Facts and figures Provisional statistics as at 17 August 1990, show that during 1990: The RNLI' s lifeboats were launched 1,927 times (an average of more than 8 launches a day) Some 611 lives were saved (an average of nearly 3 people rescued each day) Nearly 10 percent of all services carried out by lifeboats were in winds of Force 8 and above Almost 52 per cent of all services were to pleasure craft There are 264 lifeboats on station, with a further 111 in the relief fleet 120,053 lives have been saved since the RNLI was founded in 1824 Costs The cost of running the RNLI in 1989 was £36m. The approximate current cost of building a lifeboat is: 16ft D class inflatable - £9,500 21ft Atlantic rigid inflatable - £45,000 38ft 6in Mersey - £455,000 47ft Tyne-£590,000 52ft Arun-£600,000.