47ft Tyne Class all weather lifeboat, Max Aitken III D Class inshore lifeboat, Criddy & Tom

Bembridge Lifeboat on service 17th May 2003

The "Max Aikten III", was named after the newspaper magnate. She is a 47 foot steel hulled Tyne class lifeboat. She is faster and more seaworthy than her predecessors, and is the largest class of boat in the RNLI fleet that can be accommodated in the present boathouse.

The Bembridge Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) "Criddy and Tom" is a D-class rigid inflatable (RIB). She complements the Max Aitken on the Bembridge station, where we have a variety of sea and coastal conditions to cope with.

A prototype of the new fast slipway launched boat visited Bembridge towards the end of April 2003.

A charitable trust, "The Isle of Wight Historic Lifeboat Trust" is presently being formed to own and display the restored lifeboats, "Queen Victoria" and "The Langham", the latter is awaiting restoration by The Classic Boat Museum in Newport, Isle of Wight, where the "Queen Victoria" was restored. Another ex-Bembridge Lifeboat "The Jesse Lumb" can be seen at the Duxworth Air Museum, in a static display of WWII air-sea rescue techniques.

The RNLI is dedicated to saving life at sea and is supported entirely by voluntary contributions, please help them.
Registered Charity Number 209603

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