Rhyl Lifeboat Station

Rhyl Lifeboat Station is operated by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the North Wales town of Rhyl. For over 150 years, the Lifeboat Crew in Rhyl have been saving lives at sea. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1852 and the present station was opened in December 2001. The station operates a Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat (ALB), and an D-class Inshore lifeboat (ILB).

History
In 1852, the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariner’s Society placed a lifeboat at Rhyl. Shortly after, in 1853, the lifeboat Gwylan-y-Mor capsized with the loss of six of her crew.

In 1963, Rhyl Lifeboat Anthony Robert Marshall (ON 869) was launched on service to the first lifeboat rescue of a hovercraft. For this service, the RNLI silver medal for gallantry was awarded to Coxswain Harold Campini.

In 1967, the first D-class ILB Lifeboat (D-141) was put on service in Rhyl to accompany the All-Weather Lifeboat for inshore rescues.

In 1973, the RNLI Bronze medal for gallantry was awarded to Helmsman Don Archer-Jones for the courage and seamanship he displayed when the ILB rescued 2 boys cut off by the tide, and clinging to a perch marking the sewer outfall between Rhyl and Prestatyn, in a gale force westerly wind and a rough sea on 7 August. Crew member Paul Frost was awarded a medal service certificate.

In 2002, The Duke of Kent, presented the lifeboat station with an anniversary Vellum to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Rhyl lifeboat.

Description
The lifeboat station is built on the promenade in Rhyl. The building contains the All-weather lifeboat (ALB) with Shannon Launch and Recovery System (SLARS), Inshore lifeboat (ILB), launched with a marinised County Tractor, and a Land-Rover Defender, used for Search and Rescue operations off the coast of Rhyl. The station also has a short concrete slipway that leads down to the beach. Each boat is kept on a carriage attached to a tractor which propels it down to the water and brings it back after use. A fundraising shop is situated on the west side of the boathouse.

Area of operation
The Shannon-class All-Weather lifeboat at Rhyl has a top speed of 25 kn. The lifeboat can cover an area from Colwyn Bay (west) to Mostyn (east). North of the station the All-Weather lifeboat covers the Oil and Gas platforms of the Douglas and Hamilton fields, and also the windfarms of North Hoyle; Rhyl Flats; and the Gwynt-Y-Mor fields. Rhyl Lifeboat is a part of the contingency plan for any evacuation of the rigs. The area also covers the outer approaches to Liverpool. Adjacent ALBs are at Llandudno Lifeboat Station to the west, and Hoylake to the east. There is an ILB station at both Flint and West Kirby to the east.

Notable rescues

 * 1962 - ALB, First service ever made by a lifeboat to a hovercraft
 * 1973 - ILB, Rescue to children stuck on sewer outfall
 * 1990 - Towyn and Pensarn floods
 * 2011 - ALB, Rescue kayaker with hypothermia
 * 2011 - ILB, Rescue to mother and son with hypothermia
 * 2012 - ALB, Rescue to cargo ship in Llanddulas

Station honours
The following are awards made to the crew of Rhyl Lifeboat Station


 * RNLI Silver Medal
 * Harold Louis Campini, Coxswain - 1962


 * RNLI Bronze Medal
 * Don Archer-Jones, Helmsman - 1973


 * Medal Service Certificate
 * Paul Frost, crew member - 1973


 * The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
 * the crew of the lifeboat -1962


 * Donald Jones, Helmsman - 1974
 * Richard Perrin, crew member - 1974
 * James Quinn, crew member - 1974


 * Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
 * Shore Crew - 1962


 * Martin Jones, Mechanic - 2001


 * British Empire Medal
 * Bruce Arnold Herbert, Coxswain - 1991


 * Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
 * Jean Olive Frost, Manageress of the Rhyl Lifeboat Souvenir Shop - 2008


 * Paul Frost, crew member - 2011


 * Martin Peter Jones, Coxswain - 2017