RNLB Ruby and Arthur Reed II (ON 1097)The Cromer Lifeboats, by Bob Malster & Peter Stibbons,:Poppyland Publishing, was a Tyne-class lifeboat stationed at Cromer in the English county of NorfolkOS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East. . from 16 December 1985Cromer Lifeboat, A pictorial history, By Nicholas Leach & Paul Russell, Pub; Landmark Collector's Library, and was the No 1 lifeboat between various relief'sCromer Lifeboats 1804-2004, Leach, Nicholas & Russell, Paul, Pub: Tempus Publishing, 2004, until she was replaced after 21 years service by the Tamar-class in December 2007. Between 1996 and 1999, during the rebuilding of the pier head lifeboat house and slipway, she was temporarily replaced by a carriage launched Mersey-class lifeboat, . During the time that the Ruby and Arthur Reed was on station at Cromer she performed 120 service launches, rescuing 102 lives including 3 dogs. Nearly 50% of her launches took place during the hours of darkness and 17 of them saw her facing gale force 7 winds. Her service launches included helping 48 merchant and fishing vessels and 47 pleasure craft.
Design and construction Ruby and Arthur Reed II was designed as a fast slipway boat (FSB) and featured a semi-planing hull fabricated from steel. This hull had a shallow draught and a long straight keel with a flared bow above the waterline. To protect the propellers they were housed in tunnels with substantial bilge keels, and a straight wide keel ending at a hauling shoe enabling winching for the boat when it was returned up the slipway back into the boathouse. The wheelhouse had a low profile so as to fit into existing boathouses. Amidships there was a flying bridge with a separate cabin aft of the upper steering position.
Equipment The lifeboats power came from twin General Motors GM6V92TA DDEC turbo-charged marine two-stroke diesel engines which could develop . These engines could push the lifeboat to a top speed of . At full speed there was enough diesel fuel in the tanks for ten hours service. At lower speeds the endurance was significantly increased. The engines were computer-managed, with data being displayed on twin screens which was viewed at both the Mechanic's and the Helm position in the wheelhouse. Within the wheelhouse there were six seats for the crew plus a jumper seat for a doctor. Ruby and Arthur Reed's equipment included satellite navigation apparatus interfaced through a PC to a visual chart display. Daylight viewing radar was used both for navigation and to search for casualties. There was VHF radio direction-finding equipment for locating vessels in trouble. The lifeboat also carried the latest DSC digital radio equipment for the vital radio communication used in search and rescue missions. The lifeboat was equipped with three VHF radios one of which was portable, together with an MF `long range`set. On the deck were powerful searchlights, and the lifeboat was also later equipped with image-intensifying night sight equipment. Ruby and Arthur Reed carried a large amount of first-aid equipment including both oxygen and entonox.
Notable rescues
Yacht Phaedra During the early hours of 29 September 1988 a gale with winds in force eight to nine had occurred. Caught in this gale where the husband and wife crew of the yacht Phaedra out of Whitby. The skipper had no idea of his position and with the help from power from a car battery had used his VHF radio to call for help to the coastguard. The coastguard using the transmission to gain a bearing for the Phaedra placed her as thirty miles north east of Cromer. The coastguard called out the Ruby and Arthur Reed and within seven minutes of the call she was underway. In the meantime Rig stand-by vessels Desirade, Stout Truck and Vulcan Service were attending the yacht and stood by as she drifted in the relentless weather conditions. To save time reaching the yacht coxswain Richard Davies decided to take the Ruby and Arthur Reed across sandbanks. The coxswain reported that the lifeboat had handled well in the broken waters above the banks and 20 to waves had come aboard the lifeboats deck. At 2.30am the Ruby and Arthur Reed found the stricken yacht going round in circles with all sails set. At Davies request the sails were lowered and the yacht was taken into tow. The weather conditions made it impossible for the husband and wife to be taken off the yacht or for a lifeboatman to be put aboard. The decision was taken to tow the yacht in a southerly direction towards Bacton, a task that took the lifeboat seven hours. By 10am the lifeboat had towed the yacht to the lee of the land were conditions had improved. Now a crewman was put aboard the Phaedra and with increased speed the vessel was towed into Great Yarmouth by 12.30pm. The adverse conditions however, prevented the Ruby and Arthur Reed from returning to her station for several days.
Award For this service the thanks of the Institution on Vellum was accorded to Coxswain Richard Davis.
Service and rescues DateCasualtyLives saved198624 JanuaryTanker Orleans of Lowestoft, gave Help24 JanuaryRig standby vessel Boston Sea Stallion of Lowestoft, escorted29 AugustFishing vessel Nicholas of London, saved vessel226 SeptemberYacht Blythe Andora, gave help19888 FebruaryTug Anna B, gave help15 JuneFishing vessel Sparkling Star, saved vessel310 JulyYacht Kass-A-Nova, saved yacht415 JulyCoaster Luminance, gave help17 JulyLost diver, gave help23 JulyFishing vessel Two Sisters, saved vessel14 AugustFishing vessel Ever Hopeful of Great Yarmouth, gave help29 AugustSkin Divers, landed 519 SeptemberFishing boat G.N.D. of Great Yarmouth, escorted boat29 SeptemberYacht Phaedra of Whitby, saved vessel21 Octoberfishing vessel Courageous of Inverness, gave help198914 FebruaryRoRo cargo vessel Tor Gothia of Sweden, gave help30 MayFishing boat, escorted vessel30 JuneYacht Serena, saved yacht230 JuneYacht Martlet, saved yacht210 OctoberFishing vessel De Vroun Melanie of Lowestoft, stood by vessel19906 MayMotor vessel, escorted boat20 JuneYacht Meander, gave help6 AugustStandby safety vessel St Mark, saved 2 boats30 AugustFloating drifter rig Rowville, gave help16 SeptemberFishing vessel Mar Tigre, stood by vessel21 NovemberCargo vessel Stavroula, gave help199212 JanuaryMotor boat Sara B, escorted boat19 FebruaryVessel Bressay Sound, landed a sick man10 JuneYacht Tassella, gave help20 JulyYacht Illyria, saved yacht29 July Yacht Cherokee II, gave help21 AugustGas survey vessel Fortissimo, Landed 3 and saved vessel14 OctoberFishing vessel Isobel Kathleen, saved vessel424 OctoberBarge Rock, gave help5 DecemberYacht Milford of Otley, saved yacht and 2 dogs1199313 OctoberYacht Happy Bear, saved vessel55 NovemberCargo vessel Daniella, gave help7 DecemberRig stand by vessel, stood by199428 JulyMotor cruiser Heather Down, gave help30 JulyTwo skin divers, gave help22 SeptemberCargo vessel Nescio, took out doctor and landed injured man199512 March Cargo vessel Nordstar, in collision, escorted vessel27 June Salvage vessel Putford Puffin, took out doctor and landed a sick man5 JulyDiving support ship Ocean Stephaniturm, stood by ship19961 AprilFishing vessel Juliet, 1 person and craft brought in23 AprilMotor cruiser Blue Lancer, 2 person and craft brought in21 JulyTwo divers, gave help24 JulyYacht Giselle, saved craft215 AugustMotor cruiser Ocean Diver, saved craft199910 JulySix divers, six persons brought in after being saved by another lifeboat10 JulyDive support craft Desert Moon, 8 people and craft brought in10 SeptemberYacht Halcyon Oak, 2 people and craft brought in3 OctoberYacht Lady Patience, gave help16 DecemberPowerboat Samphire of Wells, gave help22 DecemberBody in sea, gave help200011 MarchPassenger ferry Norstar, stood by27 MayYacht Coquette, escorted vessel16 JuneDive support craft Crusader, 4 people and dog landed, craft brought in10 JulyEx-trawler Excelsior, saved vessel9200114 JanuaryTug Golden Cross, 4 people and vessel brought in16 FebruaryRowing boat Maximum Exposure, 1 person and craft brought in25 FebruaryTanker Zanita, escorted boat17 MayRowing boat Maximum Exposure, saved boat15 JunePowerboat Whirlwind, 2 people and craft brought in20029 JanuaryFishing vessel Zuider Zee, gave help20037 MayKetch Ngataki, 3 people and craft brought in24 MayYacht Rambling Rose, gave help7 SeptemberSloop Just Joia, gave help200415 FebruaryFishing boat Lisa Diane, stood by3 MarchFishing vessel Serene Dawn, 2 people and craft brought in27 JuneYacht Suli Suli, person and craft brought in28 JuneYacht Suli Suli, craft brought in7 JulyYacht Marie-Louise, 2 people landed and saved craft19 JulyMotor cruiser Orovida, gave help15 AugustMotor cruiser Dooby Soo, gave help transferred casualty to helicopter27 AugustMotor cruiser Fiddlers Green, escorted vessel200516 May Motor cruiser Jester, 3 people landed and craft brought in28 May Motor cruiser Scooby Doo 2, 2 people and craft brought in18 JuneDive support craft Wreckless, 4 people and craft brought in7 AugustYacht Arosa, 3 people landed and craft brought in23 OctoberRig support vessel Iona, Landed an injured man200618 FebruaryTurkish coaster Willow, gave help
References