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Displaying items by tag: pontoon

Close to where the ferry pulls in to Strangford Village a new pontoon facilty enables visiting boats to berth.

Published in Irish Marinas
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Situated at the head of the Quoile River estuary on Castle Island. There is a short stay pontoon with water hose at Quoile Yacht Club. Visitors can anchor off the moored yachts between Castle and Gibbs Islands. No overnight berthing at the pontoon without permission.

Published in Irish Marinas

Down Cruising Club is a small, friendly club of approximately 100 members, who are interested in all aspects of boating and cruising on Strangford Lough. The club is fortunate to be based at Ballydorn, on Strangford Lough, and to enjoy the unique facility of club headquarters in the form of the lightship "Petrel"

Visitors to Strangford Lough are advised to examine the up to date chart of the area and keep a close watch for the many perches, some of which are marked and some of which may not be marked. They are also advised to keep a close eye on tides when embarking and disembarking from the lightship pontoon.

On arrival DCC says a visiting skipper must report to the Bar Steward (VHF Ch 16 – Lightship Petrel) or a DCC Flag Officer/Council Member as soon as possible (contact details on Visitors' Information Notice on deck). Berthing instructions will be given according to the size and type of vessel if a berth is available.

Published in Irish Marinas

Strangford Lough Yacht Club is situated in Whiterock Bay in Killinchy, between Comber and Killyleagh. It has a sturdy pontoon linked to the clubhouse that is popular with visiting and local craft alike.

Published in Irish Marinas

A temporary floating pontoon for visiting boats is present during the summer season that makes it easier for boaters to enjoy this extensive harbour with good anchorage. The pontoon is suitable for up to seven or eight boats and is used by a mix of cruising boats, ribs and local fishing boats.

Published in Irish Marinas

Glengarriff harbour has a small pontoon to assist with embarkation at the quayside

Published in Irish Marinas
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A small temporary pontoon measuring 50-foot long at the local harbour

Published in Irish Marinas
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Although a town marina for Schull gets ever closer for the moment boaters make do with a quay and a 40-foot long pontoon in Schull Harbour, primarily used by small boats. It is a facility that makes embarkation and disembarkation easier.

Published in Irish Marinas
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Cape Clear's North Harbour has a temporary pontoon for embarkation and disembarkation

Published in Irish Marinas
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A quay with a substantial floating pontoon below the Islanders Rest Hotel and a landing slip a short distance to the east provide access for boaters during the summer season. This makes it easy for boaters to embark and disembark on the island. The pontoon is suitable for up to seven or eight boats and used by a mix of cruising boats, ribs and local fishing boats.

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Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in Ireland Information

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity to save lives at sea in the waters of UK and Ireland. Funded principally by legacies and donations, the RNLI operates a fleet of lifeboats, crewed by volunteers, based at a range of coastal and inland waters stations. Working closely with UK and Ireland Coastguards, RNLI crews are available to launch at short notice to assist people and vessels in difficulties.

RNLI was founded in 1824 and is based in Poole, Dorset. The organisation raised €210m in funds in 2019, spending €200m on lifesaving activities and water safety education. RNLI also provides a beach lifeguard service in the UK and has recently developed an International drowning prevention strategy, partnering with other organisations and governments to make drowning prevention a global priority.

Irish Lifeboat Stations

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, with an operational base in Swords, Co Dublin. Irish RNLI crews are tasked through a paging system instigated by the Irish Coast Guard which can task a range of rescue resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

Famous Irish Lifeboat Rescues

Irish Lifeboats have participated in many rescues, perhaps the most famous of which was the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock lightship off Cork Harbour by the Ballycotton lifeboat in 1936. Spending almost 50 hours at sea, the lifeboat stood by the drifting lightship until the proximity to the Daunt Rock forced the coxswain to get alongside and successfully rescue the lightship's crew.

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895.

FAQs

While the number of callouts to lifeboat stations varies from year to year, Howth Lifeboat station has aggregated more 'shouts' in recent years than other stations, averaging just over 60 a year.

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

The Irish fleet is a mixture of inshore and all-weather (offshore) craft. The offshore lifeboats, which range from 17m to 12m in length are either moored afloat, launched down a slipway or are towed into the sea on a trailer and launched. The inshore boats are either rigid or non-rigid inflatables.

The Irish Coast Guard in the Republic of Ireland or the UK Coastguard in Northern Ireland task lifeboats when an emergency call is received, through any of the recognised systems. These include 999/112 phone calls, Mayday/PanPan calls on VHF, a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or distress signals.

The Irish Coast Guard is the government agency responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue operations. To carry out their task the Coast Guard calls on their own resources – Coast Guard units manned by volunteers and contracted helicopters, as well as "declared resources" - RNLI lifeboats and crews. While lifeboats conduct the operation, the coordination is provided by the Coast Guard.

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

RNLI Lifeboat crews are required to follow a particular development plan that covers a pre-agreed range of skills necessary to complete particular tasks. These skills and tasks form part of the competence-based training that is delivered both locally and at the RNLI's Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset

 

While the RNLI is dependent on donations and legacies for funding, they also need volunteer crew and fund-raisers.

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