Facts and Figures Provisional statistics as at 15 February 1996 show that so far during 1995: The RNLI's lifeboats were launched 7,272 times (an average of more than 19 launches a day) 1,630 lives were saved (an average of more than 4 a day) Some 3% of all services carried out by lifeboats were in winds of Force 8 and above Some 54% of all services were to sail, power and manual pleasure craft There are 288 lifeboats on station 128,479 lives have been saved since the RNLI was founded in 1824.

Costs The cost of running the RNLI in 1995 was £62m.

The approximate current cost of building a lifeboat is: 4.9m D class inflatable - £11,000 7.5m Atlantic rigid inflatable - £61,250 14m Trent " - £1,060,000 17m Severn - £1,410,000.