RNLI LIFEBOAT CALLED "THE SCOUT"

The Royal National Lifeboat Institute once had a Life Boat Called "The Scout". In 1974, to mark the 150th anniversary of the foundingof the RNLI, The Scout Movement embarked on a fund raising project throughout the UK with the object to fund a new lifeboat for the organisation, the movement raised £101,053 pounds of the £122,00 required to build this new lifeboat during 1975. In January of 1977 set sailfrom Poole for Harlepool and it was named by the Queen on the 14 July 1977. It was given the registration number 44-018 and remained with the Hartlepool RNLI until 1997.

First Day Cover Celebrating the naming of "The Scout"
Photo courtesy of Clive Lawford's web site @ www.44mlb.com

'THE SCOUT" lifeboat was a 44' steel hulled, self righting, fast afloat Waveney Class Lifeboat, with a maximum speed of 15knots. She carried a crew of five and had capacity to carry twelve survivors. The Waveney Class originally developed for the U.S. Coast Guard in the 1960's, prototype production and trials were started in 1962, this the design passed these trials successfully. It was in 1963 that the RNLI started to look at this fast lifeboat design and after a visit to the USA, delivery was taken in May of that year of a prototype vessel (in fact the 28th. boat of the class to be built in the USA). As was RNLI policy she was numbered 44-001. manufacture of the 22 production boats started in 1965 and finished in 1982.

The Scout was the second of only five lifeboats ever to be named by a reigning monarch.

The "Scout" also had the un-envious title of the only British 44 ever to capsize. The Scout capsized twice whilst on service to the tanker Freja Svea that was dragging her anchor in storm force conditions in the Tees Bay on the 28th February.  Whilst standing by the tanker in heavy seas the Teesmouth lifeboat was knocked down, losing one of her engines. The Hartlepool lifeboat The Scout was launched to escort the Teesmouth lifeboat back to station and then take over standby duties on-scene.  Whilst close to the tanker in about 8 fathoms of water the Hartlepool lifeboat was capsized twice and crew member Robert Maiden was washed overboard.  Teesmouth lifeboat re-launched to escort the Hartlepool lifeboat to the Tees and Robert Maiden was picked up by a RAF Seaking helicopter and taken to hospital, from where he was subsequently discharged. 

"The Scout"
Photo courtesy of Paul Russell

After 20 years service she left to go into fleet reserve on the 29-9-97 and on the 18-11-97 "The Scout" was sold to to ADES (the Uruguay lifeboat service,) for service with Lifeboat Station No 1, Puerto del Buceo, Montevideo where she remains and is crewed by volunteers

"The Scout" as she is now Photo courtesy of Clive Lawford's web site @ www.44mlb.com

During her 20 years service "The Scout" spent over 400 hours at sea, taking part in over 230 incidents, rescuing 86 people and saving property woth £800,00. When it was announced "The Scout" was going to be retired it was hoped that the Scouts would be able to raise ebnough funds to have it's replacemnet carry the name "The Scout" to help with this task Lledo Models produced a souvenir model of a Lifeboat that would help raise the required funds, along with generous support from Kimberly-Clark. This hope to have a new lifeboat called "The Scout" doesn't seem to have come to anything, but if anyone can provide further information on this it would be very helpful.

References

Information on the capsizing of "The Scout" taken from the Hartlepool Lifeboat Website

Information on the number of rescues etc. taken from back of the Lledo model box