So after spending a great week boarding down at mawgan porth I further appreciated what a great job these guys do. I’m presuming the individual life guards get paid but who pays the RLNI? I know a lot of fundraising is done but do the local councils contribute to the wage villas they patrol the counties beaches?

RNLI are self funded so there is no political interference ,they do it all their own way.

I think its all donations.

The RNLI is funded by voluntary donations and legacies (together with tax reclaims). In 2011, the RNLI’s income was £162.9M, while its expenditure was £140.6M.[5]

from wikipedia

Aren’t most of them volunteers with normal day jobs?

They are remarkable.

All charity

My understanding is most of the guys (and girls) are not paid

Yep all donations. What they (life boat crew) will go out in to help people is mind blowing.

Yep all donations. What they (life boat crew) will go out in to help people is mind blowing.

I imagine beach lifeguards get paid.

I believe they get a lot of income from wills, and long may it continue.
I pay my subs like any regular water user should.
Any attempt at government interference should be met with pitchforks !

Yep gathered the lads/lasses on the boats were sort of retained volunteers but how about the day to day lifeguards at the beaches? 8 hr shifts with no pay? If so huge huge respect to them! The guy in the truck this week at mawgan was an absolute legend, he could not have been better at his job! Couldn’t believe some of the idiots in the water today tho, some big swell, and one guy chose to have an argument with a lifeguard who had suited up to advise people in the water. Utter ****!

…..and sadly, this post, got 2 replies.

Was on the lifeboat for a few years when I lived on the coast…..primarily to have an excuse to go to the pub every thursday night and get out of work when the maroons went off.
Oh and to help people in trouble…..unfortunately the majority of the time it was to provide a free breakdown service for morons.

The vast majority of the RNLI beach lifeguards are paid. Councils have a legal obligation to provide lifeguards on certain beaches and sub-contract this out. The RNLI are just about the best there is which is why so many councils use them.

This is seperate from the Lifeboat side of things which is paid for by charitable donations and the majority of crewmembers are not paid.

Without a shadow of a doubt the guys and gals I’ve come across this week were certainly a fantastic bunch! Just informed the wife we will be making a donation to cover our time on the coast over the last week.

Couldn’t believe some of the idiots in the water today tho, some big swell, and one guy chose to have an argument with a lifeguard who had suited up to advise people in the water.

I know mawgam porth can get a bit rippy but it was only 3ft on the north today. In my experience, some lifeguards get a bit power crazy…

In my experience, some lifeguards get a bit power crazy…

Baywatch has a lot to answer for…

Yeah but the guy in question had two 6 and 8 ish yr olds body boarding in the surfing area, he was arguing about the flag placement. Clearly he knew better. I certainly don’t profess to know “the surf” but I did watch the smaller kid get blasted on the back of the head by a wave whilst mum was boarding and dad arguing. Only takes a second I’m sure….

Great people doing an amazing job. Have a monthly DD set up to them.

I sail quite a lot and (touch wood) have never needed them, but it’s a great service manned by great people. Signed up for a DD last month but should really have done it years ago.

Wrightyson, I was in Mawgan Porth as well this week. Nothing you describe is unusual. I had to call the boat over to a mid 50’s swimmer who seemed to be with someone giving him “instruction”. Next minute I heard “help him” from this person who then seemed to disappear back to the shore. I managed to put the guy on my board and headed back through the break. He started to panic a and came off the board a few times as we headed in, so I called over the rib that was already out checking the water. When they loaded him up I took a proper whack on the head off the keel but was more bothered about finding my fin which somehow got kicked off in the excitement (which thankfully I found floating back in the break).

Two years earlier I saw about 30 swimmers and boarders get sucked out in to a very heavy the break by a rip. I think it was the busiest day the RNLI had, and ended up putting 2 teenage girls (one hysterical) on my bodyboard.

Because it’s RNLI patrolled people seem to loose their sense of self preservation. Crowd mentality prevails, and people progressively get out of their depth / comfort zone because they see other people heading out towards the break and bigger waves so assume it’s OK. The RNLI / Lifeguards do a great job but some people really don’t help themselves.

Anyone who’s ever thought of going for a bike ride, then stayed at home because the weather looked a bit rough, watch this.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lErr4C25DiA[/video]

My dad did nearly 30 yrs on one of the boats, the last 7 as cox; my brother’s 2nd cox. Immensely proud of them – I did a couple of years when i was still at home & had a few moments where I’ve never been so scared but felt so safe all at the same time.

Incredible service & incredible people. See also SAR helicopter crews.

Some are paid full time workers one of my members of staff left to work for them. However most are volunteers and it’s donations for the charity that bring in their income plus yes many wills, there was a huge one a few years ago. Provide a very good service.

From: http://rnli.org/faqs/faqs/Pages/The-lifeguards.aspx

Do you receive funding towards the lifeguard service you provide?
?We do receive a small amount from the appropriate local authorities and beach owners which helps to meet the cost of lifeguard wages, but the majority of funding is from voluntary contributions.

My understanding is the L.A. will pay the wages, RNLI supplies the training and I think the equipment. Thus is only the lifeguard part not the normal lifeboats. But bear in mind there are a number of smaller independent rescue boats too – who often get disproportionately low support because the public don’t understand.

Fantastic organisation, fantastic people and some experiences i will never forget. Was a Crewman on a Lifeboat (Troon 52-38 Arun Class, an AWLB) for 5 yrs.

If you want something to have an real insight of the bravery of these men and women watch the below.

Warning its a tear jerker even for the hardest seafarer, or mere mortal

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yeIX0VnUMKo[/video]

Why does the cynic in me want to shout that this could be the role model HM Govt may be looking at for the Fire & Rescue Services.

Love the RNLI, top people with tremendous courage and whom I have never needed so far, but I will continue to pay my monthly DD to them, it’s only a matter of time.

I have a DD set up and donate every month. When I retire from the forces I hope to join them.

They seem to be a role model to the rest of the world too, and they sell boats to all sorts of places after they’ve been used. Saw one in Reykjavik at Easter.

Why does the cynic in me want to shout that this could be the role model HM Govt may be looking at for the Fire & Rescue Services.

Some would argue that it already essentially is across 90% of the UK landmass (Ie retained firefighters)

Swelper – is that related to Penlee? (Can’t watch it). (52-08 btw 🙂

John

Yep it’s the Penlee Lifeboat Disaster

Troon Arun class was 52-38 (52 foot long. Number 38 Arun Class)

Troon Lifeboat

Yup, I meant I was on 52-08 (Yarmouth) 🙂

Can’t watch the Penlee clip, it’s just heart breaking.

Ahhh right gotch now….oops 😳

Great boats, I have an article about somewhere, about the Arun Class, initially was a timber construction, designed for 54 foot, and a wider beam and capable of 32ish Knts.

The RNLI are one of the many things that make me proud to be British. Absolutely legendary and I always make sure I don’t put change in the collection boxes, but banknotes.

I love going to the stations and seeing the absolutely immaculate boats and houses they live in, absolute best of standards at every one.

Fabulous service regular donor too even though I no longer have the time to sail.

If I recall correctly the lifeboat at one of the stations I have visited was paid for by a single will bequest and I do not mean an inshore boat either.

Where I work we do the RNLI lottery; I have the utmost respect for everyone who works on the boats, and puts themselves at risk to help others. It’s a service that we, as a country, can be immensely proud of.

Fantastic organisation

Had to call them last month to rescue 2 people in a boat getting blown out to sea.
And a couple of years back when a woman drove off a cliff!

Amazing response both time

I know a couple of people who volunteer. Much respect to them, they absolutely love it.

Salcombe lifeboat towed me after dismasting in the 2007 Fastnet.

Even tho I started this one I have to say I love threads like this where everyone is up for the same cause.
Much respect to all the folk who’ve posted on here with nothing but kind words. It’ll no doubt increase my donation!

I know a couple of people who volunteer. Much respect to them, they absolutely love it.

Same here, shame not everybody appreciates them:

http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/local-headlines/kinghorn-lifeboat-used-for-target-practice-by-golfers-1-3056420

Assuming the above story is true, which isn’t always the case. But that’s another, and not particularly interesting story.

Anyway, awesome organisation. The volunteers of which regularly reaffirm my faith in humanity.

A charity that does a fantastic job, with an incredible amount of cash in reserve.