Eighteen Fowey RNLI Volunteers Qualify on Atlantic 85 Lifeboat

Crew celebrate major achievement ahead of Lifeboat Day

Eighteen RNLI volunteers from Fowey have officially passed-out as qualified crew on the station’s new relief Atlantic 85 lifeboat, following weeks of intensive training both locally and at the RNLI College in Poole.

This milestone marks a shift in Fowey’s operational capabilities, as the crew transition from the inshore D class lifeboat to the faster and more powerful Atlantic 85.

Meet the Crew

The list of newly qualified crew includes helms and navigators:
Jan Philp, Callum Pritchard, Kai A’Lee, Adam Russell, Amelia Luck and Ross Jezard.

Joining them are inshore navigators:
Paul Birkby, Luke Watts, James Dowrick and Graham Middlewood.

And completing the line-up as Tier 2 Crew:
Liam Barron, Martin Jezard, Peter Parry, Will Maher, Gary Jane, Oli Luck, Jack Taylor and Elliot Toms.

Fowey Coxswain Jonathan Pritchard said,

“I am very proud of what our crew have achieved in the last couple of months. It has been a difficult time preparing to say farewell to our Trent lifeboat after 30 years but our crew have stepped up and shown their commitment to Fowey lifeboat station. They have been training on the Atlantic 85 almost every day over the past few weeks in order to prepare for their assessments and have put in a huge amount of effort. I would like to thank and congratulate all of them for such an incredible effort.”

Why the Atlantic 85 Matters

The Atlantic 85 is the current generation of B class lifeboat, introduced in 2005 and named after its length — nearly 8.5 metres. It is among the fastest in the RNLI fleet, capable of speeds up to 35 knots thanks to its twin 115hp 4-stroke engines.

While designed as an inshore lifeboat, it can also take on more demanding conditions, including force 7 near gale winds during the day and force 6 at night. It can be safely beached in an emergency and features a manual righting system with inversion-proof engines, meaning it can recover from a capsize without major mechanical damage.

Across the UK and Ireland, the B class lifeboat has launched 99,140 times between 1970 and July 2025, saving 10,276 lives.

Lifeboat Day: Public Invited to See the New Vessel

Fowey’s new relief Atlantic 85 lifeboat will be on display on Saturday 2nd August during Fowey Lifeboat Day. Visitors will have the chance to view the vessel in the harbour and on the pontoon. The event will feature music, refreshments and activities at the lifeboat station, offering a chance to meet some of the newly qualified crew and celebrate the station’s continued service.

📅 Save the Date: Saturday 2nd August 2025
📍 Where: Fowey Harbour and Lifeboat Station
🎶 What’s On: Lifeboat display, music, refreshments and family-friendly activities.