Sextant Management Services Ltd: trading as Norfolk Powerboating and trainingafloat.com
C.2007.8
NORFOLK POWERBOATING
RYA Coastal & Inland Powerboat Training Centre
Own Boat Tuition
ICC
Tel: 01263 576768
Lowestoft, Suffolk: Norfolk Broads: Wisbech Cambs.
Professional, Relaxed
Instruction for
Your
Kind of Boating
FREE ON ALL OUR COURSES:
BOOKS, LOGBOOKS, CERTIFICATES, USE OF LIFEJACKETS,
WATER/WIND RESISTANT SUITS
“Constance of Blakeney” is our ex RNLI Watson 42 Lifeboat, originally named “Dorothy
and Philip Constant” she was exhibited at the Earls Court Boat Show in 1963, going
from there to Shoreham where she served until 1981. She then went north to Oban
after which she was in the RNLI reserve fleet until 1988. Her service number -
which can can qualify you for an ICC Power up to 24 metres loa. h could not get into the harbour so the then “Dorothy” went out three times. Firstly rescuing the captain’s wife and two children, then going back for a young French girl (where the lifeboat was nearly thrown on to the Athina’s deck by waves) and finally returning for 11 more crew.
“Constance of Blakeney”, as she was renamed, is a unique craft, the last Watson 42 Lifeboat built she has escaped conversion, and has many original features including her Gardner diesels (48hp @ 1300 rpm).
She is now equipped with the latest aids to navigation and safety, GPS, Chart Plotter,
Radar, VHF-
She is also one of the few Powerboat Training Centre boats in the UK which can qualify you for an ICC Power up to 24 metres loa.
While at Shoreham she was launched 187 times, and saved 122 lives.
Perhaps her greatest claim to fame was when on Jan 21st 1980 she went to the assistance of the ‘Athina B’, a 3,500 ton vessel, off Shoreham Harbour. Crippled in stormy seas the Athina could not get into the harbour so the then “Dorothy” went out three times. Firstly rescuing the captain’s wife and two children, then going back for a young French girl (where the lifeboat was nearly thrown on to the Athina’s deck by waves) and finally returning for 11 more crew.
“Constance” on her mooring 2006
An original photo from Shoreham -