Troon RNLI’s new lifeboat was officially launched with a bell ringing ceremony on Tuesday.
The Shannon class lifeboat – RNLB Roy Barker VI 13-55 – was lowered into the water for the first time at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) All-Weather Lifeboat Centre in Poole, Dorset as it was welcomed off the production line.
Jim Redmond, lifeboat operations manager at Troon RNLI was invited along to the ceremony as the lifeboat took to the water for the first time ahead of tests and trials to ensure it is ready to save lives at sea.
Every time a new lifeboat completes its construction, a traditional bell ringing ceremony is held which symbolises from maritime history the signalling of the end of the watch on ship and the start of a new watch.
Troon’s new lifeboat has been largely funded from the legacy of Frederick Roy Barker, known as Roy, who left his entire estate to the RNLI and requested that the income received from the fund be known as the Roy Barker Memorial Fund.
Roy admired the dedication, skill and bravery of the volunteer crews and their families who support them.
Income from the fund has already funded three Trent class lifeboats at Alderney in the Channel Islands, Wick in Scotland, and Howth in the Republic of Ireland, a Tamar class lifeboat at The Mumbles in Wales and a Shannon class lifeboat at New Quay in Wales.
The kind legacy of Alan Lionel Aspinall also contributed towards the completion of Troon’s new lifeboat. Mr Aspinall had a deep love and interest in boats and ships of all types and recognised the vital role that lifeboats provide to the seafaring communities.
Over the next two months, Troon’s Shannon class lifeboat will undergo a number of tests, trials and checks to ensure everything is working perfectly while a relief Shannon class lifeboat will be available to the Troon volunteer crew to enable them to continue and complete their training, ready for the new lifeboat’s arrival later this year.
Jim Redmond, Troon RNLI lifeboat operations manager said: “It was great to be invited to Poole to the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre to see our new lifeboat being lowered into the water for the first time.
“Since 2004, our Trent class lifeboat RNLB Jim Moffat has served us well. It will be sad to see her go later this year, but we are now looking to the future, and the Shannon class lifeboat will take us forward into a new era with its enhanced capability and technology.
“The coming months will see a high level of training, both at Poole and on station, to familiarise the coxswains, mechanics and volunteer lifeboat crew with quite a different lifeboat compared to our current Trent Class lifeboat.
“Everyone at Troon RNLI Lifeboat Station is very much looking forward to welcoming our new lifeboat to our station and to seeing her on service allowing us to continue to save lives at sea.”
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