Why do Lifeboats get launched down a slipway.?

Question

Why do lifeboats get hauled out of the water, stored in a dry hanger and launched down a slipway when they are called to help those in danger. Is this not more time consuming and potentially more dangerous for the crew and liable to damage the vessel more than mooring it alongside a dock and just casting off when they get called out.

Answer 1

Lifeboats are not used on a daily basis are they as far as rescues are concerned and given the amount of theft & vandalism that occurs these days it makes sense.Boats of any description are extremely expensive to build & maintain.

Funding is in very short supply too.Having a slip way is the easiest way to launch,trying to launch from a beach is hard work & time consuming,moorings are scarce &also expensive.Lifeboats are mainly used at sea not rivers,where

moorings would be more likely.Try looking along coastlines & then you will see for your self how difficult it would be.

Answer 2

In some areas such as norfolk and the east coast there is a much bigger tidal range and harbours and beaches dry out at low tide so te lifeboat would be aground much of the time. There are 2 problems with this:

1.the lifeboat would not be able to respond to an emergancy at low water

2.being grounded constantly would damage the hull and reduce the speed of the boat remember that the lifeboat cant be taken away for repairs

Area where there are more sheltered harbours and smaller tidal ranges such as on the south coast have lifeboats kept on a mooring in other areas lifeboats are kept on slipways or trailers.

Answer 3

I think it is more to do with quick deployment of the boat,remember ,they are trying to save lives,and taking it out of the water,apart from protecting it from the elements,also gives them a chance to maintain it,and check all the equipment.

Answer 4

maybe we have fire on engine room so life boat get lunched to the sea s.o.s. and crew on board life boat

Answer 5

Here, it depends on the boat, depends on the station. The smaller 25' rigid-hull-rigids are kept on a trailer, while the 44's stay at the dock. It's more practical to keep a boat in the water, yes, but then you have to deal with bottom fouling and that can seriously slow down  your response time too.

Answer 6

purely for speed , if you tried to launch a lifeboat from the shoreline in rough weather it would be impossible

Answer 7

Not 100% sure but maybe it is because with all the equipment on board a vessel like that it is easier to maintain and service the vehicle out of the water each time it is used. Many harbours as well are tidal so having a long slip way means that they can launch at any time of high or low tide without the need to have the boat kept a good distance away from roads etc. Perhaps also it is easier to get the crew and everyone on board quicker inside a building. Just some thougts.