The RNLI has announced that Peel lifeboat station is to receive a new Shannon class lifeboat in 2019.
The ?2.2m lifeboat which was provisionally due to arrive in 2021, is now expected to arrive at the station in 2019. This follows a planned half yearly review of the RNLI’s capital plan and boat allocation which identified that the new lifeboat would be ready for delivery in the latter part of 2019.
The Shannon will replace the station’s current all-weather Mersey class lifeboat Ruby Clery which celebrated its 25th birthday earlier this year.
Allen Corlett, Peel RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager said: ‘We were delighted when we received the news earlier this year that a Shannon class lifeboat was to be allocated to our station so to now have a definitive time of arrival, and much sooner that provisionally planned, is great news for all our volunteers.
‘We cover a large part of the northwest Irish sea and are often called upon to operate more than 10 miles from Peel. A Shannon class lifeboat with a top 25 knot speed will allow our crew to reach those in difficulty in a little more than half the time currently.
‘We will now work with our regional operation team in preparation for our new arrival. Our crew is already looking forward to the opportunity of training and to developing their skills.’
Last year, Peel RNLI launched their Mersey class lifeboat 12 times, bringing 16 people to safety.
Since Peel RNLI was established in 1828, their lifeboats have launched 501 times rescuing 444 people - 251 of those were lives saved.
The Shannon is the latest class of all-weather lifeboat in the RNLI fleet and the first to be propelled by waterjets instead of traditional propellers, making it the most agile and manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat in the fleet. Waterjets allow the vessel to operate in shallow waters and be intentionally beached. It is 13 metres in length and weighs 18 tonnes.
Its unique hull is designed to minimise slamming of the boat in heavy seas and the shock-absorbing seats further protect the crew from impact when powering through the waves. An improved Systems and Information Management System (SIMS) allows the crew to operate and monitor many of the lifeboat's functions from the safety of their seats. As with all RNLI all-weather lifeboats, the Shannon is designed to be inherently self-righting, returning to an upright position in the event of capsize.
The Shannon was designed to replace the Mersey and Tyne class lifeboats, which are nearing the end of their operational lives. Once rolled out, the entire all-weather lifeboat fleet will be capable of 25 knots, making the lifesaving service more efficient and effective than ever before.
