Facts and figures Provisional statistics as at 29 August 1989, show that during 1989: The RNLI's lifeboats were launched 2,050 times (an average of more than 8 launches a day) More than 719 lives were saved (an average of 2 people rescued each day) More than 31 per cent of all services carried out by lifeboats were in winds of Force 5 and above More than 53 per cent of all services were to pleasure craft There are 263 lifeboats on station, with a further 104 in the relief fleet 118,616 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 - £455,000 47ft Tyne-£590,000 52ft Arun-£600,000.