At 8:00 am on Saturday, 3 August, a new D class lifeboat will officially become available for service at Newhaven RNLI. This two-year trial will evaluate the viability and operational benefits of a D class lifeboat being based at Newhaven. The D class will operate alongside Newhaven RNLI’s existing Severn Class all-weather lifeboat. Deployment and utilisation will be closely monitored throughout the trial period.
With a top speed of 25 knots, the D class lifeboat can sustain three hours at sea on search and rescue missions. Its high manoeuvrability and shallow draft enable it to operate close to shore, accessing areas that Newhaven’s Severn Class all-weather lifeboat cannot reach. The D class is particularly suited for search and rescue operations in surf, shallow water, and confined locations.
Phill Corsi, Area Operations Manager South East, commented: “The D class will be considered for taskings east of Newhaven to the Belle Tout Lighthouse, and west of Newhaven to Telscombe Cliffs. Additionally, the D class can be tasked north of the Lifeboat Station, up to the county town of Lewes and the associated villages en route.”
Newhaven RNLI’s dedicated volunteer team has worked tirelessly over the past 60 weeks to prepare for this milestone. During this time, the lifeboat crew has gained experience operating a D class lifeboat, with three volunteers qualifying as D class helms. Numerous training sessions have equipped the crew with the skills needed for specialist operations on the D class.
Roger Cohen MBE, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Newhaven and Brighton, said: “Newhaven RNLI’s volunteer crew has gained significant knowledge over the last 60 weeks. For the first time in Newhaven RNLI’s history, we now have three inshore lifeboat helms. Volunteers have trained on station, at RNLI College in Poole, and have also visited Newquay RNLI for a weekend of training. Volunteers are the lifeblood of the RNLI. We are currently recruiting crew for both of our lifeboats.”
A remarkable 97% of the RNLI’s frontline lifesavers are volunteers, including 5,700 volunteer lifeboat crew members at stations around the UK and Ireland. Without these incredible volunteers, the RNLI could not provide its vital 24/7 lifesaving service.
Newhaven RNLI is currently recruiting crew members for both the D class lifeboat and the Severn class lifeboat. Do you have what it takes to join this lifesaving team? Find out more and apply here:
- Severn Class / ALB: Apply Here
- D Class / ILB: Apply Here
