New Brighton Lifeboat welcomes new £160,000 lifeboat

Nov 18 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Wallasey News

New Brighton Lifeboat welcomes new £160,000 lifeboat

NEW Brighton RNLI has taken delivery of a new £160,000 lifeboat.

The vessel, called Charles Dibdin, went into service on Friday and replaces New Brighton’s Atlantic 75 lifeboat, Rock Light, which has been stationed on Merseyside since 1996.

Charles Dibdin will operate alongside rescue hovercraft Hurley Spirit.

Rock Light has reached the end of its operational life after carrying out 510 launches and 486 rescues.

The new lifeboat is the 51st to be provided by The Lifeboat Fund charity.

New Brighton RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager Cliff Downing said: “We are thrilled to take delivery of the Charles Dibdin.

“With its increased speed and size and technological advancements like radar, the Atlantic 35 will enable our volunteer lifeboat crew to carry out their lifesaving work more safely and effectively than ever before.”

New Brighton Lifeboat crew trained on the lifeboat last week to familiarise themselves with the equipment on board.

The Atlantic 85 model has radar and is also faster and bigger than its predecessor, with room for a fourth crew member as well as more space for casualties.

The Charles Dibdin is named after the founder of the Lifeboat Fund, who started it in 1866 with an appeal to raise £300 for a new lifeboat. Chairman Sir Kevin Tebbitt said: 'We are delighted to be able to continue our long tradition of funding lifeboats throughout the UK.”