Facts and Figures Provisional statistics as at 5 March 1996 show that during 1995: The RNLI's lifeboats were launched 7,312 times (an average of more than 20 launches a day) 1,632 lives were saved (an average of more than 4 a day) Some 3.2% of all services carried out by lifeboats were in winds of Force 7 and above Some 54.6% of all services were to sail, power and manual pleasure craft There are 289 lifeboats on station 128,481 lives have been saved since the RNLI was founded in 1824.

Costs The cost of running the RNLI in 1996 will be £ 63.3m.

The approximate current cost of building a lifeboat is: 4.9m D class inflatable £11,275 7.3m Atlantic rigid inflatable - £64,350 14m Trent £1,145,000 17m Severn £1,495,000.