Glamour rarely figures in lifeboat work. Bottom of the glamour heap though has to be working on the slipway as shorecrew. Few thanks are given for this unglamorous job, but without it, the boat will neither be launched nor recovered. To able to launch both boats with 9 or 10 people aboard, another 6 at least are required ashore: to operate the ILB winch, the ALB winch, knock out the pin, recover the trailer, haul down the recovery cables and the list of jobs goes on. Often though it can end up with half a dozen crew sat in the boathouse, trying to occupy themselves while hearing snatches of the rescue on the VHF. Nothing is harder in the lifeboat world than watching the boat leave the slip without you.
Wednesday, 13 December 2006
Shore Crew
Glamour rarely figures in lifeboat work. Bottom of the glamour heap though has to be working on the slipway as shorecrew. Few thanks are given for this unglamorous job, but without it, the boat will neither be launched nor recovered. To able to launch both boats with 9 or 10 people aboard, another 6 at least are required ashore: to operate the ILB winch, the ALB winch, knock out the pin, recover the trailer, haul down the recovery cables and the list of jobs goes on. Often though it can end up with half a dozen crew sat in the boathouse, trying to occupy themselves while hearing snatches of the rescue on the VHF. Nothing is harder in the lifeboat world than watching the boat leave the slip without you.
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