| Whitstable Lifeboat Station | |
| Map Type: | Kent |
| Pushpin Relief: | 1 |
| Location: | Whitstable Lifeboat Station |
| Address: | The Harbour, |
| Location City: | Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1AB |
| Location Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 51.3625°N 1.0256°W |
| Building Type: | RNLI Lifeboat Station |
| Material: | Fabricated steelwork clad with timber, and concrete |
| Opened Date: | 1963 |
| Owner: | Royal National Lifeboat Institution |
| Website: | Whitstable Lifeboat Station |
Whitstable Lifeboat Station is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) station located in Whitstable in the English county of Kent.[1]
The station was established in 1963,[2] and has always operated an inflatable inshore lifeboat.
The first lifeboat was one of the first lifeboats in the RNLI fleet, D-2. In 1974, Whitstable received the larger twin engine B-516. The current lifeboat is the named Lewisco (B-877), which has been on the station since 2014.[3]
Boathouse accommodation has been improved over the years, with a single storey extension added to the side to improve crew facilities in 1989, and a new boathouse completed in 2000.
A number of awards have been made to Whitstable crew. These include, between 1977 and 2010, one RNLI bronze medal and four "Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum" for bravery during rescues. The station also received the RNLI’s "Walter and Elizabeth Groombridge Annual Award" for the most meritorious rescue by an inshore lifeboat crew in 2009.[4] In the 2003 New Year Honours David Andrew Lamberton, the station's honorary secretary, was appointed a member of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the RNLI.
The annual "Dan Davies Competition" is held in the memory of Whitstable general practitioner Dan Davies,[5] who served as medical officer to the lifeboat station.[6]
In 2023, Whitstable Lifeboat Station celebrated its 60th anniversary. [7]
| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D-2 | |||||
| D-24 | 1965 | ||||
| D-28 | 1965 | ||||
| D-45 | 1965–1968 | ||||
| D-49 | 1968–1969 | ||||
| D-45 | 1969–1970 | ||||
| D-182 | 1970–1974 | ||||
| B-516 | 1974–1984 | ||||
| B-560 | British Diver | 1984–2000 | |||
| B-764 | 2000–2014 | ||||
| Lewisco | 2014– |
| Op. No. | Reg. No. | Type | In service | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T54 | MJT 722P | Case LA | 1975–1977 | |
| TW04 | TEL 705R | Talus MB-764 County | 1977–1994 | |
| TW32 | L161 LAW | Talus MB-764 County | 1994–2000 | |
| TW49Hb | W652 RNT | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk1.5) | 2000–2008 | |
| TW59Hc | DU04 DVW | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) | 2008–2014 | |
| TW23Hc | K805 CUX | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk2) | 2014– | |
The following are awards made at Whitstable[8]
David Parry, Helmsman - 2000
David Victor Foreman, Helmsman - 1977
Michael A Judge, Helmsman - 1981
Michael Gambrill, Helmsman - 1986
Jonathon Carter - 2010
Jonathon Carter - 2010
Michael Judge, crew member - 2001[9]
David Andrew Lamberton, Former Helmsman, Lifeboat Operations Manager - 2003[10]