Salcombe Lifeboat Station
| Salcombe Lifeboat Station | |
| RNLI lifeboat station | |
 South Sands Lifeboat Station
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| Country | England |
|---|---|
| County | Devon |
| Town | Salcombe |
| Location | Union Street, TQ8 8BZ |
| - coordinates | 50°14′19″N 3°46′00″W / 50.2386°N 3.7668°WCoordinates: 50°14′19″N 3°46′00″W / 50.2386°N 3.7668°W |
| Founded | At South Beach 1869 Present station 1922 |
| Owner | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
 Salcombe
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Salcombe Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) search and rescue operations at Salcombe, Devon in England. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1869. The Salcombe Lifeboat has twice capsized, in 1916 with the loss of 13 lives, and in 1983 with no loss of life. Since 2008 the station has operated a Tamar-class all weather boat (ALB) and an Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat (ILB).
Salcombe lies near the mouth of the Kingsbridge Estuary. A little to the east is Prawle Point where, on 10 December 1868, thirteen people died in the wreck of the Gossamer. The following year saw the opening of a lifeboat station and slipway at South Sands. This is south of the town, but north of The Bar which makes navigation difficult for boats passing in and out of the estuary. In 1922 the lifeboat was moved to moorings nearer the town. The boathouse was later used as a store.
The neighbouring stations at Brixham and Plymouth were equipped with motor lifeboats in 1922 and 1926 respectively. It was thought that this would allow them to cover larger areas and so Salcombe was closed in 1925. The closure proved ill-advised and so a station was reopened at Salcombe in December 1930, itself equipped with a motor lifeboat. Crew facilities were placed in the Unity Building on the quay. This was refurbished in 1992 and now includes a museum and display area.
In 1993 an ILB was stationed at Salcombe. A boathouse for this was built beside the existing crew facilities. A new pontoon for the moored lifeboat was provided in 1994.
The lifeboat William and Emma was launched on 27 October 1916 to go to the aid of the schooner Western Lass, ashore beyond Prawle Point. By the time the crew of fifteen had rowed to the wreck, the schooner's crew had been rescued to the shore by the coastguard. The lifeboat turned for home but, approaching South Sands, capsized near The Bar. Thirteen of the crew drowned. The station was closed for a short while but reopened with a self-righter lifeboat and a new crew the following year.
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Wikipedia