RNLB Freddie Cooper (ON 1193)

RNLB Freddie Cooper (ON 1193) is the current all-weather lifeboat on station in the town of Aldeburgh[1] in the English county of Suffolk. The Freddie Cooper has the operation No: 12-34 and has been on station since 1993. She is a Mersey-class fast carriage lifeboat.

RNLB Freddie Cooper (ON 1193)
History
British RNLI Flag
OwnerRoyal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
BuilderGroves & Gutteridge, Cowes, Isle of Wight
Official Number:ON 1193
Donor:
StationAldeburgh
Acquired1993
General characteristics
Class and typeMersey
Displacement14.3 tonnes
Length38 ft 1 in (11.61 m) overall
Beam13 ft 1 in (3.99 m)
Draught2 ft 3.5 in (0.699 m)
Depth3 ft 11 in (1.19 m)
Installed power2 x Caterpillar 3208T marine diesel; 280hp each at 2,800rpm
Speed17 kn (31 km/h)
Range240 nmi (440 km)
Complement43 people (Max)
CrewSix

Description

The Freddie Cooper was laid down in 1992 by Green Marine[2] of Southampton, Hampshire. She was delivered to the station in 1993. Her hull has been constructed using a fibre-reinforced composite making her robust, strong and very light.[2] The lifeboat is designed to self-right if capsized but only if her passenger capacity has reached 21 people.[3] If the lifeboat’s survivor compartment is fully ladened with 43 people then the lifeboat is non self-righting.[3] Due to the nature and terrain at the Aldeburgh station, the lifeboat is launched and retrieved using a supplied carriage which gives her quick and safe access across Aldeburgh’s shingle beach. The lifeboat is powered by two Caterpillar marine diesel 3208T engines.[3] Each engine produces 285 horsepower which will push the lifeboat through the water at a top speed of 17 kn (31 km/h).[3] Her fuel tanks hold 1,110 of diesel which give a range of 240 nmi (440 km).[3] The lifeboats propellers are installed in tunnels which protect them when launching or in the shallow waters as is the situation at Aldeburgh.

Service and rescues

Red House Lugger

On 29 August 1996, Freddie Cooper was launched, along with Lowestoft lifeboat RNLB Spirit of Lowestoft (ON 1132), to assist the yacht Red House Lugger which had sent out a mayday signal during a storm. The yacht was approximately 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Lowestoft.[4] On arrival, the lifeboats found that the P&O cargo ferry MV Norking was sheltering the yacht.[4][5] The lifeboats evacuated the yacht's crew, and the Lugger was towed to Harwich, with the rescue taking around 12 hours in total. On 27 November 1996, coxswain of the Freddie Cooper, Ian Firman, received the RNLI bronze medal for his part in the rescue.[4]

Rose Bank

On Sunday 20 May 2000, the Freddie Cooper was launched to assist the small Dutch yacht Rose Bank, which was struggling in gale force 7 winds.[6] During the search, the weather deteriorated sharply and Harwich lifeboat RNLB Fraser Flyer (Civil Service No. 43) (ON 1237) was also launched to assist. Initially reported to be seven miles east of Aldeburgh, the Rose Bank had drifted to 20 miles east of Aldeburgh by the time she was located.

The wind had escalated to gale force 11, a violent storm, and waves were up to 6 m (20 ft) high. All four Rose Bank crew members were rescued, but the lifeboats were unable to secure the yacht for towing. The drifting Rose Bank was recovered three days later by a fishing boat and was towed into Ramsgate in Kent. Coxswain Ian Firman was awarded another RNLI bronze medal for his part in the rescue.

Service and rescues 2000 to date
Freddie Cooper
Date Casualty Lives saved
2009
10 March Windsurfer blown out to sea, Search area but nothing found
2010
20 May Fishing Boat with engine failure, towed back to shore
17 July Yacht in difficulties, Towed back to shore
1 September Called to ditched light Aircraft,
Helicopter rescued the 2 crew,
Search and retrieved small amount of wreckage
9 September Barge with steering difficulties, towed to Harwich
9 September Yacht with broken rigging, Stood by
16 September Yacht stuck on sandbank with broken rudder, Escorted yacht to safety
22 October Yacht with un-well crewman, Crewman taken of by Harwich Lifeboat,
escorted yacht to safety
2011
Relieved by RNLB Bingo Lifeline (ON 1184)
8 May 42 ft Motor boat stranded, towed into Southwold harbour
2 August Stranded Boat at the mouth of the River Alde, escorted to safety
28 August Yacht run aground, Stood by
September 20 Yacht sinking, Pump water out of the boat,
towed the yacht to Southwold Harbour[7]		 2
9 November Fishing Boat, Towed to shore
2012
11 January Fishing Boat with engine failure, Stood down after restart
3 March Fishing Boat with engine failure, Towed to Shore
25 April Yacht in Difficulty, Towed to Lowestoft
15 May Dutch Motorboat with engine failure, towed to shore
31 May Motorboat taking on water, Motorboat pump out and retrieved 3
8 June Dutch Yacht with broken rudder and taking on water,
towed to shore		 3
12 July 25 ft Yacht run aground, Rescued 1 man, returned to refloat the yacht 1
12 July 40 ft vessel with engine failure, towed to shore
17 July Hazardous object in the water, two large storage containers,
removed by lifeboat
27 July 26 ft fishing vessel, Towed in and stood by
8 August 26 ft Fishing vessel with engine problem, towed to shore
28 August Yacht run aground, stood by
30 August Yacht with engine failure, Towed into Lowestoft
31 August Search for a vessel with distress beacon activated,
Vessel found but safe and well
9 October Fishing vessel with engine failure, Towed to safety
11 November Object reported in the sea,
Searched the area, nothing found
2013
4 May Yacht run aground on the beach, re-floated and towed to safety
26 May 133 swimmers[8] in charity race, All accounted for
lifeboat stood down
13 August 54 ft vessel with engine failure, Towed to Harwich
19 August Abandoned stolen dinghy at anchor, Search carried out,
no one found, Stood down

References
  1. OS Explorer Map 231 – Southwold & Bungay. ISBN 978 0 319 23805 9.
  2. "Lifeboats built like Racehorse's". ProBoat online. Professional BoatBuilder Association, © Copyright 2013, All Rights Reserved. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  3. "Mersey-Technical specifications". Lifeboats – Mersey Class. Royal National Lifeboat Association,© Copyright 2013,All Rights Reserved. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  4. Lifeboat Gallantry RNLI medals and how they were won. Edited by:Barry Cox. Published:Spink, London, 1998. Page 403/404.ISBN 0 907605 89 3
  5. "Simplon Postcards – The Passenger Ship Website". P&O North Sea ferry Norking. ©1999-2008 Copyright Ian Boyle/Simplon Postcards. Retrieved 29 August 2013.
  6. "Rose Bank". Aldeburgh Lifeboat service description. Aldeburgh Lifeboat station web site. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  7. "EADT 24". Aldeburgh: Stricken motor cruiser rescued by lifeboat crews. © 2013 Archant Community Media Ltd. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  8. "Southwold Pier to Pub swim". Southwold Pier to Pub Swim: Dozens rescued by coastguards as Suffolk charity swim goes wrong. Daily Mirror Group. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
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