THE PROTOTYPE of a new lifeboat to bridge the gap between the smaller offshore lifeboats and the Atlantic 21 ILB is under construction. Among the requirements for the new boat listed by the RNLI's Executive Committee were that it should have a maximum length of 35 feet and an operating speed of at least 25 knots; that it should be fitted with VHF/MF radio, radar and an echo sounder; and that it should be capable of being launched by trolley from a beach or, alternatively, lie afloat. Much of the original design work was entrusted to the RNLI's inshore lifeboat base at Cowes. A model has been tank tested by the Wolfson Marine Craft Unit, Southampton University, and W. A. Souters are building the basic wooden hull. The project is being controlled by a working party led by the RNLI's chairman, Major- General Ralph Farrant.

Twenty years of self-righting The new 35 foot prototype is one of a wide range of new lifeboats which have been developed in the past two decades. An opportunity to examine lifeboat development during that period was provided by the Science Museum in South Kensington where the exhibition 'Right Way Up', held from July 6 to September 3, told the story of selfrighting lifeboats. Among those present at the opening ceremony were Richard Oakley, the designer of the first of the RNLI's modern self-righters, and William Sheader, who was coxswain at Scarborough when, in 1958, J. Graves of Sheffield, the first 37ft Oakley lifeboat, went on station there.

The 37ft Oakley depends on the transference of water for her selfrighting capability. So that a computer generated colour animation film could be produced to illustrate the system at the exhibition, a research programme being undertaken by Harley Quilliam at the University of Surrey, Guildford, and planned to take a year was compressed into six weeks. Thus the film used at the lifeboat exhibition was the first to be produced by a revolutionary new system.

The exhibition was opened by Jimmy Savile, the television star and honorary lifeboatman, whose words when performing the opening ceremony made a deep impression on everyone presents: 'People like us,' he said, 'find it easy to stand on steps and say a few words and open exhibitions like this, but it is an honour to do so, because of the tremendous work done by lifeboat crews.

We couldn't come up to the ankles, or kneecaps, let alone stand shoulder to shoulder with the men that go out in these boats at any hour of the day or night to save people they don't know, no matter what creed, colour or race.' Lift-boatman Druid Richard Evans, the former Moelfre coxswain and the most decorated living lifeboatman, acquired another distinction recently when he was admitted to the highest order of Druids. Richard Evans was awarded the RNLI's gold medal twice. He received the Board of Trade silver medal and the BEM. He also received an honorary fellowship of Manchester Polytechnic.

On the occasion of the dinner given by the Corporation of the City of London in the Guildhall to mark the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the RNLI, Richard Evans was asked to reply to the toast to the Institution.

When he sat down the guests spontaneously rose to their feet and applauded, a distinction accorded to only two other speakers during the preceding 30 years. They were Harold Macmillan and Sir Alec Douglas-Home.

International service One of the international services provided by the RNLI which is not generally known is the editing of an annual publication Lifeboat International.

This restricted circulation publication came into being following the eleventh International Lifeboat Conference held in New York in 1971, when it was agreed that there was a need to bridge the four-year gap between international lifeboat conferences through a journal which would record new technical developments. The articles in Lifeboat International from 1976 to 1978 will provide the basis for the discussions at the next International Conference to be held at The Hague in April next year.

Overseas visitors to the RNLI in recent months have included Captain D. W. Batchelor of the Canadian Coastguard, who has been entrusted with the task of setting up an Auxiliary Coastguard Service on the west coast of Canada.

The next social event to be staged by the American/British Lifeboat Appeal Committee will be a reception at the Fishmongers' Hall in the City of London on Monday November 13.

St Andrews' lifeboat Henry Longhurst, the famous writer and television commentator on golf who died in July of this year, was a distinguished raconteur. He had many golfing stories. One which, he assured me, was among his special favourites concerned a medal competition held at St Andrews in the days when St Andrews still had a pulling lifeboat.

The competition was held in a gale and while it was taking place the St Andrews lifeboat was called out. One of the competitors, who had already played a few holes, on hearing the maroons fired, dashed off to take his place in the lifeboat. When the lifeboat service was completed he came back to finish his round, eventually winning with a score in the high eighties.

Birthday Honours QBE: Captain Nigel Dixon, RN (Retd), director and secretary of the RNLI.

Captain Dixon joined the Institution as personal assistant to the chief inspector of lifeboats in 1967 and was appointed secretary in 1970.

MBE: John Mathers Drummond-Smith, member, Angus District Council. Jack Smith has served on the Montrose station branch of the RNLI for 40 years and has been honorary secretary since 1955. He was awarded binoculars in 1966.

Anniversary vellums A centenary vellum has been awarded to Clacton-on-Sea lifeboat station on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of its establishment in 1878, and vellums have been awarded to Ilfracombe, Holyhead, Barmouth and Peel lifeboat stations on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of their establishment in 1828.

Both Barmouth and Holyhead celebrated their 150th anniversaries with services of thanksgiving and rededication attended by many lifeboat people and conducted by the Archbishop of Wales, The Most Reverend Gwilym Owen Williams, Barmouth on June 27 and Holyhead on August 22.

New C of M members Two new members joined the Committee of Management recently: Commodore James G. Young, CBE DSC VRD DL RNR, who has been actively connected with the Institution's appeal to shipping, and Mr L. G. Booen, BSC FICE FI.struct.E, who has been a member of the Institution's Boat Committee since 1976..