Loch Lomond Rescue Boat
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| Loch Lomond Rescue Boat | |
|---|---|
 Loch Lomond Inshore Rescue Station | |
  Luss, West Dunbartonshire | |
| General information | |
| Type | Lifeboat Station |
| Location | Luss, Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, G83 8NN, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 56°06′02.1″N 4°38′08.5″W / 56.100583°N 4.635694°W |
| Opened | 1978 |
| Inaugurated | 1977 |
| Website | |
| Loch Lomond Rescue Boat | |
Loch Lomond Rescue Boat (LLRB) is located in Luss, a village on the western shore of Loch Lomond, approximately 26 miles (42 km) north-west of Glasgow, in the administrative region of West Dunbartonshire, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
An independent search and rescue (SAR) service was established by a local committee in 1977, supported by RoSPA, to rescue people in difficulty on Loch Lomond.[1]
The service currently operates a 7.1 m (23 ft) Halmatic Artic 22 Rigid inflatable boat, with twin Mercury 150hp engines, delivering 44 kn (81 km/h; 51 mph), on station since 2016.[2]
Loch Lomond Rescue Boat is a registered charity (No. SC020014), and a member of the National Independent Lifeboats Association (NILA).[3]
At 22.6 mi (36.4 km) long, Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area of 27.5 mi2 (71 km2), and forms part of the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.[4]
A rescue boat for Loch Lomond was first suggested in 1975, and £10,000 was gifted by an anonymous donor. A meeting was held in Luss to established a committee in 1977, and RoSPA agreed to support the idea, with extra funding of £1000 per annum. A small inflatable boat arrived soon afterwards, and at a naming ceremony in February 1978, the boat was named Luss Younger by H.R.H. Prince Charles.[1]
By the early 90s, RoSPA had stepped away, and management of the station had passed to the 'Loch Lomond Association'. It was decided that a new management team be established, solely responsible for the operation of the rescue boat. The boathouse at Luss was extended in 1993, and a new boat costing £25,000 was provided by the Hugh Fraser Foundation, a charitable trust. The boat was named Sir Hugh Fraser, in memory of the former chairman of the House of Fraser, Harrods, and Whyte and Mackay, who died in 1987.[1]
The boathouse was rebuilt in 2000, and in 2004, plans were drawn up for the specifications of a new rescue craft. In 2006, LLRB received a new Halmatic Artic 22 Rigid inflatable boat, costing £105,000. The majority of funding was received from the Order of St John in Scotland. At a naming ceremony on 14 November 2006, the boat was named St John by H.R.H. Anne, Princess Royal.[5]
By 2022, increased tourism in the area, especially during the summer months, was drastically affecting the call-out times. Crew travelling from their local homes in West Dunbartonshire, could take as long as 50 minutes to reach the boathouse. A temporary base was established at Balloch, significantly reducing launch times, and in October 2024, planning permission was granted to construct a new base near to Balloch Pier.[6]
Station honours
The following are awards made at Loch Lomond.[7]
- Loch Lomond Rescue Boat – 2015
Loch Lomond rescue boats
| Name | On Station | Class | Cost | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luss Younger | 1978–1993 | |||
| Sir Hugh Fraser | 1993–2006 | £25,000 | ||
| St John | 2006– | Halmatic Artic 22 RIB | £105,000 | |