Aith Lifeboat
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
Following the tragic loss of the Aberdeen trawler Ben Doran on the Ve Skerries, west of this station in March 1930, the RNLI recognised the need for a lifeboat on the west side of Shetland.
The RNLI Aith Lifeboat station was established in May 1933. It is the most northerly Lifeboat Station in Britain.
On the 25th of July 1986 a new pier was opened by HRH The Prince of Wales.
In 2003 a new shore station was opened.
Station Opening Times : 9am - 5pm daily
Visitor Contact :
Hylton Henry,
Telephone
01595 810276
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Contents |
K.T.J.S., 1933 - 1935
The first lifeboat was the "K.T.J.S.", a Watson class, 45' 6" single petrol engined non-self-righting boat, built in 1926 by A. Saunders of Cowes, at a cost of £8330.
This boat had previously been the lifeboat at Longhope, Orkney. The name was made up of the initial letters of the surnames of the donors of the building cost.
Rankin 1935 - 1961
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
Rankin was a 51 foot "Barnett" class, with twin petrol engines.
The crew of the 'Highcliffe' which was wrecked on Forewick Holm, Papa Stour, February 6th 1940, were all rescued by the Aith lifeboat 'Rankin'.
There is a house in Aith called Rankinville (built by the RNLI) where the first mechanic lived and there is also the 'Rankin Lounge' in the Aith Hall, named after this boat.
John and Frances MacFarlane 1961 - 1986
John and Frances MacFarlane, a Barnett class boat, built 1961 by J. Samuel White at Cowes, I.O.W.
This was the boat which rescued the twelve crew from the 'Juniper', ashore on the west side of Papa Stour 19th Feb 1967.
Cox John Nicolson received the RNLI Silver Medal for this rescue, and Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum were awarded to seven lifeboat crew members.
In 1968 Coxswain Nicholson received the Maud Smith Award for the bravest act of life-saving carried out by any member of a lifeboat crew in 1967 for the above service.
Snolda, 1986 - 1998
Photo from Shetland Museum and Archives.
Snolda, (52 - 030), was named on the 25th of July 1986 by HRH The Princess of Wales.
The "Snolda" was an "Arun Class" lifeboat, 52 foot long, 17.6 foot beam, 5 foot draught, with 2x 460 - 485 hp CAT engines that could give her a speed of 18 knots. Her range was 230 nautical miles.
In February 1996, the Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Coxswain Hylton Henry when the lifeboat, under his command, rescued the crew of 11 and saved the 310 tonne Norwegian fishing vessel Vindhammer after a nine-hour tow to Sullom Voe in a severe gale and heavy seas.
In October the same year, a Framed Letter of Thanks was awarded to Coxswain Hylton Henry in recognition of his leadership and seamanship when the fishing vessel Radiant Star II, with a crew of five, was taken in tow.
After being replaced in 1998, she was renumbered TL 01, and served as a training launch on other stations in Britain, until she was sold to Iceland in November 2007. On the 6th of January 2008, she was renamed "Oddur V. Gislason" in Grindavik, Iceland.
Charles Lidbury, 1998 - --
Charles Lidbury is a "Severn" class boat, 17m long, 5.5m beam and draws 1.5m. Powered by twin Caterpillar 1200 hp engines, speed is 25 knots and range is 250 nautical miles.
RNLI Awards :
Silver Medal 1
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 8
Framed Letter of Thanks 1
