Macduff Lifeboat Station is located on Bankhead in Macduff, a harbour town and former Royal Burgh, which sits on the eastern shore of the River Deveron, opposite Banff, Aberdeenshire on the western shore, overlooking Banff Bay in Aberdeenshire, historically Banffshire, in north-east Scotland.
A lifeboat station was established at Macduff by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1974, although a lifeboat station in this part of Aberdeenshire has been sited in various locations locally since 1860.
The station currently operates a lifeboat, Skipasund (B-933), on station since 2022.
History In 1859, Capt. MacDonald, Commander of HM Coastguard at Banff, responded to the RNLI, who at the time were keen to place more lifeboats on the coast of Scotland. With the support of the Banff Harbour Trustees, he gained considerable support locally, and the RNLI established Banff Lifeboat Station in 1860.
The station was officially renamed Banff & Macduff Lifeboat Station in 1902, although it appears to have been known by that name in most publications since 1860.
In 1923, the Banff & Macduff lifeboat was relocated to Whitehills Harbour. The station name was changed to Whitehills Lifeboat Station in 1924.
After 45 years at Whitehills, and with lifeboat cover available at the flanking stations of and , it was decided to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat, and Whitehills lifeboat station was closed in 1969.
For earlier history, please see – Banff and Macduff Lifeboat Station Whitehills Lifeboat Station
1974 onwards Just five years after the closure of Whitehills lifeboat station, the decision to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat was reversed in 1974. However, instead of returning to Whitehills, a new station, Macduff Lifeboat Station, was established and located at Macduff. A twenty-year-old Barnett-class lifeboat lifeboat, James & Margaret Boyd (ON 913), previously on service at for 19 years, was placed on service for a one year trial period.
In 1975, a 48-foot 6in lifeboat was placed at the station. On a cold Saturday on 3 April 1975, a large crowd gathered at the Fishmarket at Macduff, for the official naming ceremony of Macduff's new lifeboat. The lifeboat was actually nearly two years old, and had served briefly in the Relief fleet, and at . The lifeboat had been funded by the Douglas Currie Trust, along with other donations from the estate of the late J. J. Davidson, and a gift from the Glasgow RNLI Ladies Guild.
The new lifeboat was handed to the care of Macduff lifeboat branch, accepted by George Mackay, Honorary Secretary, after which the lifeboat was named Douglas Currie (ON 1021) by Miss Caroline Currie, grand-niece of one of the principal donors.
More changes were to come at Macduff. In 1984, the All-weather lifeboat was transferred to , and the station closed again briefly. The station was to become an Inshore lifeboat station, and the Inshore lifeboat Guide Friendship II (B-530) was placed on service in 1985.
The station is currently equipped with an lifeboat, Skipasund (B-933), funded by a donation from the Skipasund Foundation. Skipasund was officially handed over to the RNLI and named at a ceremony at the lifeboat station on 10 June 2023.
The launch & recovery system at Macduff is unique within the RNLI, being the only station where the boat is stored, launched and recovered from a 'mobile davit', which is essentially, a Flatbed truck with a HIAB crane.
Station names and locations Station name Location Comments 1860–1877 Banff Deveronside/High Shore 1877–1902 Banff Banff Bridge 1902–1923 Banff & Macduff Banff Bridge 1923–1924 Banff & Macduff Whitehills 1924–1969 Whitehills Whitehills Station closed 1969–1973 1973–1984 Macduff Macduff Station closed 1984–1985 1985– Macduff Macduff Station reopened as an Inshore Lifeboat Station 1985
Macduff lifeboats All-weather lifeboats ON Op.No. Name Built Class Comments 913 – James & Margaret Boyd 1954 1974–1975 Previously at . Transferred to Invergordon. 1021 1973 1975–1984 First deployed in the Relief fleet. Previously at . Transferred to . All-weather lifeboat withdrawn in 1984
Inshore lifeboats Op.No. Name Class Comments B-530 Guide Friendship II 1985–1989 1989–2006 B-804 Lydia Macdonald 2006–2022 B-933 Skipasund 2022–
Launch and recovery vehicles Op.No. Reg.No. Type Comments SC01 Scania Lorry and HIAB 1999–
See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats
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References
Sources
External links Macduff Lifeboat Station Macduff Lifeboat Facebook Page.