Weymouth Lifeboat Station

Weymouth lifeboat station is situated about 300 metres from the entrance to the beautiful and historic Weymouth Harbour. Built in 1869 originally to house the lifeboat as a slipway launched lifeboat, the building was converted in 1924 to just a station and the main Severn Class lifeboat was, and still is, a “kept afloat” boat, now with its own dedicated pontoon in Weymouth harbour.

Moored on its own purpose built pontoon with fuel, water and electric supply, the pontoon system works very well for quick launches as it is right outside the boathouse. The pontoon is there only for the Severn Class all-weather lifeboat, the Atlantic 75 inshore lifeboat boathouse is 50 metres towards the harbour entrance. The inshore lifeboat is trolley launched down a shared slipway with Weymouth Sailing Club.

The two boats between them average approx 100 shouts per year. There is a wide spread of the type of shout but is mostly pleasure craft rather than commercial vessels, although there is always a number of these.

The inshore lifeboat is kept busy with sailboards, kite boards, kayaks, divers, people in the water, small pleasure craft and shoreline incidents. While one of the main causes of vessels in trouble that the all-weather lifeboat has to deal with is the notorious Portland race, an area of sea just off of Portland Bill where two opposing currents meet and throw up some really rough conditions with up to 6 knots of tide.