# Helvick Head Lifeboat Station

Helvick Head Lifeboat Station (Stáisiún Bád Tarrthála Ceann Heilbhic) is the base for a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) inshore lifeboat at Helvick in County Waterford, Ireland.
The RNLI opened Dungarvan Lifeboat Station in 1859 but it was moved to Helvick Head in 1900. It was closed in 1969 but an inshore lifeboat station was opened in 1997.

## History

The RNLI opened a lifeboat station on the south coast of Ireland at Ardmore in 1858. The chief inspector visited the area in that summer and recommended three more be built along the coast including one at Dungarvan. It was opened in 1859 but in 1862 the lifeboat was moved to Ballinacourty on the east side of Dungarvan Bay.
Late in 1898 it was decided to move the lifeboat further east again, this time to Crow's Point. The new station with its slipway cost £1,800 and was ready in 1899. It was officially called Dungarvan Bay (Helvick Head), although from 1930 this was reversed to become Helvick Head (Dungarvan Bay).
The station was closed in 1969 but a new inshore lifeboat station was established in 1997. The lifeboat was housed in temporary accommodation until the permanent facilities were ready in 1999.

## Service awards

The brigantine Susan of Cork was wrecked in a gale on 19 February 1861. The six-oared Dungarvan lifeboat was launched but was unable to provide any assistance. A local 'shore boat' managed to reach the wreck and saved 2 of it crew of 6. Robert Barron and Augustine Dower were awarded RNLI Silver Medals for this rescue.
The Liverpool ship Moresby was wrecked in a gale on 24 December 1896. The lifeboat managed to rescue 7 of the 25 crew, although 2 of those rescued later died. William Dunville acted as coxswain for the lifeboat that day and was awarded the 'Thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum'.

## Description

The 1899 boathouse at Helvick Head was described as being "at road-level … a kind of hanger built out over the water on stilts". The lifeboat was kept in a cradle on rails which ran from the boathouse down the slipway. It was demolished when the motor lifeboat became moored afloat in the harbour.

## Area of operation

The inshore lifeboat at Helvick Head has a range of 3 hours and top speed of 35 kn (65 km/h). Adjacent inshore lifeboats are at Tramore to the east and Youghal to the west. The nearest all-weather lifeboat is stationed at Dunmore East.

## Dungarvan and Helvick Head lifeboats

The first lifeboat at Dungarvan was a small, six-oared boat. While it managed several rescues, it was too small and underpowered in some weather and so a larger, ten-oared, boat was provided from 1871. These early lifeboats also had sails, but from 1930 a motor lifeboat was provided. The first had a single auxiliary engine but from 1946 they had two engines.
Since the station reopened in 1997 it has been equipped with a B-class inshore lifeboat.
| On station | ON | Name | Class | Built | Comments |
| 1859–1871 | Pre-341 | Christopher Ludlow | Peake | 1859 | 30 ft (9.1 m) boat with 6 oars. |
| 1871–1887 | Pre-557 | Christopher Ludlow | Self-Righter | 1871 | 32 ft (9.8 m) boat with 10 oars. |
| 1887–1900 | 104 | William Dunville | Self-Righter | 1887 | 34 ft (10 m) boat with 10 oars. |
| 1900–1930 | 445 | James Stevens No. 16 | Watson | 1900 | Sold in 1930 and used as a yacht until at least 1972. |
| 1930–1946 | 648 | Elsie | Watson | 1919 | Motor lifeboat, first stationed at St Mary's. Sold in 1951 and used as a yacht, last seen in Tahiti in 1960. |
| 1946–1960 | 777 | H. F. Bailey | Watson | 1935 | First stationed at Cromer. Sold in 1973 but now preserved at Cromer. |
| 1960–1969 | 868 | John and Lucy Cordingley | Watson | 1949 | First stationed at Teesmouth. Sold in 1981 and now at Great Yarmouth named Tempo. |
    Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.
* ↑ The first lifeboat had no name until it was appropriated to the legacy of Christopher Ludlow in 1869.

### Inshore lifeboats

| At Helvick Head | Op. No. | Name | Model | Comments |
| 1997 | B-536 | — | Atlantic 21 | First stationed at Peel in 1976. |
| 1997–1998 | B-569 | — | Atlantic 21 | First stationed at Portaferry in 1986 where it was named Blue Peter V. |
| 1998 | B-528 | — | Atlantic 21 | First deployed as a relief lifeboat in 1975. |
| 1998–1999 | B-553 | Kirklees | Atlantic 21 | First stationed at Newbiggin in 1982. |
| 1999–2013 | B-760 | Alice and Charles | Atlantic 75 | |
| 2013–2014 | B-753 | City of Bradford V | Atlantic 75 | First deployed as a relief lifeboat in 1999. |
| 2014– | B-874 | Robert Armstrong | Atlantic 85 | |