WEYMOUTH'S inshore lifeboat has been saving lives for 20 years.

When the Royal Navy left Portland Dockyard along with it the police launch which was also used to carry out rescues within the harbour, the RNLI felt that the gap in rescue cover could result in the loss of lives.

It decided that the solution to this problem was to introduce an inshore lifeboat to back up the Weymouth all-weather lifeboat and act as a quick response.

A recruitment campaign was carried out in around Weymouth Harbour and a crew of 10 volunteers was hired and trained.

The first inshore lifeboat was a relief Atlantic 21 called Elizabeth Bestwick and was first on call at the lifeboat station from June 15, 1995.

There followed over the next three years a series of relief inshore Atlantic 21s before the introduction in 1998 of Weymouth's very own inshore lifeboat, a bigger and faster Atlantic 75 called Phyl Clare 3.

Phyl Clare 3 is still on station but in line with the RNLI policy of replacing lifeboats after 20 years, is due to be replaced shortly.

The first shout for the new inshore lifeboat was on July 9, 1995 to a diver reported to be in danger of drowning.

This turned out to be a false alarm but a week later on the July 16 the lifeboat was called out to a sailboard in trouble in adverse weather conditions.

This was recorded as a life saved and was the first of many over the next 20 years.

To date, with an average of 50 call outs (or "shouts" as they are referred to in the RNLI) the inshore lifeboat is credited by the RNLI with the saving of 81 lives, assisting a further 1,158, with a total value of all the vessels helped as being estimated at more than £5.5m

The original inshore lifeboat crew were Pete Humprey, Rob Yates, Lucinda Williams, Neil Roberts, Jason Purvey, Richard Wellborne, Ed Gillver, Dan Stuttle, Jules Hutchins and Ken Francis.

Of these Dan Stuttle and Jules Hutchins are still serving on the lifeboat crew.

RNLI lifeboats can be divided into two categories: inshore and all-weather. The B class lifeboat is one of three classes of inshore lifeboat (ILB) – the B, D and E classes. The B class usually operates closer to shore than all-weather lifeboats, in shallower water, close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves.

There are two types of B class lifeboat – the Atlantic 75 and the Atlantic 85.

The name Atlantic is derived from Atlantic College in Wales, where the rigid inflatable B class was first developed. ‘75’ and ‘85’ are derived from a length of nearly 7.5m and 8.5m respectively.

The Atlantic 75 was introduced into the fleet in 1993 and the Atlantic 85 in 2005.

The Atlantic 75 has a crew of 3 and carries communication and electronic navigation aids, including VHF radio, DGPS and electronic chart, hand-held VHF, as well as a searchlight, night-vision equipment and parachute illuminating rocket flares for night-time operations.

In the event of a capsize, a crew member activates a gas bottle to inflate the self-righting bag and the lifeboat turns upright in a few seconds. With a top speed of 32 knots the Atlantic 75 is fast, manoeuvrable and very reliable, the B class operates in rough weather conditions, capable in daylight up to force 7 and at night to force 6.

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