Ryde Inshore Rescue is an independent lifeboat station run by volunteers and supported entirely by public donations. Working through Her Majesty's Coastguard, it is responsible for providing sea rescue facilities in the southeast area of the Solent throughout the year. On call 24 hours a day, the organisation attends between 40 and 50 incidents a year, rescuing or assisting about 100 persons.

The choice of boat and propulsion was thus an important decision, as Coxwain Patrick Reed explained, 'Our existing boat was getting old and the inboard engines were becoming very unreliable, which was causing us some concern. We looked at what some other local independent rescue stations had opted for in terms of boats and outboards and with the new Maritime and Coastguard Agency Brown Code legislation in mind we decided that the Ribcraft boat with the Suzuki engines was the best package for us.

'To further adhere to the MCA Brown Code (the Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Workboats and Pilot Boats) the twin rig gives the rescue boat two independent means of propulsion. Furthermore, using outboard motors also has the added benefit of making maintenance and repair much easier, which crucially means less down time for the boat.

'We're really pleased with our new rescue boat. Although she hasn't seen active service yet, sea trials have shown that the Ribcraft handles extremely well and the new Suzuki engines are much quieter and more responsive in terms of power delivery than the old inboards. Now we have the power on tap when we need it, which of course helps reduce our response times.'

The new boat was due to be officially launched on the 24 March, named the Sir Norman Echlin BT after the late Sir Norman Echlin, who unfortunately died during the boat fundraising campaign.