Portree Lifeboat Station is located at the Pier, on Quay Street, in Portree, the largest town on the Isle of Skye, one of the Inner Hebrides, overlooking the Sound of Raasay, on the north-west coast of Scotland, formerly in the county of Ross and Cromarty, now in the administrative region of Highland.
A lifeboat was first placed at Portree by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) on 9 March 1991.
The station currently operates a All-weather lifeboat, 13-59 Peter and Mary (ON 1366), on station since 2026.
History Ever since its founding, the RNLI would award medals for deeds of gallantry at sea, even if no lifeboats were involved. On 14 October 1947, fisherman Kenneth MacLeod rescued three men stranded at the foot of cliffs at Pooltiel, when their boat was wrecked on the rocks. In strong winds and a moderately rough sea, he rowed two miles to the scene, then transferring the men one at a time to a larger boat. MacLeod was awarded the RNLI Bronze Medal.
In May 1989, at a meeting of the RNLI Committee of Management, it was decided that a station should be opened early in 1991 at Portree on the Isle of Skye. A 12-month evaluation period was set, after which it was hoped a permanent all-weather lifeboat station would be established. The nearest other lifeboat stations were , , , , and , .
On 9 March 1991, the relief lifeboat 44-007 Connel Elizabeth Cargill (ON 1006) was placed on service temporarily. Soon afterwards, she was replaced by another lifeboat, 44-016 Ralph and Joy Swann (ON 1042). Ralph and Joy Swann was built in 1976, and had previously served at and . The lifeboat was named after Cmdr Ralph Swan and his wife. Swann was a former chairman of the RNLI, and was a life-vice-president, until his death in 1992.
With the station now permanently established, it was essential to provide a lifeboat house, with crew facilities, a workshop, and changing rooms and showers. A building on Portree Pier formerly operated by 'Moray Fish' was found to be an ideal location, and after suitable conversion work, was opened in 1994.
7 June 1996 would see the arrival of Portree's first new lifeboat. The lifeboat cost £1,175,000, and was funded from the bequest of the late Mr Stanley Watson Barker, former town clerk for Barking and Dagenham, together with legacies from Mr Jack R. Blaxland and Mrs Eileen Arabian. At a ceremony on 11 June 1997, the lifeboat was duly named 14-16 Stanley Watson Barker (ON 1214).
In 2021, Portree Lifeboat Station celebrated their 30th anniversary. In that time, Portree lifeboat had launched 520 times, helped 462 people, and saved 18 lives. Two crew members from the original crew from 1991, Hamish Corrigall and John Nicolson, also celebrated 30 years service, as coxswain and mechanic respectively.
At 13:59 on 18 April 2026, the new All-weather lifeboat, 13-59 Peter and Mary (ON 1366), arrived at Portree. After a period of crew training, she replaced the lifeboat, 14-16 Stanley Watson Barker (ON 1214), which has been on station at Portree for 30 years.
Shannon-class lifeboat 13-59 Peter and Mary (ON 1366) was formally placed on service at 13:59 on Monday 1 June 2026.
Station honours The following are awards made at Portree: RNLI Bronze Medal Kenneth MacLeod, fisherman – 1947 Bronze Lifeboat Statuette Ewen Mackenzie, RNLI Fundraiser – 1979
Portree lifeboats ON Op.No. Name Built Class Comments 1006 1967 1991 Relief fleet lifeboat, first deployed at . 1042 44-016 Ralph and Joy Swann 1976 1991–1996 Previously at and . Transferred to the Relief fleet, later at . 1214 14-16 Stanley Watson Barker 1996 1996–2026 1366 13-59 Peter and Mary 2026 2026– More post-service details can be found on the respective lifeboat class pages.
See also List of RNLI stations List of former RNLI stations Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats
References
Sources
External links Portree Lifeboat Station