Former Eastbourne lifeboat could offer cruises

The Duke of Kent had a 14 year period of active service as the town’s lifeboat up until 1993 – in which she launched 353 times and saved the lives of 86 people – and was bought in 2017 by the Allchorn maritime restoration project team and returned to Eastbourne. She can now be seen alongside the boat sheds at Fisherman’s Green.

Those behind her restoration say that the summer’s good weather has enabled them to remove the two main propulsion engines after a large coach roof hatch was unbolted giving access to the central engine room.

Steve Collett from the restoration team said, “The two Ford Dorset diesel engines, surprisingly only 52 horsepower each, now reside in the large boatshed

at Fisherman’s Green where they will undergo a full strip down and inspection before rebuilding.”

A 37 feet long, the Rother Class lifeboat was originally built in 1979 by William Osbourne & Co at an overall cost of £200,000 with part of that sum raised by the people of Eastbourne.

Prior to her commissioning, she was brought by road and put on display at the Lifeboat Museum car park attracting a huge crowd to witness her arrival. She was stationed in the lifeboat building at fisherman’s Green and after being transferred to the lifeboat reserve fleet for an additional two years, she was finally decommissioned in 1995.

She was eventually acquired by private owners who took her to Tayside in Scotland and following a further nine years in various roles, including that of a survey vessel, she was finally laid up in 2004.

In 2017 the opportunity of purchasing the boat became available and after a successful fund raising exercise by Allchorn Maritime and some very generous donations, she finally returned to her original home of Eastbourne on November 15 that year.

Steve said, “The plan is to restore the boat to its former glory and have her back in the water for Eastbourne events such as the 999 Weekend and Eastbourne Airbourne.

“Future ideas include offering lifeboat experience cruises along our fantastic coastline.

“The main working day of the week at the Allchorn maritime boat shed is Monday and all volunteers are welcome especially those with woodworking and engineering skills but anyone can visit and have a guided look round.

“If you would like to get involved either as a volunteer or providing some financial support come along on a Monday. You will be most welcome.”