Atlantic College Lifeboat Station

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Atlantic College Lifeboat Station
Flag of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.svg
St Donats Castle from my sea kayak - geograph.org.uk - 93022.jpg
Atlantic College Lifeboat Station
Wales relief location map.jpg
Red pog.svg
Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan
General information
StatusClosed
Type RNLI Lifeboat Station
Location St Donat's Castle
Address St Donats
Town or city Llantwit Major, CF61 1WF
Country Wales, UK
Coordinates 51°24′5″N3°31′57″W / 51.40139°N 3.53250°W / 51.40139; -3.53250
Opened1963
Closed2013

Atlantic College Lifeboat Station was an Inshore lifeboat station based at 'UWC Atlantic' (formerly the United World College of the Atlantic, more commonly known as Atlantic College), which is located on the Bristol Channel coast of South Wales, at St Donats, near Llantwit Major.

Contents

The station opened in 1963, shortly after the school had been launched the previous autumn, as one of the first nine experimental inshore lifeboat stations established by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). [1] [2] The station pioneered innovative boatbuilding techniques, including inventing the Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) and creating the prototype for the Atlantic 21-class lifeboat in the early 1970s.

The RNLI withdrew the lifeboat from Atlantic College in June 2013, and the college now concentrates on training beach lifeguards.

History

B-class development

Atlantic College was instrumental in the design and development of the RNLI's first fast rescue boats under the supervision of the headmaster, Rear Admiral Desmond Hoare. He was the pioneer of the revolutionary Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) and of the prototype for the eventual B-class (Atlantic 21) lifeboat, which was named after the college and entered service in the early 1970s.

In the early 1960s the college began designing, building and experimenting with the operation of a series of rigid inflatable boat, one of which eventually became the basis for the B-class. The chief innovation was the design, construction and testing of a rigid hull attached to inflatable tubes, for previously the inflatable boat bottoms were made of flexible, rubberized fabric that was kept taught under load through the use of collapsible inboard floorboards that formed the boat’s deck. This notable and novel innovation was in response to the rough seas, breaking surf and rocky shore conditions at the college’s St Donats Bay seafront access, in which school rescue craft had to be launched, operated and recovered.

The college sold the RIB patent to the RNLI for £1 in 1973. [3] [4] An early example was discovered in Barry in 2012 and restored in 2014. [5]

First female crewmember

On 20 May 1971, the station recorded the first service at any station involving a female crew member taking part. Penelope M. Sutton was a member of the crew when the ILB was launched to investigate a Swedish motor cruiser, reported to be at anchor and flying a distress signal. The incident was a false alarm, as the courtesy Red Ensign flown on the cruiser had been misinterpreted.

RNLI lifeboat station

An Atlantic 75 Lifeboat, of the same type that was deployed at the college from 2000-2013. Leigh-on-Sea Lifeboat B776.jpg
An Atlantic 75 Lifeboat, of the same type that was deployed at the college from 2000-2013.

In 1973, the station received its first standardized RNLI Atlantic 21 lifeboat. Previous lifeboats operated by the station were owned by the college with the RNLI paying for the operating expenses.

In 2000, the station received a slightly longer and larger Atlantic 75-class lifeboat at roughly 24 feet in length. The RNLI withdrew their standardized lifeboat in June 2013. [6] Helmsman training time had increased from one to two years, so it became no longer practical to train students as helms during the two year College (International Baccalaureate Diploma) program (two years of study).

Heritage Continues

St Donat's Bay St Donat's Bay and Beyond - geograph.org.uk - 1322819.jpg
St Donat's Bay

The college continues to be involved in boatbuilding, and in the mid-2010s a program of small RHIB powerboat building and operator training was introduced for students.

In 2015, Atlantic College joined a number of other organisations to campaign for the establishment of a lifeboat service in Japan, coordinated by college alumnus and current RNLI crew member Robin Jenkins. [4] Innovation continues with the introduction of a 4.3 metre RHIB powered by a 40 hp / 30 kw outboard engine with propeller guard that can fit into a standard shipping container for shipment over to Kamaishi in north eastern Japan, where the container serves as a mobile lifeboat station (equipped with crew change area, tools and maintenance mini-bay and boat storage on a launching dolly.)

Atlantic Pacific International Rescue Boats, a non-governmental organization, works with Atlantic College students to build these Hahn class rigid hull inflatable boats for humanitarian relief purposes. [7] An example is a rescue boat that was transported to Lesvos Greece under the logistical efforts of AC alumnus Richard Chamberlain, for ongoing use in supporting the migrant refugee crisis by volunteers. Soon another craft and mobile station will end up in north eastern Africa.

Station honours

The following are awards made at Atlantic College

G. Unger - 1968
W. de Vogel - 1968
P. Allen - 1968

Atlantic College lifeboats

In serviceOp. No. [a] NameClassComments
1965–1966D-33Unnamed D-class (RFD PB16)
1965–1966D-38Unnamed D-class (RFD PB16)
1966D-29Unnamed D-class (RFD PB16)
1973–1980B-508Unnamed B-class (Atlantic 21)
1980–1982B-505Major Osman Gabriel B-class (Atlantic 21)
1982–2000B-554American Ambassador B-class (Atlantic 21)
2000–2013B-763Colin James Daniel B-class (Atlantic 75)
  1. ↑ Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

Related Research Articles

UWC Atlantic is an independent boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan in south Wales. Founded in 1962, it was the first of the United World Colleges and was among the first educational institutions in the world to follow an international curriculum; it helped create the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rigid inflatable boat</span> Boat with rigid hull and inflatable tubes

A rigid inflatable boat (RIB), also rigid-hull inflatable boat or rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB), is a lightweight but high-performance and high-capacity boat constructed with a rigid hull bottom joined to side-forming air tubes that are inflated with air to a high pressure so as to give the sides resilient rigidity along the boat's topsides. The design is stable, light, fast and seaworthy. The inflated collar acts as a life jacket, ensuring that the vessel retains its buoyancy, even if the boat is taking on water. The RIB is an evolutionary development of the inflatable boat with a rubberized fabric bottom that is stiffened with flat boards within the collar to form the deck or floor of the boat.

Atlantic 75-class lifeboat Fleet of rigid inflatable boats used for lifesaving and coastal operations on the British Isles

The Atlantic 75 is the second generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), in the B-class series of Inshore lifeboats, that were operated around the shores of the British Isles and the Channel Islands, by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) between 1993 and 2021. This lifeboat was a development of, and gradually replaced, the Atlantic 21-class lifeboat, but have now been superseded by the new Atlantic 85-class lifeboat.

Atlantic 85-class lifeboat Fleet of rigid inflatable boats used for lifesaving and costal operations on the British Isles

The Atlantic 85 is the third generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), in the B-class series of Inshore lifeboats, operated around the shores of the British Isles and the Channel Islands by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Developed from the Atlantic 21 and the later Atlantic 75, it was first placed on service in 2005, and has gradually now replaced the older Atlantic 75-class. The Atlantic design of the B-class of lifeboats is named after Atlantic College, where the design was originally developed.

Atlantic 21-class lifeboat Fleet of rigid inflatable boats used for lifesaving and coastal operations on the British Isles

The Atlantic 21 Inshore lifeboat was the first generation rigid inflatable boat (RIB), in the B-class series of Inshore lifeboats, that were operated around the shores of the British Isles and the Channel Islands by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), between 1972 and 2008.

D-class lifeboat (EA16)

The D-class (EA16) lifeboat is a class of inflatable boat operated since 1987 by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has been replaced operationally by the D-class (IB1), but many are still used as part of the relief fleet, as boarding boats for the larger classes of lifeboat and by the RNLI Flood Rescue Team.

D-class lifeboat (IB1)

The D-class (IB1) lifeboats are inflatable boats serving in the RNLI inshore lifeboat (ILB) fleet as well as a number of Independent Lifeboats around the UK and Ireland. Although they are known as the "IB1" at times, they are the latest development of the D-class lifeboat and as such are mainly referred to as a "D-class".

Since its inception, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has provided lifeboats to lifeboat stations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crew and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine. Lifeboats may be rigid, inflatable or rigid-inflatable combination-hulled vessels.

RNLB <i>Lloyds II</i> (ON 986) Decommissioned British lifeboat

RNLB Lloyds II was an Oakley-class lifeboat of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stationed at Sheringham in the English county of Norfolk from 8 October 1990 until April 1992, when she was replaced by the Atlantic 75 second generation Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) Manchester Unity of Oddfellows in April 1992. During the time that the Lloyds II was on station at Sheringham, she performed 13 service launches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penarth Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI lifeboat station in Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

Penarth Lifeboat Station is located on the Esplanade in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burnham-on-Sea Lifeboat Station</span> Lifeboat station in Somerset, UK

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mudeford Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Dorset, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Abbs Lifeboat Station</span> Independent Lifeboat Station in Scotland, UK

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandown and Shanklin Independent Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat Station in Isle of Wight, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdovey Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI inshore lifeboat station in the village of Aberdyfi in Gwynedd, Wales

Aberdovey Lifeboat Station is located in the coastal village of Aberdyfi, on the north bank of the River Dyfi estuary, on Cardigan Bay, in the county of Gwynedd, West Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Bay Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI lifeboat station in Northern Ireland

Red Bay Lifeboat Station is located at Coast Road, Cushendall, County Antrim, a village at the mouth of the River Dall, in the Glens of Antrim, approximately 20 miles (32 km) north east of Ballymena, on the north-east coast of Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Runswick Bay Rescue Boat</span> Lifeboat station in North Yorkshire, England

Runswick Bay Rescue Boat operates out of the former RNLI Tractor shed, and is located in the village of Runswick Bay, in the county of North Yorkshire, in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Bees Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat station in Cumbria, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silloth Lifeboat Station</span> RNLI Lifeboat station in Cumbria, England

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References

  1. ↑ "History Points: Former Atlantic College lifeboat station" . Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  2. ↑ Doe, Helen (15 February 2024). One Crew: The RNLI's Official 200-Year History. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN   978-1-3981-2236-9.
  3. ↑ David Sutcliffe (2010). The RIB: The Rigid-hulled Inflatable Lifeboat. Granta Editions. ISBN   978-1-85757-103-5.
  4. 1 2 "Lifeboats from Wales with love". 29 September 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  5. ↑ "Atlantic College lifeboat sets sail for exhibition". BBC. 25 June 2014. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  6. ↑ "The Welsh home of the RIB waves goodbye to its lifeboat after nearly 50 years". Wales Online. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
  7. ↑ "Atlantic Pacific" . Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "No. 7 Lifeboat Area" (PDF). The Lifeboat. XL (427): 594. March 1969. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
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