Y this boat?

Y this boat? I'm often asked how I get too and from 3 Fishes on a daily basis? And here is the answer; my superb hero ex Royal National Lifeboat Institution Lifeboat. She is a Y Class lifeboat and found active service in the RNLI for eight years. Mostly housed in the back of Stromness's All Weather Lifeboat for use as a rescue craft when the big boat couldn't get close enough to do the job.

She is a proud little craft with a big heart and I love her to bits. Small enough to carry (just), made to weather the worst of weather and built to last she is now over ten years old and going strong. I've managed to get hold of her active service log from the RNLI and I though I'd share just some of the things she has done in her life! The list is long but here follows some choice memories!

Tuesday 13th April 2004

The Stromness A.L.B was launched at 16:45 BST to assist in the recovery of a young woman who had fallen from the cliffs at the west side of Scapa bay. The injured woman was recovered from the beach using the lifeboat's "Y" boat and was transferred to a waiting ambulance at Scapa Pier. 

Saturday 8th July 2006

The Stromness ALB was launched on Saturday at 20:53 hrs to assist the Stromness contingent, Northern Fire Brigade to attend a reported fire in the generator shed on the Inner Holms Stromness. Tidal conditions made this the only approach available. The firemen were transferred to the location by the lifeboat with the final deployment and recovery done using the lifeboats "Y" boat. 

Thursday 24th August 2006

The Stromness ALB was launched on Thursday at 15:00hrs to go to the assistance of the creel fishing boat Challenger which was reported aground in Hoy Sound, west of Muckle head on north Hoy. Because of the position of the casualty and the sea swell conditions the Lifeboat deployed its "Y" boat to rescue the two crewmen from the Challenger. The two men were unhurt but the Challenger itself could not be recovered

Tuesday 19th September 2006

On Tuesday the Stromness ALB was launched at 17:55hrs to go to the aid of a 7m sailing dinghy which was adrift with 1 person on board, and in danger of grounding in the vicinity of No1 barrier. When the lifeboat arrived at the scene the casualty had grounded, however the lifeboat crew managed to attach a towline using the "Y" boat and the casualty was re floated and taken alongside the pier at Holm.

Tuesday 17th April 2007

The Stromness Lifeboat was launched at 12:20 BST following an accident at Graemsay Pier with a person reported in the water. The lifeboat deployed its "Y" boat to assist but sadly the casualty did not survive.

Saturday 16th June 2007

The Stromness Lifeboat was launched at 01:10 BST following the reported sighting of a red flare in Hoy Sound. An overturned Dory was found and an extensive search was undertaken covering Hoy Sound and its approaches, nothing further was found. The search was coordinated by HM Coastguard and assets used were the Stromness and Longhope Lifeboats with their respective "Y" boats deployed, Search and Rescue Helicopters from Lossiemouth and Sumburgh, and coastguard teams from Stromness, Hoy, Kirkwall and Deerness.

Wednesday 11th July 2007

The Stromness Lifeboat was launched at 17:45 BST following a request from Shetland Coastguard to assist 4 adults stranded on the Brough of Birsay by the tide. On arrival at the brough the lifeboat deployed its "Y" boat and used it to get the people from the Brough to a safe landing on the mainland. 

Summer 2011

Reacting to yells for help I was able to pull a lady out of the water in New Quay harbour after she had slipped and fallen off her yacht. The little Y Class is still saving lives!