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July 25, 2004
Capsize Training for Burnham-On-Sea Lifeboat Crew

Lifeboats often encounter hazardous conditions at sea and therefore it it vital that the crew know what to do in the event of their craft capsizing.

It is for this reason that Burnham's RNLI crew have been undergoing compulsory capsize training with RNLI assessor Simon James.

Some lifeboats are designed to be self-righting, and some have to be righted by the use of a gas flotation bag. The smaller D class lifeboats have to be righted manually.

RNLI Helmsman Glenn Cutter, said: "The safest place to be after a capsize is underneath the boat, although it is very claustrophobic. The situation highlights the importance of thorough training, so that one knows the location of every piece of kit in the boat 'backwards'".

After righting a capsized lifeboat, various procedures are followed, including removal of the outboard engine cowling and replacement of the spark plugs to ensure all water has been cleared from the inside of the engine before restarting. This can be a difficult task when moored up to a buoy during practice, let alone in a heavy sea when preservation of life is at stake.

Photographs on this page show the crew righting the capsized lifeboat (top of page) and the crew preparing to right the capsized 'D class' lifeboat.

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