Facts and figures Provisional statistics as at 15 February 1989, show that during 1988: The RNLI's lifeboats were launched 4,197 times (an average of more than 11 launches a day) More than 1,338 lives were saved (an average of 3.7 people rescued each day) More than 43 per cent of all services carried out by lifeboats were in winds of Force 5 and above More than 56 per cent of all services were to pleasure craft There are 263 lifeboats on station, with a further 104 in the relief fleet 117,879 lives have been saved since the RNLI was founded in 1824 Costs The cost of running the RNLI in 1988 was £34m. The approximate current cost of building a lifeboat is: 16ft D class inflatable - £9,000 21ft Atlantic rigid inflatable - £42,000 -38ft 6in Mersey - £360,000 47ft Tyne - £590,000 52ft Arun - £600,000.