Rotary visit to Dungeness
Recently a party from Rye & Winchelsea Rotary Club descend on the Dungeness Lifeboat crew to look at some very impressive new kit which has been developed for the launch and retrieval of their new Shannon class boat.
The new lifeboat launcher is designed to be portable and is ideal to use in situations where there isn’t a permanent ramp from a lifeboat house.
The caterpillar tracked vehicle is able to launch the boat without the tractor going very far in to the sea itself and to be able to retrieve a beached boat, turn it on its access and retire to a safe spot away from the waves. The members of Rye Rotary appreciated the reception they were given by the crew and thanked them for the demonstration of the equipment and the fulsome explanations of how it all worked. Before retiring for a seafood supper Clive Gilbert secretary of the Rye club announced that they would be making a donation to the lifeboat to assist with its day to day expenses.