Kirkwall lifeboat to undergo life-extending refit

Kirkwall RNLI will see a refit of its all-weather vessel, this year, as part of a programme to extend the lifespan of Severn-class lifeboats.

Kirkwall’s Margaret Foster will have her engines overhauled, and a new “state-of-the-art” navigation system installed, according to the lifesaving charity.

This news comes as the RNLI begins its third century of lifesaving. The charity’s chief executive, Peter Sparkes, has outlined key changes that need to be made to ensure it is able to meet the demands and requirements of saving lives at sea around the coasts of the UK and Ireland.

All-weather lifeboats have a lifespan of around 25 years. Over time, the Severn and Tamar class of all-weather lifeboats will be replaced with fewer, more capable lifeboats.  The charity will develop and deliver a programme to replace these lifeboats over the next 15 years.

The money previously raised for the Severn Life Extension Project (SLEP) will contribute towards the refit of Kirkwall’s current Severn-class lifeboat.