George shares this notice on behalf of Jennifer Clough of RNLI. Ed
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has built its inshore lifeboats at the charity’s Inshore Lifeboat Centre in East Cowes since 1963.
Now, thanks to a new Visitor and Heritage Centre at the site, you can see the work that goes into creating a lifesaving boat for yourself.
Visitor and Heritage Centre
The Visitor and Heritage Centre depicts the history of the charity at the East Cowes site, and visitors can learn about how the charity’s D class and Atlantic 85 class lifeboats are built, by going on a free tour of the site.
Up to 50 inshore lifeboats are built at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre every year, by the team of 70 highly skilled people who work to refit and build the charity’s fleet of inshore lifeboats.
Lifeboat completed every 59 hours
A lifeboat is completed at the facility every 59 hours: either built from new, or refitted to ensure it has the latest technology onboard and is up to the high specifications required by the lifesaving charity for its volunteer crews.
Glyn Ellis MBE, ILC Operations Manager for the RNLI said,
“We’re very proud of what we do here at the RNLI, and what we achieve here at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre. Our inshore lifeboats are the workhorses of the RNLI, and were involved in approximately 60% of the RNLI’s lifeboat launches last year.
“The new RNLI Visitor and Heritage Centre at the Inshore Lifeboat Centre in East Cowes has something for all ages, allowing people to see what goes into making the inshore lifeboats – such as those that have appeared on Saving Lives at Sea. Families will particularly enjoy the D class in the Visitor Centre, as well as the interactive elements to engage children on the importance of sea safety.”
Book now
To find out more about the RNLI’s new Visitor and Heritage Centre at the ILC, and to book a free tour, please visit the Website.
Or you can call (01983) 292521 to book your free tour and get inside the processes and practices that go into building our inshore lifeboats. Booking lines are open from Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.
We offer guided tours of the Inshore Lifeboat Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting at 10.30am. We’re always happy to host group outings from schools, clubs, and other visiting organisations.
Image: © RNLI/Nathan Williams
