The 15th International Lifeboat Conference took place at La Coruna, Spain in June this year. The RNLI was represented and, here, Public Relations Officer EDWARD WAKE-WALKER reports on the continuing dialogue between lifeboat societies from around the worldIT WOULD be wrong to suppose that it is only once every four years that lifeboat organisations throughout the world have the chance to exchange ideas and views on saving life at sea. There is, in fact, a constant dialogue between nations, regularly through the annual journal 'Lifeboat International' and less formally, but just as importantly, through individual countries consulting over specific matters. For example, the North and South Holland lifeboat societies have been collaborating with the RNLI in the development of the water-jet driven rigid inflatable Medina concept and us Coast Guard naval architects visited Holland, Scandinavia and the RNLI to gather useful information in working up plans for a replacement to their 44ft surf lifeboat (an adapted form of which became the RNLI's highly successful Waveney class lifeboat back in the sixties).

But it is the four-yearly conference which undoubtedly provides a focus for international co-operation and the fifteenth conference at La Coruna in Spain last June brought together more delegates from more countries than ever before. As well as many of the European countries, including the Faroe Islands, Turkey and Poland, representatives from as far afield as China, Spain, the USSR, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia and Australia were among the 100 delegates to enjoy the attentive hospitality of the Spanish Red Cross of the Sea.

The RNLI, who act as the permanent secretariat for the International Lifeboat Federation, (the name was changed at La Coruna from the International Lifeboat Conference), sent a delegation led by The Duke of Atholl, the Institution's chairman and were also represented by the new 52ft Arun Class lifeboat, Roy and Barbara Harding, which sailed to Spain shortly before she went on service at Galway Bay in the Irish Republic. Although an impressive sight at La Coruna and one which elicited many admiring remarks among foreign delegates, the Arun was not the largest lifeboat to visit the conference.

This place was filled by the Norwegian vessel Skomvaer III, a 19.6 metre, 26 knot lifeboat newly designed to work with the country's growing fleet ofcoastal fishing vessels and pleasure craft. She, along with a new 10 metre Swedish lifeboat, capable of 32 knots, called in at Poole on their way to Spain and continued their passage in company with the RNLI's Arun.

France also sent her latest 15 metre lifeboat to the conference and the Spanish themselves ensured that lifeboats from their fleet (which includes the Atlantic 21 design, passed on to them by the RNLI) were on show for the delegates. Other countries for whom distance prevented them from displaying their lifeboats were nonetheless able to present papers on existing and future designs. Poland gave details of a new shallow draft, 15 knot lifeboat and South Africa reported on their satisfaction with a 38ft Lochin designed lifeboat, capable of 26 knots, resembling, to some extent, a stretched version of the RNLI's 33ft Brede.

The US Coast Guard were able to enlarge upon their plans for their new25 knot, all aluminium, 47ft heavy weather and surf lifeboat and Lt Cdr Ted Over, the RNLl's chief technical officer, outlined the Institution's development of the fast carriage lifeboat, soon to become a reality at stations around our coast.

A common thread which ran through all the papers presented on new lifeboats was the requirement for speed and power. Speed to reach the casualty quickly and power to ensure manoeuvrability in tight corners. The RNLI is itself at the very early stages of designing a new fast afloat boat to replace the Waveney and eventually the Arun. The Institution's naval architects will be looking to build a lifeboat faster still than both these classes and the information proffered at the conference will undoubtedly be taken into account as the new design is developed.

The Conference did not only look at new lifeboats. Captain Marc Claus, nautical director of the Belgian Pilotage and Sea Rescue Service, who found himself co-ordinating the rescue operation at Zeebrugge following the capsize of Herald of Free Enterprise, passed on some of the lessons he learned on the fateful night. The situation was unique in many ways but where there are many vessels able to help with the rescue, the larger ones should be kept at a distance as they can hamper each other and impede smaller more suitable craft such as lifeboats, tug boats, fishing boats, workboats and smaller coasters. He also listed some of the equipment essential for such an operation and this included (Continued on page 205).