As regular readers are no doubt aware, the team operates a 3.4 metre semi rigid inflatable search and rescue boat complete with outboard engine. (And no its not lost a little bit of its length! Although we have always referred to it as 3.5m long, a recent ‘re-measure’ has disclosed its true length of 3.4m!)

On a recent extensive search of the Bridgewater Canal (Please see Incident 52 – 2014) the outboard engine was proven to be “a bit tired”.

This was duly reported by Team Call Out List Member and Equipment Officer (Water Rescue) Dave Cook to the Team Council, who subsequently approved the purchase of a replacement engine.

A thorough research of all available outboard engines was undertaken by Dave Cook and three engines were shortlisted – these being Honda, Mariner and Yamaha, but based on price, dealer and servicing location, and being the RNLI outboard engine of choice, we today collected from Bill Higham Marine Limited of Worsley, Manchester, a brand new Mariner F6M (6 horsepower) outboard engine at a total cost of £1275.00.

Interestingly, well, according to our Equipment Officer (Water Rescue), this engine has been fitted with a “Prop Guard” – this is a bright yellow Polypropylene housing which surrounds the propeller and not only reduces damage to the propeller if grounded, but more importantly prevents major propeller blade trauma injury to humans and wildlife.

The team would like to extends it’s grateful thanks to Bill Higham Marine http://www.billhigham.co.uk/ for their excellent advice, service and part exchange of our old engine.

We have an exercise planned for mid September where the new engine and boat shall be “extensively tested” – more details to follow as we don’t want to give too much away to our Call Out Members just yet ……

If any of our readers would like to sponsor the purchase of this new engine, we will gladly acknowledge such on our website, and our associated Facebook and Twitter sites, as well as mounting a sponsorship plaque on the engine itself.