Lifeboat station histories The History of the Penmon and Beaumaris Lifeboats by Jeff Morris published by the author The northern end of the Menai Straits is one of the areas where changing times and use of the sea has led to considerable changes in both the position and type of lifeboat and lifeboat station.

Jeff Morris, the Honorary Archivist of the Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society has done his usual excellent job in researching the history of lifeboats in the area .looking at both the early stations and the current Atlantic 21 station now at Beaumaris.

The Penmon station was first established close to the north-east corner of Anglesey in 1830 by an independent organisation called the Anglesey Lif esaving Association which moved its lifeboat from Holyhead to Penmon for trials.

The Association came under the RNLI's wing in 1855 and later, with the advent of motor lifeboats, it was decided to move the station further up the straits towards Beaumaris, taking that name and operating from a new slipway - built in 1914 at the end of a long catwalk out to deep water.

In 1967 Beamauris saw one of the early 'Inshore Rescue Boats' stationed in a new building near the promenade and close to the pier - the boat being one of the four funded by the first appeal by the television programme 'Blue Peter'.

In 1976 the small inflatable was replaced by a new Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable (again funded by a 'Blue Peter' appeal) with a new boathouse provided close to Beaumaris pier for the larger boat.

The inshore lifeboats operated in conjunction with a series of all-weather boats until 1991 when, with the arrival of a fast Mersey at Llandudno to the east and a Tyne already serving at Moelfre to the west, it was decided to withdraw the all -weather boat from Beaumaris.

Since then the station's Atlantic has operated alone, its rapid response being ideal for the area and the type of vessel now using the Straits.

As usual Jeff Morris's book is a comprehensive account of the lifeboat goings -on in the area, illustrated by period photos and describing some of the more interesting services carried out over the years.

The History of The Penmom and Beaumaris Lifeboats is available from the author at 14 Medina Road, Foleshill, Coventry CV6 5JB at £3.50, including postage and packing.

The History of the Point of Air Lifeboats by Jeff Morris published by the author The lifeboats which served the area to the south side of the Dee estuary are another example of the changing needs of the lifeboat service.

From 1826 to 1923 lifeboats operated from various stations around the Point of Air, some under the auspices of the then Liverpool Docks Trustees and later that of the RNLI.

With declining river traffic and difficulties in raising a crew in the isolated spot the station was closed by the RNLI in the early 1920s.

Interestingly very little had been known about the pre-RNLI lifeboats until recently as all of the records had been lost when Liverpool was heavily bombed in the second World War and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board's premises (successors to the Liverpool Docks Trustees) was destroyed.

However during 1996 an American couple who were the descendants of Benjamin Evans, the coxswain in the late 1800s, presented the RNLI with a handwritten log which recorded every event at the stations from 1852 to 1894! Today the area still has lifeboat cover - but in the form of an itinerant D class which although based at Flint makes use of a Land Rover and trailer to use a variety of launching sites in the area.

The History of the Point of Air Lifeboats can be obtained from Jeff Morris at 14 Medina Road, Foleshill, Coventry CV6 5JB at £2.50 including postage and packing.

'For Those in Peril...' The Story of llf racombe's Lifeboats by Bob Thompson published by the author Bob Thompson, the RNLI Assistant Mechanic at llfracombe, has made a fine job of this concise 48-page history of the lifeboats and their work around this North Devon harbour.

llfracombe's lifeboat history runs from the first boat in 1828, through absorption by the RNLI in 1866 to today's Mersey class and D class inshore lifeboat, and Bob's book covers all of these aspects.

Thanks to local sponsorship all of the proceeds from the sale of the book go to llfracombe Lifeboat Guild. Copies can be obtained from The Lifeboat House, Broad Street, llfracombe, Devon for £2.50 plus 50p postage and packing.

-for TlMM In f*rtl...." DM M«ry ot fffr»Cfll»ti'» For the yachtsman The RYA Book of Diesel Engines by Tim Bartlett published by Adlard Coles Nautical at £10.99 ISBN 0-7136-4847-3 'Mechanical Failure' is one of the biggest single causes of lifeboat call-out (even to sailing vessels!) so a healthy knowledge of the care and feeding of your diesel engine can only be a good thing.

This excellent volume is aimed at the boat owner - not the trained mechanic — and strikes just the right note in its simple explanations of the more complex parts of this potentially reliable source of power.

Any one who reads and understands this book-and of course puts that knowledge to practical use - should feel much more confident about his or her engines and hopefully less reliant on lifeboats! The books reviewed here are NOT available from the RNLI.

Please see either the address given in the text or contact a good bookseller quoting the author, full title and ISBN.