Yarmouth Lifeboat station (not to be confused with ) is located at Yarmouth, a harbour town overlooking the Solent, on the north-west coast of the Isle of Wight.
A lifeboat managed by a local committee was stationed at Yarmouth for two years from 1868, before being relocated in 1870, to a new station established at . In 1924, for the arrival of a motor-powered lifeboat, the Totland Bay station, now managed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), was closed, and a new station established at Yarmouth.
The station currently operates the 17-25 Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer) (ON 1249), a All-weather lifeboat, on station since 2001.
Inspired by other Sunday School groups raising funds to provide a lifeboat, the Isle of Wight Sunday Schools also set about fundraising, ultimately raising ã162 by June 1868. A 29-foot Lamb and White lifeboat was ordered, and launched at Prince's Green, West Cowes on 29 June 1868. Named Dove, the lifeboat was initially placed at Yarmouth, but later moved to Totland Bay in 1870. The boat was transferred once again in 1885, to Shanklin, when the RNLI took over management of the Totland Bay station.
For more information, please see:âÂÂ
In 1924, in view of difficulties encountered trying to operate a motor lifeboat from Totland Bay, a new station was established at Yarmouth, and Totland Lifeboat Station was closed.
The first motor lifeboat at the new Yarmouth location was the 45-foot Watson-class B.A.S.P. (ON 687). The lifeboat, built by J. Samuel White, was also equipped with sails in case of engine failure. His Royal Highness Edward Prince of Wales named the lifeboat B.A.S.P., after the donors, Blackburn, Armstrong, Smart and Price. During her ten years of service at the station, B.A.S.P. undertook 42 operations which saved 30 lives. After service at several other stations and later in the relief fleet, she was sold out of service in 1955. B.A.S.P. is now on display at as part of the RNLI Historic Lifeboat Collection, at the Chatham maritime museum. B.A.S.P. is recorded in the National Historic Ships register, Certificate No: 1687.
A Inshore lifeboat was placed at the station in July 1964, but was permanently withdrawn in October 1978.
In 1988, the Institution made improvements to the onshore facilities for the station. They provided a kitchen, toilets and washrooms within the existing boatstore. In 1994 the RNLI purchased the Yarmouth Customs House on the quayside in Quay Street, and began alterations to the building. This work included creating crew changing rooms, workshop, toilet and showers, and an RNLI souvenir and retail outlet on the ground floor. An office, training room, and crew facilities were built on the first floor. In 2000, work was carried out in the harbour to improve the lifeboat berth.
Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer) (ON 1249) has a top speed of and a range of . She is operated by a crew of six and is fitted with the latest in navigation, location and communication equipment including electronic chart plotter, VHF radio with direction finder, radar and global positioning systems (GPS). The lifeboat has a displacement of and carries a daughter Y-class which is launched and recovered by crane. Having the Y-class enables the crew to make rescues close to shore.
At 13:16 on 28 October 1989, the Margaret Russell Fraser (ON-1108) relief lifeboat slipped her moorings at Yarmouth, with Coxswain David Kennett at the helm. The weather in the Solent was poor, with a south westerly severe gale force 9 blowing. The vessel was the 495 tonne roll-on/roll-off car ferry Al Kwather 1, and was reported to be in difficulties, east of Peveril Point near Swanage. Some of the cargo of cars had broken loose on the deck, and the ship was unable to weigh anchor and head for shelter, because of the danger to the crew from the loose cars on deck, and the motion of the vessel.
The relief lifeboat 37-34 Horace Clarkson (ON 1047) from , had launched at 10:56, and been on scene since 11:30. In hurricane-force winds, the lifeboat was standing by the vessel. At 15:10, the Margaret Russell Fraser arrived on the scene, and took up a position astern of the Al Kwather 1, allowing the Swanage lifeboat to return home for a well-earned break. After a further hour, and with the Al Kwather 1 in no immediate danger, the Yarmouth lifeboat also made for Swanage, to allow the crew to get some rest, and to make repairs to a fractured bolt on the wheelhouse door, and replace buckled windscreen wipers.
At 00:20, the captain of the Al Kwather 1 reported that his vessel had problems with its engines and requested help. With a helicopter also on its way, both lifeboats left Swanage, with the Margaret Russell Fraser arriving back on scene first. The ship was in complete darkness, listing to port and rolling violently, broadside to the seas. The lifeboat used her searchlights on approaching the ship from the stern, and with great skill, and in a great deal of danger, manoeuvred alongside the ship, where the crew had rigged a cargo net. The first man was quickly down the net, and aboard the lifeboat, but the second man caught his foot in the net, and was left dangling dangerously below the deck of the lifeboat. Coxswain Kennett immediately pulled the lifeboat astern and crew members Lester and Miskin hauled the man on board, with total disregard for their own safety. It was decided that the remaining crew should await the arrival of the helicopter. With all rescued by 02:12, both lifeboats headed for home.
For this service, Coxswain David George Kennett was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal, with the crew receiving "Medal Service Certificates". Assistant Mechanic Brian Miskin and crewman Joseph Lester were each presented with a "Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution".
The following are awards made at Yarmouth