Larne RNLI’s new Shannon class lifeboat has been officially named Machiko Nancy during a special naming ceremony and service of dedication at East Antrim Boat Club in Northern Ireland on Saturday afternoon (18 July).
The lifeboat, which went on service in February this year, has been largely funded by donor Michael Cameron via the Cameron Family Charitable Foundation.
During Saturday’s ceremony, Michael had the honour of naming the lifeboat Machiko Nancy after his late wife, who was one of the founders of the charity.
At the start of the day’s proceedings, Michael Cameron handed the lifeboat into the care of the RNLI. Peter Sparkes, RNLI chief executive then accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the charity before handing it into the care of Larne Lifeboat Station.
Jonathan Shirley, lifeboat operations manager, accepted the lifeboat on behalf of Larne RNLI. Speaking about the event, he said the volunteer team were looking forward to writing a new chapter in the station’s history.
“As Lifeboat Operations Manager, it is my responsibility to authorise the lifeboats launch when requested, and to send a message to the crew asking them to get to the station as quickly as possible, and sometimes in weather conditions which are very inclement and where others would be returning home,” he said.
“The Shannon is the first modern all-weather lifeboat to be propelled by water jets instead of traditional propellers, making her the most agile and manoeuvrable all-weather lifeboat in the fleet. Designed entirely in-house by a team of RNLI engineers, the RNLI harnessed cutting-edge technology to ensure the lifeboat met the demands of a 21st-century search and rescue service.
Michael Cameron pouring a bottle of sake over the lifeboat named after his late wife Machiko Nancy, with Derek Rea looking on | Credit: RNLI/Jason Bain
“The Machiko Nancy replaces our all-weather Trent class lifeboat, Dr John McSparran, and we know just like our outgoing lifeboat that served us so well over the last quarter of a century, that this new Shannon will go on to make an exemplary search and rescue asset for many years to come.”
The Very Rev Fr Manuelito Milo, Rev David Lockhart and Rev Dr Colin McClure led the congregation in the Service of Dedication that followed during which the lifeboat was officially named Machiko Nancy.
The gathered crowd of well-wishers including family and friends of the station, watched as a bottle of sake was poured over the side of the lifeboat before it launched at the end of the ceremony.
The lifeboat was also funded by the late Mrs Maureen Beryl Bruce Murray. Maureen trained as a doctor during the war. Her class was moved to Exeter for safety, eventually being returned to Croydon later in the war. The day after class started again in Croydon, one of the dormitories was hit by a doodlebug, killing all the students — something Maureen never forgot.
Maureen practised as a GP in Croydon, eventually becoming the senior partner of the practice. She was also involved in the local NHS governing bodies, becoming chair of the Croydon Hospital Trust. A tree was planted in her name in the hospital grounds when she retired.
The Cornish coast was of Maureen’s favourite holiday destinations, which may have been where she first encountered the RNLI. She always admired the brave from the time she spent examining pilots during the war.
Larne RNLI was established in 1994 and since then, the station’s all-weather and inshore lifeboats have launched 708 times with its volunteer crews coming to the aid of 775 people, 43 of whom were lives saved.
