Pwllheli Lifeboat Station

Porthdinllean Lifeboat towing the broken down vessel

Now under tow from Pwllheli Lifeboat

Just entering the harbour

06/06/09 Service

Crewmember Clive Moore on board the vessel with both casualties

In a easterly wind Pwllheli entrance can become quite rough

Shortening the tow ready to enter the harbour

Jason Warren running down to the ILB to assist the casualties with Jono Garton on the helm. The fire is starting to increase

The ILB leaving the scene with both casualties on board. The husband was suffering burns to the hands and face and his wife was suffering from shock and slight burns

The Air Ambulance landed on the Lifeboat slipway to take the gentelman to Bangor Hospital. The ILB returned to the burning vessel to keep other vessels clear and assist the Fire brigade in putting the fire out

The casualties pet Parrot also rescued from the blaze. It was later taken to a vet and was given the all clear. It is now in the Tractor Drivers house been well looked after until the owners are well enough to collect it.

New Carriage arrives on the transporter

The Tractor hitches up and removes off the transport to start work assembling it

Work starts on assembling the carriage

ALB coming to assist a powerboat with 2 Adults and 2 Children onboard

Starting to tow her back to Pwllheli

Crew member boarding the vessel to secure the tow line.

Thanks to John Davies for these photos

The IB1 with Ian Jones and Andrew Taylor onboard

Seen here at full speed at 25knots some 5knots faster than the old DClass

The IB1 is now fitted with a "Pod" at the bow seen here housing the GPS, First aid kit, VHF and battery

Going over the wake of the ALB

The IB1's D676 first call only 24hrs after being put on active service.

Coming alongside the casualty vessel and transferring crew

The New IB1 with built in GPS plotter and fiberglass pod

Now fitted with a 50hp outboard engine with electric start, the IB1 has a top speed of 25 knots 5 knots faster than the old Dclass

Jono and Carl being winched up into the Helicopter.

Abersoch in the wake of the ALB

The Pilot deep in concentration whilst holding steady

The Atlantic 75 in the wake of the Mersey

1970. The Pwllheli crew, wearing the latest RNLI lifejackets at the time.Second Coxswain William McGill, Mechanic Owen Roberts, Edward Jones,Humphrey Roberts, Edward Jones, Robert Wright and Michael Faulkner.The Coxswain, not shown in the picture, is Robert Vowell

Both boats out today on a nice calm Sunday morning exercise. The joint exercise was held off Pen Y Chain head where the crews performed the Breaches Buoy.

Des at the Helm and Ian at the bow. Photos of the ILB in the wake of the ALB.

Video footage of the ALB launching from the beach. This might take some time to download.

Prepairing to lower the winchman onto the deck of the Mersey

Photo taken whilst being winched down from the helicopter. Apologies for the poor quality but it taken at approximately 6 knots and hovering 10ft above the water!

Short video of the Helicopter holding a hover this might take some time to download.

The ILB alongside the Casualty with Clive and Jono on board assisting the owner.

Now secure on a mooring. Clive on the left and Jono on the right

The ILB making it's way back to Pwllheli with Llanbedrog headland the site of the service in the background. Photo taken from the ALB

Today's exercise. Photos of the ILB in a 2 mtr following sea

You can just make out the canopy in the breaking wave. The wind was blowing Force 5-6 SW

Video footage of the ALB taken from the ILB. Apologies for the shaky images and quality. This may take some time to download.

The ILB towing another SB3 laser. The photos don't do the service justice. Seas of over 12ft breaking waves were experienced in the service.Photo taken from the ALB

The photos don't do the service justice. Seas of over 12-15ft breaking waves were experienced in the service. Photo taken from the ALB

Another 2 SB3's waiting for assistance in the rough seas. Photo taken from the ALB. Later one of the SB3 owners told us they had been getting speeds of 22 knots just with the Jib sail whilst on route to Pwllheli

A large wave heading towards the ILB

CCTV footage caught of the incident by the Marina's camera. You can just make out the D Class towing one in whilst the ALB stands by 6 more.

Jono on board the casualty vessel after being towed from the surf. The photo was taken from the ALB at the harbour entrance however on the scene it was quite choppy with a 1 mtr surf

The ILB can just be scene in the surf waiting with the casualty's for the Coast Guard moblie unit after the ALB had towed the boat clear.

These shots are of the crew assisting the owner by putting fenders between the hull and beach to try and prevent any more damage to the yacht

As you can see the boat was high out of the water and this is why the ALB could not tow her as significant damage would have been caused

Children onboard having a look at the D Class and who knows possible future crew?

Our youngest recruit, little Esmi following in her uncle Des's footsteps, but at only 2 years old she's just a little young to be a crew member

The large amount of rope around the prop being removed from the vessel towed in.

Photos of the ALB taken from the Gimblet Rock. Thanks to Martin Fish for the excellent photgraphs

The boat at full speed of 16 knots

From Left to Right: Steve, Bob, Clive, Barry and Jeff

The ILB is turned over with the engine to recreate a real capsize.

Once over the crew need to go under the ILB to familiarise themselves. If the boat turned over for real there would be a good chance of the crew being trapped under the boat. Left to right: Jono, Jason and Jeff

The boat now need's righting. In calm conditions this can be very tricky. The painter line is passed through the D rings on the sponson and this is what the crew is use to write the boat

Video file might take some time to upload.

Thankfully nobody was hurt

The boat sustained some damage but nothing major. She was re floated at the next high tide at 1am

Three of the Abersoch crew turning the ILB over

Once over the crew need to right the vessel using the painter. The heaviest person is at the bow and the lightest at the stern. Once you are in the correct position the boat rights quite easily.

Going under. When the boat is over the crew can go underneath the ILB to fit the emergency VHF aerial. When the boat is up the right way the crew need to remove all the water from the engine this is done by removing the sparkplugs and turning the engine over approximately 60-80 times by hand, then hopfully she will re start first time. This can take up to 20 minutes,

Both Pwllheli ILB and Abersoch Lifeboat after the exercise.

All the crew together. The Pwllheli crew would like to thank the Abersoch crew for an excellent night's training.

These photos where taken some 3 years ago when both Pwllheli ALB and Abersoch Lifeboat where asked to deliver supplies to the people on the Island.

The weather had been bad for 2 months and the islanders had started to run low on food. As you can see the sea was very rough.

Unfortunately it was too bad to land on the island and the drop off was abandoned. A week later the weather improved enough for the Bardsey supply boat to deliver the food. Thanks to the bbc.co.uk/walesnews for the photos.

The New FCB2 on trials at Lowestoft. Seen here at full speed in a force 6 wind. Thanks to Spongie for the use of the photos

Coxswain position inside the FCB2 please note no wheel the new boat will be joystick controlled from the inside but the traditional wheel is still outside.Thanks to Spongie for the use of the photos

Out with Lowestoft Tyne Class as you can sell the new boat is very manoeuvrable. Thanks to Spongie for the use of the photos

Ashore at Dungerness undergoing recovey trials. Thanks to Charlie for the use of these pictures.

She will still be recovered the traditional way by the use of skids. Thanks to Charlie for the use of these pictures.

Neil Roberts with Colonel Thomas after receiving his 20 year's service certificate. Neil has been both crew on the ALB and ILB and is now head tractor driver.

Alwyn Roberts with Colonel Thomas after receiving his 20 year's service certificate. Alwyn is currently the 2nd mechanic on the ALB and a ILB Helmsman.

Kevin Ball with Colonel Thomas also receiving his 13 year's service certificate. Kevin has now retired from service after many many years of dedication to Pwllheli RNLI. Kevin will be sorely missed by all the crew but I am sure he will be round for his panad.

Leaving Pwllheli and heading for home.

Being launched by the Hafan hoist just after re antifouling.

The Seaking's winchman been lowered onto the Criccieth's Atlantic 75

Criccieth Lifeoat in the wake of the Mersey

Left to Right: Jeff, Ffiona and Steve with Criccieth Castle in the background

Clive at the Helm with Steve Hassan a RNLI assessor who is also a crew member of the Barmouth Lifeboat.

The ALB leaving the harbour entrance with Clive on the helm and Ian and Arfon beside him. Bob and James can been seen at the stern with Jason at the Bow.

The ILB leaving the harbour entrance with Des at the helm Andrew T on the left Ffiona in the middle and Alan on the right.

These photos where taken about 10 years ago. It was an open day on the South Beach Pwllheli in the middle of summer.

The old Wessex helicopter based at RAF Valley has now been replaced by the Sea King helicopter which is more faster and better equipped for the job.

The crew member at the bow signals the helicopter pilot when to start the transfer with a green and red flag, it might look primitive but it works. You might also notice the ALB in her old colours, no yellow strip or numbers on the hull.