# Port Isaac Lifeboat Station

Port Isaac Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) inshore lifeboat operations at Port Isaac in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It operates a D-class (IB1) lifeboat, which since 2019 has been the Pride of Port Isaac (Goeth Porthusek).

## History

The first lifeboat for Port Isaac was provided in 1869 and kept in a boat house on Fore Street, on the hill at the east side of the village, from where it had to be taken through the narrow streets on a carriage to be launched. It was funded by Mr & Mrs Richard Thornton-West and named the Richard and Sarah. It was brought by train to Bodmin Road on 5 October 1869 and then hauled by horses through Wadebridge to Port Isaac. A new lifeboat station was built in 1927 on a plot in Middle Street next to the beach but this was only used until 1933 when the lifeboat was withdrawn. Since 1869 the lifeboat had been launched on 15 rescues and saved 86 lives. The first boat house became a shop and the second was converted to be a garage for the adjacent hotel.
The RNLI began to deploy inflatable Inshore Lifeboats (ILBs) in the 1960s and one was stationed at Port Isaac from 1967. It was kept in a modified fish cellar on the beach until 1993 when the previous lifeboat station was brought back into use.

### Awards

The ILB was called out on the afternoon of 7 September 1998 to two people trapped in near Tintagel. They were found in a cave but large waves smashed the lifeboat into the cave while it was attempting their rescue. The engine stopped and two of the crew were swept overboard inside the cave. The third crew member was lifted to safety by a helicopter that had been helping with the search. The Padstow lifeboat tried to rescue the four people from the cave but was unable to do so. They remained trapped in the cave until the tide turned. The ILB was a complete wreck but a spare boat arrived at the station before the night was over. The two crew members trapped in the cave received 'The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum' and the one who was winched to safety was given a framed letter of thanks from the Chairman.
An RNLI Silver Medal was given to Damien Bolton (helm) and Bronze Medals to Nichola Bradbury and Matthew Main (crew members) for saving the life of a man swept into the sea during a storm on 8 April 2012.
Other crew members have received 'The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum' in 1977 and 1978 for rescues of people in trouble on cliffs. In 2013 the helmsman received a framed letter of thanks after saving an angler who had been swept into the sea.

## Lifeboats
### Pulling and sailing lifeboats

'Pulling and sailing' lifeboats were equipped with oars but could use sails when conditions allowed.
| At Port Isaac | ON | Name | Built | Class | Comments |
| 1869–1886 | — | Richard and Sarah | 1869 | Self-righter | |
| 1887–1905 | 135 | Richard and Sarah | 1887 | Self-righter | Sold in 1905, later reported to be at Southampton. |
| 1905–1927 | 334 | Richard and Sarah | 1892 | Self-righter | Originally built for Drogheda where it was named Charles Whitton. |
| 1927–1933 | 662 | Ernest Dresden | 1917 | Rubie | Originally built for Courtown. Reported in 2023 to be at Migennes, France. |

### Inshore lifeboats

| At Port Isaac | Op. No. | Name | Built | Model | Comments |
| 1967–1977 | D-139 | (no name) | 1967 | RFD PB16 | |
| 1978–1988 | D-257 | (no name) | 1978 | Zodiac III | |
| 1988–1997 | D-366 | Peter and Molly Tabor | 1988 | EA16 | |
| 1997–1998 | D-517 | Spirit of the PCS RE | 1995 | EA16 | Wrecked in service, 6 September 1998. |
| 1998–1999 | D-366 | Peter and Molly Tabor | 1988 | EA16 | |
| 1999–2009 | D-546 | Spirit of the PCS RE II | 1999 | EA16 | |
| 2009–2019 | D-707 | Copeland Bell | 2009 | IB1 | |
| 2019– | D-843 | Pride of Port Isaac (Goeth Porthusek) | 2019 | IB1 | |