RNLB Dewi Sant / St David

St Davids ILB 'St David/Dewi Sant'

The RNLB Dewi Sant / Saint David (D543) is one of the RNLIs highly successful inflatable inshore rescue craft. She was allocated to the station in December 1998 and was donated by the Rotary International District 1070 (Grantham) at a cost of approximately £12,000. She is the first station ILB to be placed at St Davids following a period of evaluation using a temporary boat (D369) from July 1997.

The boat is stored in the original lifeboat house which was renovated in 1998. She is launched from a trailer towed by a 4 wheel drive quad down a slipway to the beach.

The boat is 4.95m (16'3") in length and 2m (6'7") beam, constructed of nylon coated with hypalon and is fitted with a 40hp outboard motor to give a top speed of 20 knots. As an inshore lifeboat there are limits placed upon her operation and she is usually escorted by the all weather boat when operating at the upper end of these limits.

The D class is fitted with VHF radio, handheld GPS (satellite) navigator, first aid equipment, anchor and drogue. In the event of capsize she can be manually righted by her 3 crew members. Navigation lights and night vision equipment have recently been fitted to allow limited night-time operations.