STAITHES TOWN WEB

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Staithes Inshore Lifeboat Station

Staithes Inshore Lifeboat

Atlantic 75 Specifications   m ft ins Length 7.30 24ft Beam 2.64 8ft 8in Range   Crew 3 Displacement 1.5 tonnes Speed 32 knots

The lifeboat station was established at Staithes in 1875, mainly for helping the fishing boats which often had to incur great risk in making land in stormy weather. In 1922 the Institution was compelled to close the station as there was considerable difficulty in launching the lifeboat and in finding a crew, owing to the decline of fishing and the shortage of men. When the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries built breakwaters and made a harbour, the fishing industry revived and in 1928 the station was re-opened. The station was closed again in 1938.

In January 1978 an Atlantic 21 Class lifeboat was sent to Staithes for evaluation trials. These trials were successful and it was decided to establish an inshore lifeboat station which became operational from 31 March 1978 and the All-Weather lifeboat at Runswick Station was withdrawn on 30 June 1978. The station was renamed Staithes and Runswick on the re-opening of the station in March 1978.

Helmsman Stephen Iredale has been awarded the RNLI's Bronze Medal for Bravery for the rescue of a lone sailor from his yacht, which was being swamped by stormy seas in the dead of night, in Runswick Bay on 20 September 2000.