At the heart of the RNLI are the amazing volunteers that risk their lives at any hour to rescue others. They would not be able to do their work without some pretty amazing equipment. Now, we know very little about boats, the odd ferry, a couple of RIBs and maybe a bit of whitewater rafting is about the extent of our knowledge. Discovering more about the various Classes of Lifeboat has been fascinating and we have been privileged to be shown around some of those on our travels.
What better way to understand what goes into a lifeboat than to see how they are made. The RNLI Inshore Lifeboat Centre (ILC) is based in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Regular tours of the complex are available to book and so we took the opportunity to return to the Island to take the tour. The ILC supplies and maintains over half of the lifeboats for all of the lifeboat stations, mainly the D-Class and B-Class (Atlantic 85) but also some of the support vessels such as the Y-Class, Arancia and Boarding Boats. In a typical year the ILC manufactures 50 new lifeboats and services and refurbishes around 200.
The present site of the ILC has been in RNLI ownership since the 1930s, providing stores and offices as well as housing the timber stock for build and repair. The inflatable D-Class boats were built onsite from the mid 1960s followed by the production of the first B-Class in 1972. Later, in 2004, the outboard engine workshop was added and a further expansion in 2008 accommodated a new lean manufacturing assembly line for increased capacity and efficiency.
After a pleasant ferry crossing we arrived in Cowes and drove the short distance to the ILC. Upon entering the reception, there is an interesting pictorial history of the production and maintenance of lifeboats and a small heritage exhibition. We were met by Lewis who was to be our guide. We had a brief introduction and issued with a hi-vis before heading off to our first stop.
The first and one of the largest areas was the purpose-built assembly building for the production and refit of Atlantic lifeboats. Here we saw various stages of the build of Atlantic 85’s including the construction of the hull, laminating, spray booths and welding bays. Boats that are being refitted arrive at the centre and are stripped down, rebuilt with new components and tested.
Next stop was the electrical shop where the navigation and radio equipment and all of the electrical control systems are installed in their respective consoles before being fitted to the hull of the boat.
The refurbishment of the inflatable D-Class and smaller inshore rescue boats takes place in an area dedicated to this refit work. A production line of existing boats were being cleaned, new composite parts added and repairs carried out. Also in this area was the initial stage of building the hull of each RIB. Layers of composite material are added to a jig before being baked to created the solid and durable hull of the Atlantic 85s.
The Rubber Workshop is where the individual patterns for each boat are cut on a huge machine and glued together. It was just like a massive jigsaw puzzle. All of the inflatable components and inflatable tubes called Sponsons are prepared here. Each boat has multiple inflatable compartments so that if one or more are damaged and deflated, the boat will still operate safely. Here we watched a pressure test of one of the inflatable self righting tubes fitted to Atlantic 85 Lifeboats. These were designed by, and unique to, the RNLI and inflated by CO2 bottles activated by sensors which detect the orientation of the boat. The engines also have an inversion proof system which allows them to restart when the boat has be righted.
On then to the “Engine Room”. Hundreds of powerful engines pass through this area for customisation and testing before being fitted to the boats. There are two test tanks allowing for water testing.
The final stage was where new and retired lifeboats were held prior to dispatch to their respective stations or prepared for selling to private owners once they have come to the end of their life with the RNLI.
It was a fascinating tour and Lewis was able to provide an incredible insight into every step of the process. All the staff we met along the route were dedicated to the work they were doing and were more than happy to chat with us and explain what they were doing. Within the ILC, a team of up to 70 highly skilled boatbuilders, fitters, electricians and solutionists work to build and maintain up to 80 boats each year. Many of those staff were long-term employees some with 40 plus years service.
Following the tour Lewis kindly took our photo with our Bears and Glen generously presented us with a couple of ILC pin badges.
The tours are free of charge and highly recommended. More details can be found on the ILC website and you can call and book the 90 minute tour using the number on the website.
This manufacturing complex costs around £3.6 million per year to run and this is all funded from the generous donations to the RNLI. You are supporting this vital work by donating to our fundraising challenge for which we are most grateful. Please do consider a small donation if you can on our JustGiving page.
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