by Graeme Ewens

This book is the story of a remarkable boat that served the RNLI for 40 years before entering a new life as a pleasure cruiser. The 45ft 6ins Watson Cabin class boat W&S (ON736) was named after the benefactors Winifred Coode and Capt Sydney Webb. It spent its first three decades at Penlee in Cornwall, responding to more than 100 shouts, often in the most extreme weather and including harrowing wartime conditions, before it was replaced in 1960 by the ill-fated Solomon Browne.

It later spent a further 10 years in Scotland as part of the Reserve fleet, saving another six lives during its final service. One of the RNLI’s longest-serving lifeboats, it saved a total of 108 lives.

In retirement the boat was converted to a long-range cruiser in Ireland, voyaging to the Mediterranean before eventually returning to Cornwall. After years of neglect it was rediscovered in a sad condition near Falmouth by retired sea captain Rod Shaw, who took it to Harwich to bring it back into use.

This is a thoroughly well researched book with the log of the ship through its various roles and I would very highly recommend it.

Paperback: 240mm x 170mm, 224 pp illustrated

Price: £15