LIFEBOAT CHANGEOVERS

Out with the old, and in with the new...Louis Marchesi, Keith Anderson & David and Elizabeth Acland

By Andy Gilbert

I was loaned some photos a while ago, for posting on the shipsnostalgia site. The lender this time goes by the name of 'macjack'!

Here are a couple of his lifeboat images. The first, from February 1999, shows the former Newhaven boat, the Waveney Class "Louis Marchesi of Round Table" (AKA "the Yank", as she was based on a US Coastguard design) with the then Newhaven boat, the Arun class "Keith Anderson". The second photo, from October 1999, shows "Keith Anderson" being led into the harbour by our current lifeboat, the then brand new Severn Class "David and Elizabeth Acland".

Photo:Louis Marchesi and Keith Anderson

Louis Marchesi and Keith Anderson

By kind permission 'Macjack'

Photo:David and Elizabeth Acland replaces Keith Anderson

David and Elizabeth Acland replaces Keith Anderson

By kind permission 'Macjack'

This page was added by Andy Gilbert on 25/03/2008.
Comments about this page

Great photos but I have to correct a statement regarding the first one.

The Waveney Class was based on an american design but the boat we refered to as the yank was '44-001' which was the original boat from the states that was used as a relief boat when ours '44-019' was away being repaired or refitted.

Because she was a gift to the RNLI she had never been British registered and, as such, was still technically an American vessel. So my father, Len the coxswain, came up with the idea of flying a small 'Stars & Stripes' at the masthead to denote this fact. This caused a few comments and actually resulted in the crew (of which I was one) being given a crate of american whisky from a US Tanker (we evacuated an injured crewman). Over the radio the Tankers Captain asked us about the flag.....and the next thing you know we had the whisky as a token of thanks.

By Rob Patten
On 04/05/2008

Fine picture showing the old and new lifeboats entering Newhaven harbour with bunting flying indicating the dedication ceremony, both these vessels where given refit and service attention at Langney Marine Services, ( Up until 2004, before company insolvency ) at Sovereign harbour, Eastbourne, when I used to work for this company. ( See former lifeboat 'Keith Anderson' damage repairs ).

By Chris Young
On 15/01/2010
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