New Shannon Class for Lough Swilly RNLI

willk · 10 April 2015, 18:28

Today was the big day - long awaited by Lough Swilly RNLI. They've been tooling around in Moelfre's sloppy seconds Tyne now for a year or so and the shine was gone. Some years ago, a local lad designed a nice new hull for the RNLI. They stuck it under the Shannon Class and now the first delivery to Ireland was happening. He was there to see it arrive.

There was a mungo crowd in "Funcrana" - icecream vans, refreshments marquee, marching band, sea scouts, coppers, ambo crews, fire crews and even a few undercover Coast Guards who denied a little too vehemently that they were GREEN with envy.

The crew/s have taken her over from Poole over the last week or so. They've been out in the worst of conditions and the best and are absolutely thrilled with her. She is called the Derek Bullivant after the primary donor and she will be a vital element in the SAR response here in the North West. I suspect that the aircrew of R118 are going to get their eye wiped in these waters on a regular basis from now on :-P

Mollers · 10 April 2015, 19:53

What on Earth is going on in pic5?!
Jimmy Krankie has turned up in a sailors outfit. JK Rowing is taking notes along with some new age hippie type, who set about her hair with an axe that morning.

willk · 10 April 2015, 20:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

What on Earth is going on in pic5?!
Jimmy Krankie has turned up in a sailors outfit. JK Rowing is taking notes along with some new age hippie type, who set about her hair with an axe that morning.

You can say what you like about the burds, but The Man in the RNLI number ones is our Coxswain and has saved lives in seas you'd flinch to look at...

Wash yer mouth out yew twatt

Mollers · 10 April 2015, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

You can say what you like about the burds, but The Man in the RNLI number ones is our Coxswain and has saved lives in seas you'd flinch to look at...

Wash yer mouth out yew twatt

That's a bit rough on the totty. JK looks awright. Rowling that is.

willk · 10 April 2015, 20:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

That's a bit rough on the totty. JK looks awright. Rowling that is.

The orange tights were a bit startling in the broad light of day...

chris123 · 10 April 2015, 20:36

She is a cracking piece of kit. I've probably posted this before, but worth a repeat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BID7406gEs

And one of my fave pics

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BZc02CXCAAA0p7S.jpg

Hard to believe that such a small, light boat can perform so well in the rough stuff.

Cheers

Chris

willk · 10 April 2015, 20:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris123

She is a cracking piece of kit. I've probably posted this before.....Hard to believe that such a small, light boat can perform so well in the rough stuff.

They made a crossing of the Irish Sea (up the UK west coast first) in storm conditions. Apparently, it was wild. I asked the crew if they had to drop to displacement speeds and they reckoned the lowest advance was 20-25kts. The ability to run the diesels at a constant rev and control acceleration with the buckets was key. Crew comfort is very good, one of the lads was kippin' in the four point harness/suspension seats during the bad bits (lot of late night hospitality along the route

)

willk · 11 April 2015, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

They made a crossing of the Irish Sea (up the UK west coast first) in storm conditions. Apparently, it was wild.

Oh yeah!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIBp...of1FicI3I9SFx1

mick · 11 April 2015, 22:57

Oh yeah part submarine that is 😳

willk · 12 April 2015, 10:45

For a brief while yesterday, Lough Swilly was sporting a PAIR of Shannons, a Tyne and an 85. Good cover or what!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1C2...ature=youtu.be

tonymac · 12 April 2015, 11:22

Congrats to Lough Swilly RNLI - great to see it on station.