incidents a lot quicker, plus can get into shallower water if they have to.

The only real downside is that you're out in the open, and there's nowhere to make tea.

 

[dunedin]

The vast majority of lives saved is by ILBs, and has been for many years. So it's a bit of a stretch to say that these decisions will cost lives.

I don’t know the situation of the southern boats, but perhaps the Arbroath crew’s views may have some merit. The sands at the mouth of the River Tay can be very treacherous, as evidenced by the sad loss of the Broughty Ferry lifeboat with all hands still being raw in many peoples memories.
Clearly they are not planning to remove the now self righting AWB from Broughty Ferry, but the Arbroath boat is probably operating in similar waters.