Freshwater Lifeboat Station is located on Gate Lane at Freshwater Bay, just south of the village of Freshwater, at the western end of the Isle of Wight, in the United Kingdom.OS Explorer Map OL29 - Isle of Wight, Folded Map. Publisher:Ordnance Survey; B2 edition (17 Mar 2008).
The station was established in 1972, and is owned and operated by the Freshwater Independent Lifeboat Service. Freshwater Lifeboat is on call to H.M. Coastguard 24hours a day, 365days a year. The station covers an area up to off shore from Hurst Point to St Catherine's point.
The station currently operates an Inshore lifeboat, The Jillian Scott:Spirit of the West Wight V, on station since 2024, and a smaller Inshore lifeboat, The Warren J & B, on station since 2020.
Freshwater Lifeboat is a registered charity (No. 293657). The service is not part of the RNLI and does not receive funding from the RNLI or the government.
On 6 July 2024, a ceremony was held at Freshwater, at the launch of the new £180,000 Inshore lifeboat. With a blessing from the Rev. Lisa Potter, and entertainment from both the Bay Wailers and The Brass Monkeys, Jason Fox of the television series SAS: Who Dares Wins attended with his wife, and named the lifeboat The Jillian Scott: Spirit of the West Wight V.
Station honours The following are awards made at Freshwater.
Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) Stephen William Norris, Senior Coxswain – 2002NYH
Lifeboats Name Class Engine Comments Spirit of the West Wight ????–2005 Ribcraft RIB Twin 115-hp Mercury Spirit of the West Wight II 2005–2013 Ribcraft RIB Spirit of the West Wight III 2013–2020 Ribcraft RIB Inboard The Berry "B" ????–2022 Single 50-hp Mercury 2020–2024 Twin 90-hp Yamaha Formerly RNLB Victor "Danny" Lovelock (B-784) at The Warren J & B 2022– Single 50-hp Mariner Formerly RNLB Vision of Tamworth (D-733) at The Jillian Scott: Spirit of the West Wight V 2024– Twin 115-hp Yamaha Formerly RNLB Lydia Macdonald (B-804) at
See also Independent lifeboats in Britain and Ireland
References
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