#lifeboat – A new research project being run by the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) is exploring attitudes towards risk and safety, and the various ways in which yacht sailors participate in their sport. Over 620 recreational sailors were rescued by Irish lifeboat crews in last five years.

The research, which is supported by the Irish Sailing Association (ISA) will look at what motivates sailors, how often they go to sea, their experience and training, awareness of potential hazards and use of safety procedures and equipment. The findings will be used to help develop tailored and relevant safety messages for the yacht sailing community.

An online questionnaire for yacht sailors in Ireland launches today (27 March) and will run for five weeks until 30 April. All of those who participate in yacht sailing who are based in Ireland – no matter how often or what level of experience – are encouraged to take part. The RNLI is asking people to log on to www.rnliyachtingIreland.substance.coop and complete the survey, which will take about 15 minutes.

The survey will also be supplemented by interviews with individual yacht sailors and yachting organisations as well as focus groups held in selected locations. The project will be undertaken by Substance research, a social research company who have produced research for the RNLI on a number of occasions, on behalf of the RNLI.

Pip Hare, RNLI Coastal Safety Manager, explains the reasoning behind the research project: 'The RNLI exists to save lives at sea – a large part of that role is trying to prevent incidents from happening in the first place by providing important safety information. We're always pleased to see people enjoying their leisure time at the coast and we want to help ensure they can take part in their chosen activity safely RNLI incident data shows lifeboat crews in Ireland have rescued almost 623 yacht sailors in the last five years.'

'The aim of this research is to help us understand why people get involved in sailing and how they behave when they are on the water so we can provide the most relevant and useful safety information to them. We're working with the Irish Sailing Association to join expertise in coastal safety with experience of the sport. Once we have the results of the research, we will work together to develop the most suitable safety programmes and advice.'

Gail MacAllister, Communications Officer and Regional Development Officer for the ISA said: "It is great to be working with the RNLI on their survey on attitudes to safety at sea and the waterways. If we can learn to understand perceptions of safety checks and maintenance then we can make massive steps to helping change some of those perceptions and in turn save lives."

The main project partner for the safety project is the Irish Sailing Association, the national body for all forms of boating in Ireland. The project is also supported by the Cruising Association of Ireland and the Irish Cruising Club

All who participate in the survey are offered the option of free entry into a prize draw to win a McMurdo Fast Find personal locator beacon. A winner will be chosen at random on 31 May. Full terms and conditions for the prize draw, as well as further information about the study, can also be found through the above link.

#RNLI - Rosslare Harbour RNLI was requested by the Irish Coast Guard to assist a 12-metre yacht which had lost all power due to a generator failure at 12.50am in the early hours of this morning (Monday 23 March).

The lone yachtsman, who had set out from Portsmouth for the Isle of Man, had radioed for help as the loss of power with no wind present had disabled his yacht.

Weather conditions at the time were described as very good, with a north westerly wind and a slight breeze.

A tow was established by the volunteer lifeboat crew about 25 miles northeast of Rosslare Europort off the Wexford coast. The lengthy tow saw both arrive safely back into port shortly after 6am.

Commenting on the callout, Rosslare RNLI deputy launching authority Jamie Ryan said: "It was a long night for the lifeboat crew as they made sure the lone yachtsman was brought to safety. He took the correct action in radioing for help and we were happy to assist him."

#RNLI - Howth RNLI's all-weather lifeboat launched at 6.30pm yesterday evening (Sunday 22 March) to reports a motorboat was taking on water at the entrance to Malahide Estuary.

The vessel with three people aboard, which had run aground, was quickly located within 12 minutes of launch.
 


Weather conditions were good at the time on a clear dry night. There was a low tide and Howth RNLI's XP RIB was prepared and launched from the all-weather lifeboat, manned by volunteer crew members David Howard and Ian Sheridan.



The five-metre motorboat was stuck on a sandbank on the falling tide and was taking on water. The water was pumped from the motorboat, which was then refloated.

Its three passengers were taken safely aboard the all-weather lifeboat and brought back to Howth Marina along with their vessel.



Speaking following the callout, Howth RNLI coxswain Fred Connolly said: "We were pleased to have been able to respond and launch so quickly, locate and recover the casualty vessel. 

"There was a very low tide this evening, which contributed to the motorboat running aground, but we compliment the three crew members who immediately called for help as soon as they got into difficulty.

"We also thank our colleagues in the Irish Coast Guard who assisted the rescue from the shore.”

#redbayrnli – Lifeboat crew with Red Bay RNLI launched this afternoon to go to the aid of three walkers who got into difficulty on the Boulder Field at Fair Head, County Antrim. The two men and one teenager raised the alarmed when they became disorientated and were unable to make their way to safety. Red Bay RNLI lifeboat crew were launched at 5.05pm and made their way through strong tides to help the three stranded people to safety.

The small group managed to make their way to the base of the cliff where they waited for help. Two of the volunteer crew swam from the lifeboat to the base of the cliff and escorted the three people to safety. The lifeboat crew had taken spare survival suits with them on the callout, which they gave to the three people as they made their way from the cliff out to the lifeboat. The specially made suits are watertight and have a special insulation layer to keep the wearer warm in freezing water. The group were cold but otherwise suffered no injuries. They were brought by lifeboat to Ballycastle.

Commenting on the callout Red Bay RNLI helm Paddy McLaughlin said, 'With the hours of daylight increasing, more people are spending time outdoors and undertaking activities on or near the water. Fair Head is a beautiful part of the coastline and is very popular with walkers and hikers but we would urge caution.

We receive a large number of callouts to this location each year from people who injure themselves or get into difficulty on the cliff. Always make sure you know where you are going and that you wear and bring the correct equipment with you. It is also very important that you bring a means of communication in case you get into difficulty.

#RNLI - The Clifden RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew scrambled into their kit for a special callout recently when they provided a guard of honour for their two fellow lifeboat crew Alan Pryce and Sinéad O’Sullivan, who tied the knot in St Joseph’s Church recently.

The couple met through their life saving work volunteering as crew with Clifden RNLI. 

And lifeboats played a big part in their day, from the RNLI guard of honour, to the special stop at the station for a photograph with their beloved lifeboat, to a wedding cake which featured the couple dressed in their full RNLI kit.

O’Sullivan joined Clifden RNLI eight years ago and is the station’s only female crewmember. A trained lifeguard, she is currently training to be a helm on the station’s D-class inshore lifeboat and a navigator on the all weather lifeboat.

For her day job, O’Sullivan is an estate agent and auctioneer and is well known all over Connemara for her enthusiasm and energy and getting involved in many good causes.

Her groom is a fellow Clifden native who signed up as volunteer RNLI lifeboat crew at just 17 years of age, through his interest in fishing and sailing.

Since then Pryce has become helm on the D-class and Atlantic-class inshore lifeboats and is one of the station’s four coxswains on the all-weather lifeboat, which is currently on a two-year trial at the station.

"Being in the RNLI is a huge part of both of our lives so we were really delighted that we were able to incorporate it into our wedding celebrations," said Pryce.

"We both love the sea and share a passion for all water based activities, so it was definitely one of our shared interests that resulted in us getting together."

O’Sullivan added: "We were really thrilled that we could share our wedding with two of our favourite things - the Clifden lifeboat and our beloved dog Pippa."

After the wedding, the couple enjoyed a quick mini-moon to Wicklow where they even stopped in briefly to Arklow RNLI to admire their Trent all-weather lifeboat.

And now that the dust has settled and all the party clothes are put away, the newlyweds are back on service and ready to answer the call of the RNLI pagers.

#rnli – Final preparations are being put in place for 'the Homecoming', which will see Lough Swilly RNLI receive the first Shannon class lifeboat in Ireland. The station is planning a special celebration, as the €2.4 million lifeboat arrives into Lough Swilly harbour at 12 noon on Friday 10 April, to take up residence on the Donegal coastline. The Shannon class is the first lifeboat in the history of the 191 year old lifesaving charity that has been named after an Irish river, in recognition of the service and dedication of Irish lifeboat crews.

The new lifeboat will be named Derek Bullivant and has been largely funded through a legacy from Mr Derek Jim Bullivant who hailed from Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK and who passed away in September 2011.

The coxswains and mechanics from Lough Swilly RNLI have been busy training on the new lifeboat and have travelled over to Poole to familiarise themselves on it. When it arrives to its new home and before it is put on service the volunteer lifeboat crew will be receiving intensive training on site before it is declared operational and put on service.

The Shannon is the latest class of all-weather lifeboat to join 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.

The new lifeboat was developed to operate in the worst of sea conditions and is self-righting, automatically turning the right side up in the event of a capsize. 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. The lifeboat has a top speed of 25 knots and a range of 250 nautical miles, which makes it ideal for offshore searches and rescues in calm and rough seas.

The Shannon lifeboat also has another strong Irish connection. Peter Eyre, an RNLI Engineer from Derry who works at the charity's headquarters in Poole, was instrumental in the development of the new lifeboat, designing the hull form at the age of 24. He studied at Foyle College before studying Ship Science at the University of Southampton and undertaking a work placement with the RNLI.

Peter will be travelling over to Inishowen for the homecoming with his new wife Alice and hopes to be onboard the Shannon as it powers into Lough Swilly on the 10 April. Speaking about the new lifeboat Peter said, 'It's fair to say that of all the Shannon lifeboats, Lough Swilly's station boat has a special place in my heart. It was during my youth, which I spent messing around on all types of boats on the Swilly, that I learned one of the most valuable lessons regarding the power of the sea and how quickly conditions can change.

When I was designing the Shannon I had the vast range of conditions found in and around Lough Swilly at the forefront of my mind. If the Shannon could perform in those conditions I would be happy; today as we roll out the Shannon class lifeboats, I'm more than happy.'

Speaking ahead of the event Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager John McCarter added, 'Everyone is welcome to come along and see our new lifeboat coming home. We are very proud of the honour that has been bestowed on us and we have been preparing the homecoming for quite some time. Everything that we do is made possible through the great support we receive around the coast and we are very grateful for it.

A new lifeboat at a station is an occasion for celebration and joy but we never forget that during its lifetime it will bring home many loved ones and launch countless times to search, rescue and train. We hope that before that happens that people will come and see the new arrival.'

#rnilmayday – The RNLI, the charity that saves lives at sea, is issuing its own call for help, appealing for volunteers and fundraisers to get involved with 'Mayday', the organisation's forthcoming national fundraising event which will take place from 1–4 May this year.

Street collections and fundraising events will be taking place throughout the country. The charity, which saves lives at sea, is calling on people to show their support – either by volunteering to help with collections and events, or by taking part in a fundraising activity, in aid of the RNLI.

Mayday will launch on Friday 1 May and run in Ireland across the four-day May Day bank holiday weekend.

Most of the events will have a 'welly' theme, in a nod to the yellow wellies – an essential piece of kit – worn by the charity's volunteer lifeboat crew members. Welly walks and welly-themed cake sales are just two examples of the events that will be taking place.

Last year, RNLI lifeboat crews in Ireland launched 1,089 times bringing 1,414 people to safety. They are on-call 24/7, every day of the year, ready to respond emergencies at sea.

Pauline McGann, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager for Leinster, says:

'The RNLI's dedicated volunteer lifeboat crews are always ready to respond to the Mayday calls of those in distress at sea. We're now hoping people will respond to our call, by volunteering a bit of their time to help with some of the collections and events we have planned for the four days spanning the May Day bank holiday weekend, or by taking part in a fundraising activity.

'RNLI lifeboat crews are volunteers, who are willing to give up their time and put their own lives at risk to rescue those in danger around our coastline. We hope people will get behind us and show their support. We have some fun events planned, so hopefully people will enjoy themselves while also doing their bit to support this lifesaving charity.'

All money raised through Mayday fundraising events will support the RNLI's lifesaving work – it could be used to fund crew training, buy new crew kit, or contribute towards the running costs of a lifeboat station.

Anyone interested in getting involved can see what is going on in their area and sign up at www.rnli.org/Mayday, or contact Pauline McGann [email protected]

#Lifeboats - Donaghadee's lifeboat station is putting out a new call for volunteers - and women are particularly welcome, as UTV News reports.

The Ards Peninsula town, just outside of Belfast Lough, hosts one of Northern Ireland's nine RNLI lifeboat stations, which combined accounted for 281 people rescued in 2014.

But only 10% of the North's lifeboat volunteers are women, prompting a renewed appeal by Donaghadee coxswain John Ashwood - who hastens to add that the RNLI is an equal opportunities recruiter.

“At the end of the day, here in Donaghadee, the whole ethos is getting the right person to do the job whether male of female," he says.

UTV News has more on the story HERE.

#RNLI - RNLI Bangor's lifeboat launched at 7.55pm last night (Saturday 14 March) to search for a missing 12ft RIB with two persons on board after the alarm was raised by Belfast Coastguard.

Within minutes of the rescue pagers being activated, volunteer crew had launched the lifeboat and located the missing boat close to the slipway at Ballyholme Bay.

The vessel had experienced engine failure and had been rowed closer to the shore by the owner.

Calm on-scene sea and weather conditions allowed for a tow line to be quickly rigged and passed to the stricken vessel. The boat was then towed to the safety of Bangor Harbour.

"Engine failure even close to shore could lead to a life threatening situation," said RNLI volunteer helmsman John Bell, who was involved in this rescue.

"We’re glad that the two people on board this boat are now safely ashore."

Bell went on to emphasise the RNLI’s five sea safety tips for anyone going afloat this summer.

"Always wear a lifejacket, secondly check your engine and fuel, thirdly tell others where you are going, fourthly carry some means of calling for help and final always check the weather and tides."

#RNLI - Lough Ree RNLI held a press launch on Saturday (7 March) to announce their upcoming Lap of Lough Ree charity cycle, which will take place on Sunday 29 March.

The cycle will start and finish at The Bounty, Buccaneers Rugby Club in Athlone, and will travel north through Ballymahon, cross the Shannon at Lanesboro Bridge and complete the 85km lap of Lough Ree, travelling south on the Roscommon side, via Kilteevan, to cross again at Athlone Bridge.



Lough Ree RNLI relies on public donations to fund its operation, and the Lap of Lough Ree is an important fundraising event for the charity organisation.

Lough Ree's lifeboat station was the busiest in Ireland in 2014, so maintaining a high standard of service in the area is vital.



Brendan Finnegan, Lough Ree RNLI fundraising committee chairman, said: "We run a variety of events throughout the year to raise funds and we are privileged to have a huge level of support in the community.

:The cycle was very popular when we first organised it last year and it is a pleasure to run events that participants can get actively involved in. We are hoping for a big turnout again this year."



Registration for the event will take place at 9am on Sunday 29 March at The Bounty, with the cycle starting at 10am.

Snack packs will be provided to all entrants, and refreshments will be provided midway at Lanesboro and also at The Bounty afterwards on return. Subject to numbers interested, an extended route may be arranged for cyclists who enjoy a more challenging ride.

The entry fee is €25, and entry forms available at Facebook.com/LoughReeRNLILifeboat

In other fundraising news, Paddy McCrossan and Seamus Fuery of the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen (ONE) in Athlone presented a cheque for €500 to Lough Ree RNLI on 3 March last.

The ONE are stalwart supporters of Lough Ree RNLI, volunteering each year to help with collections on RNLI’s national Flag Day and maintaining RNLI collection boxes in their mess.

Lifeboat operations manager Damien Delaney said: "It’s good supporters like ONE that enable the lifeboat crews to respond to calls when they are needed, and we are grateful for their continual support since the Lough Ree lifeboat station opened."