Former RNLB CHARLES DIBDIN, ex Deal in Kent a pulling and sailing lifeboat 43 ft now fitted with twin Ford New Holland diesels. approx 200hrs only
Owners comments
The Charles Dibdin was a selfrighting pulling sailing Lifeboat ; builders no TK 90. Built by Thames Iron works co . In service between 1905- 1932; and worked on the Goodwin sands (Kent) saving over four hundred lives; 420 lives saved are all documented. She had many awards given to her Coxswains and crew for there help in saving so many people. Many crew where saved of Admiralty Ships during the WW1 and Sir Winston Churchill, who was the First sea Lord of the Admiralty during that time had much correspondence with the people of Deal and the crews of the Lifeboats. There is a lovely Pathe. film clip on You Tube; showing the Charles Dibdin being launched, sailing and being recovered on the day that William Bonnie Adams ( one of the main Coxswain retires and hands the keys to the next Coxswain. There is so much History. I took on the boat about 1982 and spent many years completely rebuilding the conversion that she had soon after coming out of service. I spent many years taking her to many of the old wooden boat festivals in French waters and also in to the Bay of Biscay. She is based in the Exeter Ship Canal (and a sea mooring on the EXE Estuary during summer months)
Fully rigged she is about 60’ long with Bow Sprit. With out about 50’ including Rudder and Anchor pulley system . She weighs about 28 Ton. And about 13 ton in her day fully laden . A amazing boat very rare