Red Bay History

1972 A D class lifeboat was placed at Red Bay for evaluation.

1973 The RNLI established a permanent inshore lifeboat (ILB) station. The boathouse was funded by Moyle District Council.

1987 The D class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced with a C class lifeboat on 26 June.

1991 A collective Framed Letter of Thanks was presented to Deputy Launching Authority Mr D McCollam and Crew Members Tom McLaughlin, Patrick McLaughlin, Donald McAlister, Liam McCollam, Joe Ferris, Peter McLaughlin, Andrew McAlister, Niall McCambridge, Patrick McCambridge, James Farrell and Joe Burns for their help during the floods at Cushendall and Ballycastle on 28 October 1990. They teamed up with fire crews and assisted many people cut off in their homes and farmers whose livestock were stranded in the fields.

1995 A new boathouse was built providing housing for the lifeboat and launching vehicle, a changing/drying room, workshop, fuel store, shower and toilets, a crew/training room, galley and store.

1995 The slipway was widened to provide adequate launching and recovery of the lifeboat.

1996  The C class lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by a B class Atlantic 21 on 10 June.

The Atlantic 21 lifeboat was withdrawn and replaced by the B class Atlantic 75 lifeboat, B-728 Dorothy Mary, on 3 September.

2003 The Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum was awarded to Helmsman Thomas McLaughlin for his actions when the lifeboat brought in the yacht Chloe and landed her elderly crew of two on the afternoon of 8 September 2002. The service was conducted in Force 6–7 winds and rough seas.

Station honours

At Red Bay lifeboat station the following awards have been made:

Framed Letter of Thanks 1
Thanks of the Institution Inscribed on Vellum 1