Thank you! This letter is long overdue to express my thanks and admiration to the 'lads and lassies' of the RNLI in Kyle of Lochalsh. On 16 September last year I brought Morgana my Nauttcat 38 alongside the pontoon in Kyle to take on water and do some quick shopping. I was greeted by a crowd of cheerful and friendly Scots who were cleaning a Sealine F37 (no hostility between sail and power boats in this part of the world!) It turned out they had been on a trip to St Kilda and most of them were members of the RNLI. Before long I had been invited to their training meeting that evening which turned out to be one of the highlights of my time in Scotland.

It was an enormous privilege to be allowed to sit in the meeting and witness their dedication. The 45-year age limit for inshore lifeboats obviously gives problems to a community like Kyle with a small population to replace experienced volunteers. I was shown over the B class Atlantic as she was prepared for launch and was delighted to realise that my guide was the son of a lovely lady in whose B&B I had been a guest some years before.

Having watched the launch I returned to the station to see the videos they had taken of St Kilda. Few yachtsmen visit this awesome place and I could see why if even these guys watch the weather carefully before they venture so far.

I left with the feeling that I had been allowed a glimpse into their world and been welcomed as an amateur into the realm of the professionals. To their farewell of 'See you again' I could only think to reply 'Not on business!1 and it occurred to me that was a poor response, hence this letter.

I would be delighted to see them again, not on business I hope, but anyone who does can take it from me that these people know what they are doing and their dedication deserves all our admiration and thanks.

Keith Bousfield - Newport Pagnelt, Bucks.Saving lives at sea I frequently read in your pages of daring and dangerous rescues by RNLI crews of surfers in trouble, such as the incident reported at Newgale beach on 21 March 2002.1 hope the surfers whose lives were saved made substantial voluntary contributions to the RNLI for the trouble they caused. In my humble opinion such people should be required to make compulsory contributions for being rescued, perhaps a couple of hundred pounds for each rescue might make them think twice about heading into the waves in the first place. I can sympathise with yachtsmen, boaters and other seafarers in distress at sea by reason of being overtaken by bad weather or by accident, but surfers put themselves - and everyone else - at risk deliberately, going out in dangerous conditions for the 'fun' of it. As a retired Canadian Coast Guard Captain, with my share of search and rescue (SAR) missions completed, I have always felt that people who put their lives at risk at sea deliberately should accept financial responsibility for their rescue from avoidable situations. In Canada we require adventurers on voyages likely to result in rescue to put up a very substantial bond before departure, from which SAR costs can be deducted, which has served as a deterrent in a number of cases.

Captain Patrick RM Toomey- Canadian Coast Guard (retired) Ontario, Canada The RNLI charter is quite clear. It states that the RNLI exists to 'save life at sea', whatever the cause and irrespective of contribution.

We strongly feel that should any form of charges be introduced those who get into difficulties on the sea might delay in calling out the lifeboat, thus putting themselves into greater danger and also endangering the lives of our crews who would eventually have to go out to rescue them later rather than sooner.

As far as 'official'money is concerned, the RNLI has proudly kept itself independent of government control for well over a century, Any 'compulsion'for insurance would mean a change in the law and would not be in our hands.

The RNLI is taking the problem of safety on the sea very seriously and last year began a special initiative to educate people who use the sea for work and pleasure.

We have produced a number of booklets that strive, in an easy-to-read format, to get the safety message through. These brochures are widely available, free of charge, to the public. We are hopeful that this type of publication will get through to boat users and encourage them to help themselves.Lifeboat hull numbers I keep a record on computer disc of all current all-weather boats in service. This comprises the number displayed on the hull together with the station the boat is allocated to. Unfortunately there now seems a tendency to omit the hull numbers from the Lifeboat when details of a station change or when a new boat enters service. Consequently, a portion of my records is now a little awry. Would it be possible for these numbers to be included again so that I may keep them up to date? Philip Kay - Redhill, Surrey Each alt-weather lifeboat has two numbers that identify it. To avoid confusion the operations department at RNLI headquarters in Poole uses only the ON numbers. We do also provide the operations numbers where possible in an effort to make identification simpler for our supporters.Letter of the quarter Unexpected invitation...

I innocently went to Saltburn in North Yorkshire one weekend last October to visit a friend and, finding myself near to Redcar, decided to visit the Zetland lifeboat, which I have never seen and which is kept there in a small RNLI museum. On arrival I found it shut for the winter but telephoned the caretaker, whose phone number was on the door. A Mrs Robinson, in her nineties I think, came along on her electric wheelchair to open it for me and mentioned, in passing, that the following day, a Sunday, there would be a service nearby with alot of RNLI people attending to mark the exact 200th anniversary of the Zetland. Intrigued, invited, and far from home with no suitable attire for the occasion, I scoured the amazingly productive charity shops in Redcar, and the next day attended the moving and inspiring service. The Zetland was designed by Henry Creathead and built in 1802, one of 31 lifeboats which were the first ever purpose- built lifeboats in Britain, if not the world.

Greathead was commissioned for this task by an altruistic committee of four or five gentleman who were businessmen, ship owners and master mariners that met regularly by the entrance to the Tyne at Lawe House, South Shields. One of these men was a Mr Fairless and another a Mr Masterman (who signed the certificate of invention for the design), The former's niece married the letter's son and I am directly descended from them. Rather fitting, then, that several years ago I was rescued by the RNLI and, as a consequence of subsequent correspondence, discovered my ancestral link with the origins of the lifeboat and the existence of the last surviving example. Strange how it all comes together...

Fairless Masterman - emailwin a bottle! Inver house distillers, the makers of Old Pulteney whisky, have kindly agreed to give away a bottle of the genuine maritime matt to our letter of the quarter1.

So if you've got any burning issues to get off your chest about lifeboats or a related subject, put your pen to paper and send your letter to: Your letters, The Lifeboat, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH151HZ or email us at [email protected] All letters intended for consideration should be clearly marked For publication'.Vellum I have been a RNLI member for a while now but to this day I have never understood something that is often printed in the Lifeboat. I have just finished reading the Winter 02/03 edition and, as ever, enjoyed reading it but it often says 'Thanks of the institution on Vellum.' My question is simple. What is vellum? While I am writing may I just say that RNLI does a fantastic job and its deeds of bravery are not done unnoticed by the general public.

I think it also so important to mention all the other people that play an active role in the service as their part is part of a team.

Andy Nevin - email Ed - Vellum is a fine calf, kid or lamb parchment or a strong good quality paper that resembles parchment.

Khamsin This photo shows me, my wife and a friend, being towed into Burnham.The Bumham lifeboat was a very welcome sight and saw us safely home.

Our boat had a new engine and we had lifejackets, fixed and handheld VHP, flares, plenty of fuel but, unknown to me, a bit of silicone in the tank.There is nothing worse than a powerboat with no power! The weather deteriorated fast and waves were rolling up over the bow. Then we saw the lifeboat creaming over the horizon. You might feel guilty having dragged them out, but boy are you glad to see them.

Chris Grieve - Romford, Essex This just goes to show that even the most prepared water user can still run into trouble..