Hayling Island Lifeboat Station is located on the eastern side of Hayling Island, Hampshire[1], opposite the village of West Wittering, at the entrance to Chichester Harbour, where it joins the major shipping route of the Solent. This major shipping route is busy at all times of the year and there are estimated to be 10,000 boats in the Chichester area alone.[2]
A lifeboat was first stationed at Hayling Island by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1865. The station was closed in 1924, but re-opened in 1975 as an Inshore lifeboat station.[3]
The Hayling Island station currently operates a B-class (Atlantic 85) Inshore lifeboat, Derrick Battle (B-829), on station since 2009, and a smaller D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat, Jacob (D-779), on station since 2015.[3]
History
1865–1924: original station
In a full gale on 17 October 1862, the sloopCygnet of Portsmouth ran aground on Woolsiner Sandbank. 3 fishermen in their smackFerret attempted a rescue, but couldn't get close. Dropping anchor, and launching their small 13 feet (4.0m) rowing boat, they managed to rescue the three crewmen aboard the Cygnet. For their efforts, William Goldring, James Spraggs and David Farmer were each awarded the RNLI Silver Medal.[4][5]
As a result of these rescues, Mr. Charles Hardy, vicar of Hayling, wrote to both the Hampshire Telegraph, where his letter was published, and to the RNLI, requesting a lifeboat station be established at Hayling Island, which was agreed. Mr William Leaf, of Leaf and Co. London, a wealthy Silk trader and philanthropist, donated £500 towards the setting up of the station. A 32-foot self-righting 'pulling and sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, one with oars and sails, was ordered from Forrestt of Limehouse, along with a new carriage, constructed by J. Robinson of Kentish Town and costing £86-8s-8d.[7][8]
The 1865 boathouse is now unrecognisable, incorporated into a structure now used as a public house and restaurant.
A tender of £259-10s-0d from Mr. H. R. Trigg was accepted, for the construction of a boathouse at the western end of Hayling south-shore. The lifeboat was ready in September 1865, and after trials on the Regent's Canal, the boat was transported to Havant free of charge by the London and South Western Railway. The station was officially opened on 13 September 1865, with the boat being named Olive Leaf, and then blessed by Ashurst Gilbert, the Bishop of Chichester. William Golding, the same recipient of the RNLI silver medal in 1862, was appointed Coxswain.[7]
On 1 February 1869, the Olive Leaf was launched to the aid of the barqueLady Westmorland, on passage from South Shields to Cartagena, Spain, when she was driven ashore at Hayling Island. The lifeboat arrived as the crew were about to abandon ship, but with the assistance of the lifeboat men, the vessel was refloated, and taken to harbour at St Helens, Isle of Wight, thus saving all 18 men and the boat.[9]
In 1888, Hayling received the RNLB Charlie and Adrian (ON 146}, a self-righting lifeboat, which remained on station until 1914. In her 26 years of service, she would be launched 20 times, and save 9 lives.[3][7]
Hayling Island 1914 lifeboat house.
In 1914 a new lifeboat, the Rubie-class Proctor (ON 640), was allocated to Hayling Island. As she was larger than the previous two lifeboats, a new boathouse was required. The new boathouse was built two miles to the east of the original, at a cost of £900. Doors were built at boat ends, to enable a launch to the beach, or for the lifeboat to be transported by carriage to a more suitable location for launch if required. The 1865 boathouse is still standing, but now incorporated into a structure used as a public house and restaurant.[10][11]
The All-weather lifeboat service at Hayling Island operated for a total of 59 years. The lifeboats were launched 34 times, and saved 56 lives. In 1922, more modern and faster motor lifeboats were placed at Selsey, to the south-east, and at Bembridge, to the south west on the Isle of Wight. The RNLI decided to close the Hayling Island Lifeboat Station on 15 May 1924. The 1914 boathouse still stands on the seafront and today is used by the Army cadets.[3][7][12]
1966–1980: private lifeboat station and re-opening
By the 1950s, increased use of pleasure craft along the Hayling coastline had led to a corresponding increase in marine incidents which required lifeboat services. In 1966, Mr. Frank Martin and his two sons started a "Rescue Patrol", using an inflatable boat. The fledgling service was run from a caravan located next to the coastguard station. A Land Rover was used to launch the lifeboat, which was powered with a single 40hp Evinrude outboard motor. Their tiny organisation became part of the Shore Boat Rescue Scheme, an RNLI-recognised scheme.[7]
Martin established the Hayling Island Sea Rescue and Research Organisation (HISRrO) in 1971, which launched for rescue services and undertook patrols along the area's coast and inland estuaries. It also researched rescue procedures and methods for divers.[13]
In 1975, the HISRrO and the RNLI agreed to operate a joint service, and the partnership began operating from a new boathouse on the east side of Hayling Island, at Sandy Point, on a site leased from the Coldeast and Tatchbury Mount Hospital Group. The RNLI placed an B-class (Atlantic 21) Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) on station. The first call came even before the lifeboat was officially on service. On a training exercise, red flares were seen, fired from the Cabin cruiserAndrew John, having suffered engine failure. The boat was towed to Langstone Harbour.[7]
The two organisations worked alongside each other until 1978, when they agreed to discontinue their joint association. Sole administration for the station and service was taken over by the RNLI. HISRrO continued to operate independently after the split until closing in August 1992.[14]
1980–present: hovercraft and new station
The Hayling island boathouse at Sandy Point, built in 1994/95 to house both the Atlantic 75 ILB and inflatable D-class lifeboat. It was redeveloped in 2007. It replaced the boathouse built in 1974 to house the first ILB's on station
In 1980, launch facilities at the boathouse were improved with the installation of a launch ramp. In November 1980 the station also received a new Atlantic 21 inshore lifeboat, the first to be designed and built for the Hayling Island station.[11]
In June 2004 the RNLI sent a hovercraft, Hurley Spirit (H-005), for trials at Hayling island.[citation needed]
Hayling Island Lifeboat Station July 2023. The lifeboats are on trailers and launched across the shingle beach by tractor
Work began on an extensive refurbishment of the station in late 2006 to provide facilities for the B-class (Atlantic 75) lifeboat, with its Talus Atlantic 85 DO-DO launch carriage, and a Talus MB-764 amphibious tractor. They operated out of shipping containers temporarily placed on the station's car park during the rebuild. The new station, which incorporated the old structure, was completed in November 2007 and included a new boat hall with an upper storey. The new station was paid for from legacies of £500,000 from the Lusty family and £300,000 provided by Gwendoline Prince and the Hudson family.[11]
The Hayling Island inshore lifeboat Derrick Battle (B-829) just after launch during a lifeboat demonstration 3 km from West Wittering, West Sussex. The Lifeboat open day on 1 August 2009
The two current lifeboats are an Atlantic 85-class lifeboat and a D-class (IB1) lifeboat.[11] The Atlantic 85 inshore lifeboat is called Derrick Battle (B-829) and arrived on station on 26 February 2009. It is fitted with radar interlaced into the GPS system and VHF direction finding gear. The lifeboat is equipped with two 115hp Yamahaoutboard engines and has the capability of thirty five knots.[11] The second lifeboat is a smaller D-class inflatable lifeboat and is called Jacob (D-779). It arrived on station in 2015 and is an IB1 type boat powered by a 50hp outboard engine giving her a top speed of twenty five knots.[11]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Hayling Island[2][4]
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