Selsey coxswain retires after nearly 50 years with the RNLI

Martin Rudwick has been part of the RNLI Selsey lifeboat crew for 47 years, ever since he joined as a volunteer in June 1973, when he was working as crew on a local fishing boat.

Due to the lockdown, the crew were not able to celebrate his final day with the team.

Instead, his daughter Helen arranged for her and some of her friends’ children, and the children of lifeboat crew, to create pictures to decorate the front of his house – which was a nice surprise when Martin arrived home.

Martin received much recognition in his early days on the lifeboat crew.

In 1978, he was awarded a vellum certificate when he was crew during the service call to the trawler New Venture.

Later, in 1983, he was awarded a medal service certificate as crew on the service call to the 33ft yacht Enchantress of Hamble.

In the early 80s, Martin became a skipper of a local fishing boat and in 1991 decided to buy his own boat the KSL.

Martin fished the grounds off Selsey, even getting assistance from the lifeboat on three occasions.

In 1996, he was appointed as 2nd Coxswain a position which still allowed him to continue fishing.

Two years later, at the age of 43, Martin was appointed as Coxswain, taking over from Mike Grant who was retiring.

As this was a full time appointment, the KSL was sold and the only fish he caught was bass off the end of the old lifeboat slipway.

During his time as coxswain, Martin has had some notable calls.

In 2000, he deliberately put the lifeboat aground in order to rescue the two crew off the yacht Penguino.

The 36ft yacht Shropshire Lady, which was 28 miles south of Selsey, was one of his roughest and taxing rescues in his early years as coxswain – resulting in a tow of nearly 10 hours.

In 2007, the call to the yacht Pakaa vessel which was 19 miles south west of Selsey in rough seas, 9-10 SW winds and torrential rain, resulted in the lifeboat being out for 12 hours.

Martin has served on three classes of all-weather lifeboats and seen vast changes in their design over the years.

During his 47 years at the RNLI, the all-weather lifeboats have launched 845 times on service, saving 139 lives and rescuing a further 738 people.

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