After completing a passage from the All-weather Lifeboat Centre at the RNLI Headquarters in Poole, Dorset, the new Shannon class arrived in Troon, escorted by Troons current lifeboats, Trent class lifeboat
RNLB Jim Moffat and D class inshore lifeboat Sheena, Girvan’s Shannon class lifeboat
RNLB Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan and Arran inshore lifeboat Atlantic 85
Rachel Hedderwick with a flypast by the Prestwick Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter.
Once in the harbour, guests and families, RNLI supporters and the community from near and far lined harbourside with our emergency service colleagues to watch the lifeboat arrive as a piper played on the quayside. Members of Troon Cruising Club also decorated their yachts and sailed past the new lifeboat with horns blaring.
At the lifeboat station, Troon RNLI fundraisers and retail volunteers provided refreshments along with RNLI gifts and souvenirs.
The new Shannon class lifeboat has been largely funded from the legacy of Mr Frederick Roy Barker, who was known as Roy, who left his entire estate to the RNLI, with the request that the income received from the fund be known as the Roy Barker Memorial Fund. Income from the fund has already funded three Trent class lifeboats at Alderney in the Channel Islands, Wick in Scotland, and Howth in the Republic of Ireland, a Tamar class lifeboat at The Mumbles in Wales and a Shannon at New Quay in Wales. Roy admired the dedication, skill and bravery of the volunteer crews and, indeed, their families who support them.
The kind legacy of Mr Alan Lionel Aspinall also contributed towards the completion of this new lifeboat. Mr Aspinall had a deep love and interest in boats and ships of all types and recognised the vital role that lifeboats provide to the seafaring communities.
Jim Redmond, Troon RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said, ‘It was a great sight today to see our new Shannon class all-weather lifeboat
RNLB Roy Barker VI arrive in Troon for the first time flanked by other RNLI vessels.
‘The coming months will see training for the coxswains, mechanics and volunteer lifeboat crew to familiarise with quite a different lifeboat compared to our current Trent class lifeboat.
‘Everyone at Troon RNLI lifeboat station is thrilled to welcome the new boat to the station and are honoured that the benefactors were so generous in their legacies, enabling us to continue saving lives at sea, in a state-of-the-art lifeboat, for many years to come.’
Since 2004, funded by the Lifeboats of the Clyde appeal, our current Trent class lifeboat
RNLB Jim Moffat has served us well. Since its arrival, the all-weather lifeboat has carried out over 770 callouts, saved 17 lives and aided 443 people and will leave the station later this year once training on the new lifeboat is complete.
RNLI/TroonLifeboat
Troon lifeboat volunteers following the passage to Troon with the new lifeboat
The RNLI charity 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 146,000 lives.
