The RNLI’s Wreck Chart of the British Isles for 1854 (excerpt shown left) states: ‘Loss of life (as far as can be ascertained) 1,549.’ Two years earlier, the Lifeboat admitted that: ‘No complete record of shipwrecks is kept …’ but the quoted figures alone were enough to prove that a lifeboat service was an ‘absolute necessity’.

The Victorian charts are wonderful pieces of work but, nowadays, the picture is a lot clearer. The RNLI collects data about every lifeboat and lifeguard incident and uses this information to identify trends. There’s been a huge shift in people taking to the water for leisure so, these days, merchant vessels are a smaller piece of the pie.

The charity is also a key player in the Water Safety Forum, an association of organisations that has a range of interests in, and responsibilities for, water safety. Their data is combined in the Water Accident and Incident Database (WAID) to provide a unique view of all water-related incidents.

This sort of detailed analysis helps the RNLI plan its service and to know what sort of money is needed to sustain the optimum level of lifesaving cover. With 2009 and 2010 being the two busiest years in the history of the RNLI, one thing is crystal clear: our volunteer crews and lifeguards are needed more than ever.

See page 4 to read more about the latest RNLI lifeboat and lifeguards statistics. See the complete set of wreck charts for yourself in the digital archive of the Lifeboat on PC DVD, priced £100. Call 01202 662254 to order your copy.