#RNLI - Arklow RNLI's volunteers were enjoying their Sunday morning (27 September) when their pagers sounded at 10.55am.

Within minutes Arklow’s all-weather lifeboat Ger Tigchleaar had slipped her moorings and was en route to a catamaran that had reported engine trouble, some eight miles off the coast on the outside of the Arklow Bank.

The lifeboat crew located the casualty, who had re-routed across the bank, and a crew member was put aboard the 9m vessel to assist the sailor.

Once aboard, a towline was quickly established and the lifeboat proceeded the long, slow tow back to Arklow.

The stricken catamaran had been on a passage from Holyhead to Kilmore Quay when it got into difficulty.

All hands – including the sailor's pet dog – came ashore safely on the Avoca River at Arklow.

Arklow RNLI’s volunteer crew on this call out included coxswain Brendan Dillon, mechanic Geoff Kearnes, Roger Tyrell, Aidan Downey, David Lee, Jimmy Myler and Craig O’Reilly.

Speaking following the incident Arklow RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Mark Corcoran said: "This man made the call for help early which ensured our crew could get out to his assistance in time.

"No matter how experienced a sailor is, we would always encourage anyone to carry a means for calling for help and plan your passage with sufficient fuel and other required items for the trip."

#RNLI - At a special ceremony held yesterday (Saturday 26 September), Wexford RNLI officially named its new D class lifeboat, Alfred William Newman, at its lifeboat station in the town, adjacent to Wexford Bridge and the Quays.

As previously reported on Afloat.ie, the lifeboat, which went on service on the 25 June this year, was funded by the late Alfred William Newman from Birmingham who, through a bequest in his will, provided the D class lifeboat to enable crews to continue Wexford RNLI’s lifesaving service.

Welcoming guests at the ceremony Wexford RNLI lifeboat operations manager Nick Bowie said the naming ceremony and service of dedication was a special occasion in the history of the Wexford lifeboat station.

He also welcomed members of the Booth family, who funded Wexford RNLI’s last lifeboat in memory of their beloved son and brother Philip. During its time on service, the Philip Robert Booth launched 112 times, saved eight lives and rescued 86 people.

The honour of naming the new lifeboat went to Yvonne Shields, chief executive at the Commissioners of Irish Lights, an organisation which has for many years enjoyed strong links with the RNLI.

Speaking at the event, she said Irish Lights had a deep admiration for the RNLI and the wonderful work the charity did around the coast.

"It is a remarkable organisation powered by a remarkable network of volunteers, who together are hugely dedicated and committed to the safety of all. At Irish Lights our role is also focused safety at sea through the provision of aids to navigation to ensure safety passage for all.

"We regard ourselves and the RNLI as part of the same family of organisations dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of mariners around the coast and indeed there are many Irish Lights people directly involved in the RNLI. This close and heartfelt relationship between our two organisations is why I was delighted to be asked to participate in today’s ceremony."

RNLI Irish Council member Niamh McCutcheon accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI before handing her over into the care of Wexford Lifeboat Station.

McCutcheon said the demand for the lifeboat service showed no sign of slowing down. "Here in Wexford over the past five years, the volunteer lifeboat crew have launched on average 11 times each year, rescuing a total of 47 people," she said.

"That is an incredible achievement, and I would like to pay a particular tribute to every crew member, shore crew, station manager and fundraiser who has made every one of those launches possible. Each and every one of you had a vital role in that rescue."

Since the new lifeboat went on service in Wexford there have been six callouts and many training exercises.

Accepting the new lifeboat, Bowie said: "Part of my job is to authorise her launch when requested. Through the Irish Coast Guard I have the volunteers paged, asking them to get down to the station as quick as possible and prepare for a launch.

"When they arrive, and get kitted up, and head out to sea, I’ll have peace of mind because I know this lifeboat will help to keep them safe, as they save others. So, on behalf of all the station volunteers, I would like to thank the donors and their family. Your generosity has given Wexford Town a lifesaver."

A crowd of well-wishers turned up to see the lifeboat officially named, with a bottle of champagne poured over the side of the boat before it launched at the end of the ceremony for a demonstration.

Also among the platform party were Cllr Ger Carty, Mayor of Wexford, who opened proceedings; Owen Medland, RNLI divisional operations manager, who described the lifeboat and her capabilities during the ceremony; Jack Higginbotham, lifeboat boathouse manager, who delivered the vote of thanks; and Sophie Gulliver, daughter of volunteer crew member Simon Gulliver.

Father Aodhan Marken and Canon Arthur Minion lead the Service of Dedication, with music provided by the Wexford Male Voice Choir.

#RNLI - At 8.38am this morning (Saturday September 26), the Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was requested to launch by Valentia Coast Guard to assist four people on board a 32ft cruiser that had run aground just outside the Urra Channel markers at nightfall the previous evening.

At 8.58am, the lifeboat launched with helm Ger Egan, Eleanor Hooker, and Keith Brennan on board. Winds were southerly Force 1-2, visibility was fair with a low mist and rising fog.

The lifeboat located the cruiser on a rocky shelf just outside the green navigation mark at the Urra Channel. The four adults on board were safe and unharmed. They were requested to put on their lifejackets.

One of passengers was quite anxious, and was reassured by an RNLI volunteer who had transferred across to the casualty vessel.

The skipper informed the lifeboat that despite their best efforts to navigate through the channel, they had missed the mark in the dark and run aground. They had remained there all night, dropping anchor incase there was a change in weather overnight.

The RNLI crew checked under the floorboards and established that the boat was not taking on water and, after the anchor was recovered, prepared a tow.

After two unsuccessful attempts to get the cruiser off the rocks, three of the people aboard the casualty vessel were taken on to the lifeboat and transferred to the Lough Derg RNLI Lifeboat Station at Dromineer.

With the skipper and an RNLI crew member still on board, a further attempt to get the boat off the rocks proved unsuccessful.

The skipper was requested to gather his belongings and was taken to the lifeboat station where lifeboat operations manager Liam Maloney and deputy launching authority Brian Hanly were making arrangements to help the four people.

Handy advises boat users "not to delay and call 999 or 112 and ask for marine rescue if you find yourself in difficulty on the lake."

The lifeboat returned to station and was ready for service again at 10.20am.

A new D class lifeboat for Wexford RNLI is to be officially named Alfred William Newman during a ceremony at the lifeboat station in the town centre at 2pm tomorrow, Saturday 26 September. The lifeboat which went on service in June was funded by Alfred William Newman who, through a bequest in his Will, provided the D class lifeboat to enable crews to continue Wexford RNLI’s lifesaving service.

The RNLI which has strong links throughout Ireland with the Commissioner of Irish Lights has asked Chief Executive Yvonne Shields, to have the honour of naming the new lifeboat at the station during tomorrow’s event.

Nick Bowie, Wexford RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager is looking forward to the naming ceremony. He said: ‘As the Operations Manager here, it’s a proud and satisfying moment to see the crew get such a capable rescue water craft. As well as celebrating the naming of this lifeboat, this event gives us the chance to say a warm thank you to the donor, Alfred William Newman whose generous bequest funded the lifeboat.’

The RNLI formally established a lifeboat station in Wexford in 2002 but its lifeboating history goes back some 77 years prior to that.

The original Wexford Lifeboat Station, located at the Fort at the mouth of Wexford Harbour was opened in 1838. It had two lifeboats on station, one for the offshore waters and a smaller lifeboat for the shallower waters of the harbour. Severe storms decimated the Fort village and its linking causeway in 1925 and the larger lifeboat had to be temporarily stationed at Wexford Quay. She was eventually permanently re-stationed at Rosslare Harbour, leaving the local boating community in Wexford to deal with emergencies within their harbour.

Many years later in 1993, following the tragic drowning of Paddy Busher, a local group was mustered to establish Wexford Harbour Inshore Rescue as a declared maritime emergency resource for Wexford Harbour and their lifeboat was named Paddy Busher. In 2002 this service formally became part of the RNLI.

The D class lifeboat has been the workhouse of the RNLI’s lifesaving service for nearly 50 years. It is inflatable but robust; highly manoeuvrable and capable of operating much closer to shore than all-weather lifeboats. It is specifically suited to surf, shallow water and confined locations, often close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves.

First introduced to the fleet in 1963, the design of the D class has continued to evolve since its introduction and the latest version was introduced in 2003. As with all D class lifeboats, the Alfred William Newman has a single 50hp outboard engine and can be righted manually by the crew after a capsize. Onboard equipment includes both fitted and hand-held VHF radios, night-vision equipment, and first aid kit, including oxygen.

The 5m lifeboat is tractor launched and has a 25knot maximum speed. It can carry up to three lifeboat crew and five survivors.

#RNLI - The volunteer lifeboat crew with Dunmore East RNLI launched on Tuesday morning (22 September) following reports that a 10m yacht was aground two miles north of Hook Head.

Fethard RNLI and Waterford's Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 117 were also called out to the scene, where the Dunmore East lifeboat crew saw that the vessel was sitting deep in the water and was perilously close to the rocks.

There was nobody on board the yacht, which may have drifted after coming free of its moorings.

First on scene was the Fethard RNLI inshore lifeboat, whose crew established a tow with the yacht. However this proved unsuccessful.

Shortly after, Dunmore East arrived and put two crew on board the casualty vessel with a pump to try and drain the water from the yacht and establish another tow to recover it to a nearby harbour.

But once on board, the lifeboat crew discovered that the yacht had taken on a large amount of water and that it was in danger of sinking. When they attempted to establish a tow the vessel dangerously dipped low into the water and the attempt was abandoned.

The decision was then made to leave the vessel as it was determined that the crew were in danger if they stayed on the yacht.

Commenting on the callout, Dunmore East RNLI lifeboat press officer and crew member Neville Murphy said: "The yacht had taken on a huge amount of water and as such it proved too difficult to safely recover her.

"Once it was established that there was no threat to life and it was clear it was too dangerous to safely recover the vessel we made the right decision to step away.’

Las of late in Tuesday the vessel was still aground, but an attempt may be made to recover her at low water.

A 10–metre catamaran type yacht that ran aground two miles north of Hook Head, in County Wexford, Ireland is believed to have drifted free from its moorings.

Volunteer lifeboat crew launched yesterday morning following reports of the grounded cruiser. On arrival, the lifeboat crew found the unmanned yacht sitting deep in the water, perilously close to the rocks.

First on scene was Fethard RNLI Inshore lifeboat whose crew established a tow with the yacht, however this proved unsuccessful.

Shortly after, Dunmore East RNLI Lifeboat arrived on scene and put two crew on board the casualty vessel with a pump to try and drain the water from the yacht and establish a tow to recover it to a nearby harbour.

However, once on board, the lifeboat crew discovered that the yacht had taken on a large amount of water and that it was in danger of sinking. When they attempted to establish a tow the vessel dangerously dipped low into the water and the attempt was abandoned.

The Irish Coast Guard Rescue Helicopter Rescue 117 were also called out to the incident.

A decision was taken to leave the vessel as it was determined that the crew were in danger if they stayed on the yacht.

#Lifeguards - As RNLI lifeguards prepare to bring the 2015 season to a close this weekend in Northern Ireland, the charity that saves lives at sea has appealed to anyone planning a trip to the beach during the autumn and winter months to keep safe.

The season will draw to an end this Sunday 27 September, and RNLI lifeguard manager Mike Grocott is keen to remind anyone going to the beach post season to be aware that the lifeguards won’t be on patrol but that the same beach safety advice applies.

"While we can expect our beaches to be generally quieter in the coming months, there will be people using the water for activities such as surfing and kitesurfing.

"In the absence of RNLI lifeguards during this period, we would encourage anyone going to the beach to check weather and tide times, let someone know when you are due back, and carry a means of communication.

"If you see someone in trouble, please call 999 or 112 and ask for the coastguard. People can also get advice at their local RNLI lifeboat station."

During the 2015 season there was RNLI lifeguard cover on 10 beaches on the Causeway Coast and in Co Down: Benone, Downhill, Castlerock, Portstewart Strand, Portrush West, Portrush East, Whiterocks, Tyrella, Murlough and Cranfield.

Five of the busier beaches were patrolled during the Easter period and at weekends from then till the middle of June before the full time season commenced on all 10 beaches running to 6 September. Lifeguards have maintained a presence at the busier beaches at weekends during September and will finish on Sunday evening.

Reflecting on the season, Grocott said the lifeguards had dealt with a variety of incidents. "Despite the weather being unkind for most of the summer, we did see a lot of visitors to our beaches and RNLI lifeguards dealt with a range of things including rescues and major first aids involving body boarders, paddle boarders and kite surfers.

"They also responded to people who got into difficulty on the beach itself including a teenager who collapsed and a man who was struggling to breathe in his car.

"There were a number of unusual incidents to deal with this summer too, including responding to a sand dune fire, red flagging beaches in a severe thunder and lightning storm and dealing with the discovery of mortar bombs. Our lifeguards are highly skilled and trained and thanks to that they knew how to handle such incidents professionally when they occurred."

The lifeguards also provided safety cover and engaged with the public at key events during the summer including the Portrush Raft Race, the Tall Ships in Belfast, the Portrush Airshow, and the Glens of Antrim triathlon.

"We worked closely with our lifeboat crews at Portrush, Newcastle, Kilkeel and Red Bay, too, to respond to incidents and provide safety cover when required."

RNLI lifeguards also delivered education programmes to primary school children across Northern Ireland. Programmes such as Hit the Surf enabled the lifeguards to impart important beach safety advice through theoretic and practical lessons in lifesaving and surf-based skills, local hazards and the beach environment.

#RNLI - Wicklow RNLI's all-weather lifeboat slipped her moorings shortly before midday yesterday (Tuesday 22 September) to assist a fishing vessel with mechanical problems about nine miles offshore.

The fishing vessel with four crew lost propulsion and was unable to make any headway due to problems with the propeller. The skipper contacted the Irish Coast Guard by marine VHF radio for assistance.

Under the command of coxswain Nick Keogh, the lifeboat was alongside the drifting vessel at 12.30pm. Conditions on scene were described as having a northerly Force 4 wind with a moderate sea state.

A towline was quickly established and the trawler was towed back to Wicklow Port. The lifeboat crew secured the fishing vessel safely alongside the South Quay before 2pm.

The crew on the callout were Keogh, mechanic Brendan Copeland, Tommy McAulay, Tommy Murphy, Carol Flahive, John Vize and Dean Mulvihill.

Volunteers, supporters and friends of Larne RNLI gathered this weekend at the East Antrim Boat Club to attend the official Naming Ceremony and Service of Dedication for the lifeboat station’s new D-class lifeboat Terry. The new inshore lifeboat was provided through the Pistol Benefit Fund, which was set up in memory of Frederick (Fred) and Theresa (Terry) Pistol and named Terry in memory of Fred’s beloved wife Theresa.

The Pistol Benefit Fund has its origins in Frederick Pistol’s incredible life. Fred came to the UK from Austria, as a 19-year old refugee fleeing the Holocaust. He arrived with nothing more than the clothes on his back and worked as a fitter until the Second World War started. He joined the army, eventually becoming a Major and returned to England in 1946 after serving abroad. He married Theresa (Terry) a concert pianist born in Westcliff-on-Sea and discovered a passion for sailing, one that has been passed down through the family. Every boat Fred bought was named Terry after his wife and Larne RNLI’s new D-class lifeboat now proudly bears the name.

Attending the ceremony were members of the Pistol family, who have supported the work of the RNLI for many years. Fred and Theresa’s son Neil and his wife Viveca were special guests along with their two sons, Ben and Josh and their friend Simon Perlmutter. Their daughter Gabriella was unable to attend as she is currently travelling but she was being kept up to date with the proceedings by her brothers. Close friends of the couple, Alan and Shirley Shalet, also made the journey on what would have been Fred’s birthday.

Allan Dorman, Larne RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, who accepted the lifeboat into the care of the station said; ‘Every naming ceremony for a new lifeboat is a special occasion and this is no exception, as we honour the Pistol family and their generous life-saving gift to the Institution and the people of Larne. We will remember Frederick and Theresa through the work of this lifeboat and the volunteer crew and we will be the proud custodians of it for many years to come.’

Speaking during the ceremony Neil Pistol said, ‘Thank you for honouring my family and allowing me this privilege. Thank you to the RNLI for being there. Thank you for going out into conditions when others are safe in harbour. Thank you for risking your lives to save others. You, all the members of the RNLI, make a difference. You do not discriminate; you solely take action to save others.

Neil also expressed his pleasure on learning, during an earlier tour of the lifeboat station, that the name of the RNLI rescue mannequin, lifeboat crew use during training, is named Fred. He concluded his speech by acknowledging this, to the delight of the crowd;

‘It will bring us all great pleasure to know that in real life as in previous real-life, Terry will continue to rescue Fred, during the station’s regular training sessions. In the end we make our own destiny. Good luck and Godspeed to all the Larne crew. It gives me great pleasure to hand this lifeboat into the care of the RNLI.’

The D-class lifeboat remains the workhorse of the RNLI as it has for nearly 50 years. Built at a cost of £48,000, the inflatable craft is highly manoeuvrable and specifically suited to surf, shallow water and confined locations – often working close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves. Importantly it can also be righted manually by the crew in the event of capsize.

It is the smallest class in the RNLI lifeboat fleet but its impact on search and rescue has been huge. The D class carries out some of the most difficult and dangerous rescues lifeboat crews have faced.

The platform party at the service were Mr. Tommy Hutcheson, retired Deputy Launching Authority for Larne RNLI who welcomed guests and opened proceedings; Mr Neil Pistol, who presented the RNLI with the new lifeboat, Christopher Brooke, RNLI Irish Council member who accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the RNLI and handed her into the care of the station; Mr. Allan Dorman, Larne RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, who accepted the lifeboat on behalf of the station; Darren Byers RNLI Divisional Operations Manager for Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man who spoke on the capabilities of the new lifeboat and Ms Karen Black, one of the founding crew members of Larne RNLI who recently retired and who officially named the lifeboat.

The Very Reverend Aidan Kerr, the Venerable Stephen Forde, Reverend Tommy Stevenson and Reverend Doctor Colin McClure lead the Service of Dedication with specially chosen hymns and readings. Music was provided by
Magheramourne Silver Band.

Last year Larne RNLI celebrated 20 years of lifesaving during which time the volunteer lifeboat crew launched 411 times, saving 31 lives and rescuing 326 people. Larne RNLI operates both a D-class inshore lifeboat and a Trent class all-weather lifeboat.

Achill Island RNLI crew joined in the celebrations as long serving crew member Alan Gielty wed wife Maeve Clancy last weekend.

The crew kitted out in full lifeboat gear outside St Kevin’s Church in Wicklow to give Alan who has been on the lifeboat crew for 15 years, and his new wife Maeve, a special guard of honour.

Alan met Maeve in the local Clew Bay Pub and Restaurant which he owns and runs on Achill Island.

The couple were married in Maeve’s home village of Hollywood and guests gathered afterwards in the Mount Wolseley Hotel in Carlow for the wedding reception.

One of the day’s highlights was an epic best man’s speech which was delivered in song with the mandolin for accompaniment, by Alan’s brother Diarmuid.

During the eight minute long tribute which had guests roaring with laughter, Alan’s dedication to Achill Island RNLI got a mention: ‘There’s still an old flame in Alan’s heart so true. And when he gets the call poor Maeve you know he’ll leave you. Regardless of what you are doing he’ll drop tools and leave you be, and hop out on the lifeboat to save someone at sea.’

On behalf of Achill Island RNLI, Lifeboat Operations Manager Tom Honeyman said: ‘Alan joined the crew here in Achill in 2002 and has been a dedicated member at our lifeboat station ever since. He is a qualified crew member, first-aider, and navigator and is also a trainee Coxswain. We are delighted that he has found happiness with Maeve and we wish them the very best for their future.’