Macduff Lifeboat Station

Macduff Lifeboat Station
Macduff Lifeboat Station
	Macduff Lifeboat Station with lifeboat Lydia Macdonald on display next to the Scania launch vehicle
	Macduff, Aberdeenshire
General information
Type	RNLI Lifeboat Station
Address	Bankhead
Town or city	Macduff, Aberdeenshire, AB44 1RD
Country	Scotland, UK
Coordinates	57°40′21.7″N 2°29′39.5″W / 57.672694°N 2.494306°W
Opened	1860
Owner	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
	Macduff RNLI Lifeboat Station

Macduff Lifeboat Station is located on Bankhead in Macduff, a harbour town and former Royal Burgh, which sits opposite Banff, Aberdeenshire on the eastern shore of the River Deveron, overlooking Banff Bay in Aberdeenshire, historically Banffshire, in north-east Scotland.

A lifeboat station was established at Macduff by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1974, although a lifeboat station in this part of Aberdeenshire has been sited in various locations locally since 1860. Supporters and volunteers treat the station as 'one', regardless of the location.^[1]

The station currently operates a B-class (Atlantic 85) lifeboat, Skipasund (B-933), on station since 2022.^[2]

History

In 1859, Capt. MacDonald, Commander of H.M. Coastguard at Banff, responded to the RNLI, who at the time were keen to place more lifeboats on the coast of Scotland. With the support of the Banff Harbour Trustees, he gained considerable support locally, and the RNLI established Banff Lifeboat Station in 1860.^[3]

The station was officially renamed Banff & Macduff Lifeboat Station in 1902, although it appears to have been known by that name in most publications since 1860.^[1]

In 1923, the lifeboat was relocated to Whitehills Harbour, with the name changed to Whitehills Lifeboat Station in 1924.

After 45 years, with lifeboat cover provided by Buckie and Fraserburgh, it was decided to close Whitehills lifeboat station in 1969.^[1]

For earlier history, please see –

1970s onwards

The decision to withdraw the All-weather lifeboat was reversed in 1974, and a station was re-established, but this time located at Macduff, and named Macduff Lifeboat Station. A twenty-year-old 52-foot Barnett-class lifeboat James & Margaret Boyd ON 913), which previously served at Stornoway for 19 years, was placed on service temporarily for one year.^[4]

On a cold Saturday on 3 April 1975, a large crowd gathered at the Fishmarket at Macduff, for the official naming ceremony of Macduff's new lifeboat. The lifeboat was actually nearly two years old, and had served briefly in the relief fleet, and at Kirkwall. The lifeboat had been funded by the Douglas Currie Trust, along with other donations from the estate of the late J. J. Davidson, and a gift from the Glasgow RNLI Ladies Guild.^[5]

The 48-foot 6in Solent-class lifeboat was handed to the care of Macduff lifeboat branch, accepted by George Mackay, Honorary Secretary, after which the lifeboat was named Douglas Currie (ON 1021) by Miss Caroline Currie, grand-niece of one of the principal donors.^[5]

In 1984, the station closed again briefly, the All-weather lifeboat being withdrawn once again. The station was to become an Inshore lifeboat station, and the B-class (Atlantic 21) Inshore lifeboat Guide Friendship II (B-530) was placed on service in 1985.^[6]

The station is currently equipped with an B-class (Atlantic 85) lifeboat, Skipasund (B-933), funded by a donation from the Skipasund Foundation. Skipasund was officially handed over to the RNLI and named at a ceremony at the lifeboat station on 10 June 2023.^[7]

The launch & recovery system at Macduff is unique within the RNLI, being the only station where the boat is stored, launched and recovered from a mobile davit, which is essentially, a Flatbed truck with a HIAB crane.^[6]

Station locations and names

Dates	Station Name^[8]	Location	Comments
1860–1877	Banff	Deveronside/High Shore
1877–1902	Banff	Banff Bridge
1902–1923	Banff & Macduff	Banff Bridge
1923–1924	Banff & Macduff	Whitehills
1924–1969	Whitehills	Whitehills	^{[Note 1]}
1973–1984	Macduff	Macduff	^{[Note 2]}
1985–	Macduff	Macduff	^{[Note 3]}