The History of Borth inshore lifeboat station
1966 - In June 1966 an RNLI inshore lifeboat (ILB) station was established with a D class lifeboat. A timber boathouse was built at the south end of Borth beach.
The picture shows Borth's first D class lifeboat, with the crew. As there was no slipway the boat had to be manhandled down the shingles for launching. The boat would be driven onto the beach and carried up the shingle bank during recovery, an operation requiring quite a few volunteers.
The D class is small and highly manoeuvrable, making it ideal for rescues close to shore in fair to moderate conditions. It has a single outboard engine and can be righted manually by the crew following a capsize. The design of the D class has continued to evolve since its introduction to the RNLI in 1963. The latest version was introduced in 2003.
1973 - 1 August 1973 the new station D Class lifeboat D-103 was placed on service. This was a gift from the King George Fund for Sailors.
1974 - The relief lifeboat D-73 was on station from 1 July to 31 August 1974.
1975 - The new station D class lifeboat D-233 Onslaught was placed on station 1 December 1975. The boat was funded from proceeds from Mr RE Rushton’s sponsored entry in the Brighton veteran car run.
1976 - The relief lifeboat D-223 was on station from 1 June to 30 June 1976.
1978 - The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Ronald Davies for the rescue of two people who were trapped by the tide at the base of cliffs in very heavy seas. Crew Members Dilwyn Owen and Richard Jeremy each received Vellum certificates.
1987 - A purpose-built brick boathouse was completed, providing improved facilities. The new station D class, D-344 Onslaught II, was placed on service 9 June 1987. The new boat was funded from a donation from the MV Millhouse Trust.
1987 - Also in 1987 the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was again awarded to Helmsman Ronald Davies and Framed Letters of Thanks were presented to Crew Members Louis Delahaye and Andrew Doyle for the rescue of two men clinging to a partly submerged rock in rough conditions.
1990 - The relief lifeboat D-334 was on station from 29 August to 8 November 1990.
1992 - The relief lifeboat D-413 Billy Mills and George Ralph was on station from 10 June to 4 August 1992.
1995 - A new station D class lifeboat, D-479 May, provided from a generous gift from Dr May Reed of Buckinghamshire, was placed on service 13 June 1995.
1996 - Two relief lifeboats were on station during this year. D-427 Storrs was on station from 13 June to 4 July and D-450 Anthony was on station 17 June to 18 December.
1997 - Relief lifeboat D-371 41 Club III was on station from 13 August to 21 October 1997.
1998 - A Framed Letter of Thanks was presented to Helmsman Richard Jenkins when, together with the Aberystwyth ILB, he rescued four people cut off by the tide near Clarach in heavy surf. Crew Members Stuart Taylor and Lee Trubshaw received Letters of Appreciation.
1998 - Relief lifeboat D-399 Bertha was on station from 1 April 1998.
2000 - Relief lifeboat D-448 Sea Ranger was on station from 9 February until 17 May 2000.
2001 - Relief lifeboat D-436 Chloe was on station from 11 July 2001 until 30 January 2002.
2001 - A Bronze Medal was awarded to Helmsman Amos Bewick for the rescue of the helmsman of Aberdovey’s ILB in severe weather conditions and a confused sea on 10 December 2000. Crew Members Martyn Davies and Alex Shepard received Medal service certificates and badges.
2001 - Also in 2001 Lifeboat Operations Manager Ronald Davies was honoured by Her Majesty The Queen and presented with the Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE).
2003 - Relief lifeboat D-483 C John Morris DFM was on station from 10 April until 26 September, and D-466 Phyllis Mary II from 27 September until 16 January 2004.
2004 - The new station D class donated by Dr May Reed, D-622 May II, was placed on station 13 May 2004. The new lifeboat is a IB1 type D class lifeboat. The type is generally referred to as an IB1 Lifeboat D-479 May was withdrawn from service.
The IB1 D Class was introduced to service in 2003. It is a 5 meters in length and weighing approx 436 kilograms. It has a crew of between 2 and 4, normally 3. It can maintain a speed of 25 knots for up to 3 hours.
2007 - In 2007 a new lifeboat station was built on the site of the old station. The station is a shared building with the local HM Coastguard unit. The new station provided improved housing for the boat, allowing greater access to work on the boat.
The crew changing facilities are much improved and there are also facilities to improve casualty recovery, such as a hot shower and increased privacy. The crew room is a fantastic addition, providing an area for shore based crew training, in areas such as first aid, navigation and the dreaded 'knots and bends'. The crew room also provides expansive views of Borth Bay which aids in identifying the position of casualties.
2008 - In the 2008 New Year's Honours List Aran Morris was recognised with a Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to maritime safety. Mr Morris said memories of stranded sailors in the Arctic during World War II had inspired him to press for the lifeboat station because it used to take rescuers about 20 minutes to sail to Borth from Aberystwyth and Aberdyfi during an emergency. BBC News - MBE for lifeboat station founder. More about Aran Morris on BBC Website. Aran died, aged 90, on 13 September 2009.
2011 - On 3 May 2011 D-622 May II was returned for it's 2 year refit, it did require some extensive work due to the age of the boat. Relief lifeboat D-730 was on station during the refit.
The Maritime History of Borth
There is an interesting website http://borthmaritimehistory.com/ designed to gather and display material pertaining to Borth's maritime history.
Subscribe to RNLI Borth Lifeboat Mailing List
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SC037736). Charity number CHY 2678 in the Republic of Ireland | RNLI (Trading) Ltd - 01073377, RNLI (Sales) Ltd - 2202240 and RNLI (Enterprises) Ltd - 1784500 are all companies registered at West Quay Road, Poole BH15 1HZ. Images & copyright © RNLI 2009-2011.