Falmouth RNLI to welcome the stations new all-weather lifeboat
Falmouth RNLI will receive its new state of the art all- weather Shannon class lifeboat Decibel Too on Friday afternoon 27 June.
Since the departure of the stations Severn class lifeboat Richard Cox Scott in January, Falmouth’s volunteer crew have been training and answering emergency call outs on the relief Shannon class lifeboat George and Frances Phelon, however on Friday they will be welcoming home the new permanent station lifeboat Decibel Too
Decibel Too has been funded by a gift left in the will of Richard Coleman and administered by his friend Tony Vlasto and the RNLI City of London Committee. Richard was a keen yachtsman and made many significant solo voyages on his 18 ft Hillyard designed and built sloop, DECIBEL. He also served in the Royal Navy and had a profound appreciation of the valuable work of the RNLI. Thanks to his great generosity, this lifeboat will allow our volunteer crews to continue saving lives at sea for many years into the future.
The lifeboat was first put into the water at a bell ringing ceremony at RNLI HQ, Poole back in April and has since been undergoing acceptance trials.
A small crew from Falmouth RNLI will be heading to Poole in readiness to bring Decibel Too back to Falmouth, entering the harbour on Friday 27 June, between 4.00pm and 5.00pm
We are expecting a small flotilla of boats to welcome the lifeboat as she enters the port for the first time. Recreational water users are encouraged to join the welcoming party, weather and conditions permitting, whilst land based supporters will be able to view her from Pendennis Head as she enters the harbour.
Falmouth RNLI Coxswain Jonathon Blakeston said:
‘This is the day we have been waiting for. It’s always good to welcome a new boat that we can call our own. I’m sure that she will serve the station proud’
The Shannon is the latest class of all-weather lifeboat to join the RNLI fleet, Designed entirely in house and built at the RNLI’s all weather lifeboat centre in Poole, Dorset the charity harnessed cutting-edge technology, including a water jet propulsion system, to ensure this new lifeboat meets the demands of a 21st century rescue service.
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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