# Aberdovey Lifeboat Station

Aberdovey Lifeboat Station (Welsh: Gorsaf Bad Achub Aberdyfi) is located in the coastal village of Aberdyfi, on the north bank of the River Dyfi estuary, on Cardigan Bay, in the county of Gwynedd, West Wales.
A lifeboat was first placed at Aberdovey in 1837. Management of the station was transferred to the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS) in 1853. The RNIPLS became the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1854.
Since 2016, the station has operated a B-class (Atlantic 85) inshore lifeboat, RNLB Hugh Miles (B-896), launched by tractor.
This station is classed as an RNLI "Discover" lifeboat station, which welcomes visitors normally during the summer months.

## History

The first Aberdyfi lifeboat was bought in 1837. The RNLI took over the station in 1853 and in 1858 built a new boathouse for the lifeboat and carriage. A tragedy occurred in 1862 when crew member Owen Owen, aged 33, died as a result of a capsize on exercise.
In February 1863 David Williams was awarded an RNLI Silver Medal for putting out to the stranded brig Friends and his crew were voted £8 reward by the Institution. In September the same year the RNLI voted to reward the crew of the lifeboat £4-10s-0d for rescuing six crew of the stranded barque William Bromham.
In 1886 a plot was bought for £150 and a new boathouse built for £320.
There was a second tragedy in 1898 when crew member John Price, aged 72, lost his life trying to save people after a boating accident. His dependants were awarded £50 compensation by the RNLI's Committee of Management.
A slipway for the lifeboat was built at a cost of £300 in 1903 to enable the lifeboat to be launched into the river. The station closed in 1931, but was reopened in 1963 at the Outward Bound Sea School as an inshore station supplied with a D-class lifeboat, which in 1974 was replaced by an Atlantic 21-class B-class lifeboat.
A new boathouse was built in 1991 to house the Atlantic 21 and its launching tractor, a shop and crew facilities, and in 1995 an upper floor was built to provide a crew room, galley and store.
From 1998 to 2016, the station operated an Atlantic 75-class inshore lifeboat, RNLB Sandwell Lifeline (B-758), launched by tractor, and making an average of 25 emergency launches a year. She replaced B-559, which has transferred to the British Virgin Islands as a rescue craft.

## Station honours

A number of awards have been made to recognise exemplary service.
* RNLI Silver Medal
       For the rescue of the crew of the brig Friends of Newport on 8 February 1863
       Mr David Williams, of HM Customs, Honorary Secretary - 1863
* RNLI Bronze Medal
       For the rescue of 4 from the cabin cruiser Lady Jane on 10 August 1974
       David William Williams, crew member - 1974
* Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
       For the rescue of 4 from the cabin cruiser Lady Jane on 10 August 1974
       Anthony Mills, Helmsman - 1974
       Andrew Coghill, crew member - 1974
* A Framed Letter of Thanks signed by the Chairman of the Institution
       For his valuable services as a member of the crew from 1920 to 1931
       Mr Ellis Williams, Bowman - 1972
* Member, Order of the British Empire (MBE)
       David Eilian Williams - 2014QBH

## Roll of honour

In memory of those lost whilst serving Aberdovey lifeboat.
* Lost when the lifeboat capsized on exercise, 8 December 1862
       Owen Owen, crew member (33)
* Died during a rescue after a boating accident, 1898
       John Price, crew member (72)

## Aberdovey lifeboats
### All-weather lifeboats

| ON | Name | In service | Class |
| Pre-178 | Victoria | 1837–1859 | 26-foot Palmer |
| Pre-344 | Unnamed | 1859–1865 | 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| Pre-440 | Royal Berkshire | 1865–1886 | 32-foot Self-righting (P&S) |
| 63 | Thomas Niccolls Stratford | 1886–1904 | 34-foot 1in Self-Righting (P&S) |
| 534 | William Brocksopp | 1904–1921 | 35-foot Self-Righting (P&S) |
| 476 | George and Margaret | 1921–1931 | 35-foot Self-Righting (P&S) |
    Station Closed in 1931
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

### Inshore lifeboats

| Op. No. | Name | In service | Class |
| D-12 | Unnamed | 1963–1964 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-10 | Unnamed | 1965 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-19 | Unnamed | 1965–1967 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-138 | Unnamed | 1967 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-161 | Unnamed | 1968–1969 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-140 | Unnamed | 1969–1970 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-19 | Unnamed | 1970 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-46 | Unnamed | 1970 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-110 | Unnamed | 1970 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| D-140 | Unnamed | 1971–1974 | D-class (RFD PB16) |
| B-514 | Guide Friendship 1 | 1974–1983 | Atlantic 21 |
| B-559 | Long Life 3 | 1983–1999 | Atlantic 21 |
| B-758 | Sandwell Lifeline | 1999–2016 | Atlantic 75 |
| B-896 | Hugh Miles | 2016- | Atlantic 85 |

### Launch and recovery tractors

| Op. No. | Reg. No. | Type | In service |
| T76 | BGO 680B | Case 1000D | 1989–1991 |
| TW16Hb | H610 SUJ | Talus MB-4H Hydrostatic (Mk 1.5) | 1991–1993 |
| T85 | SEL 394R | Talus MBC Case 1150C | 1993–1995 |
| T88 | WEL 301S | Talus MBC Case 1150C | 1995–1999 |
| T90 | UJT 491X | Talus MBC Case 1150C | 1999–2013 |
| T97 | C282 LNT | Talus MB-H Crawler | 2014– |
* ↑ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
* 1 2 Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.