Port Erin's station history

Lifeboat house constructed at a cost of £250.

Slipway constructed at approximate cost of £1,000.

Gas service provided to lifeboat house.

New boathouse and slipway built.

Bronze Medal awarded to Coxswain Maddrell BEM and an additional £5 monetary award to the coxswain and six remaining crew members for their service to the coaster Moonlight which foundered off Bradds Head in a south south-westerly gale, very rough sea and poor visibility on 9 September 1970. The Peel lifeboat also took part in this service in which two men were rescued.

The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum accorded to Coxswain Peter Woodworth in recognition of the determination and seamanship displayed by him when the lifeboat under his command rescued by breeches buoy three skin-divers who had become trapped at the base of a 700ft cliff one mile north of Fleshwick Bay in a strong to gale force south-south-westerly wind and a rough sea on 28 March.

Centenary Vellum awarded to station.

All-Weather lifeboat withdrawn on 22 June and station temporarily closed due to modifications to the slipway, the manufacture of a new launching trolley and new lifting beam for the stations Atlantic 21 lifeboat.

Station re-opened on 24 July with the placing on service of an Atlantic 21 lifeboat.

The 37ft Rother class lifeboat Osman Gabriel, stationed at Port Erin from 1973 until June 1992 was sold to the Estonian Lifeboat Service (Eesti Vetelpaasteuhingu). Funding was inevitably difficult and the British Embassy in Tallin was approached for assistance. As a result, the Foreign Office agreed to the ambassador's recommendations that funds would be made available to buy the lifeboat from the RNLI. The lifeboat joins five rescue cruisers which are already part of the Estonian's lifeboat service fleet.

Two-storey extension to the boathouse constructed. Facilities include a souvenir sales outlet, an office and improved crew facilities.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, President of the Institution visited the station on 30 October accompanies by the Chairman of the Institution Mr Peter Nicholson and the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Air Marshal Ian MacFadyen CB,OBE.

Slipway and boathouse adaptation completed in June at a cost of £304,408. 

The new class of lifeboat Atlantic 85 B-813 Muriel and Leslie was placed on service on Wednesday 1 November. This lifeboat was funded from the generous bequest of Mr Leslie Hartle. Lifeboat B-594 has been withdrawn to Cowes.