Lough Swilly RNLI
names new lifeboat, Davdot
14.10.26
LOUGH Swilly RNLI names
new inshore Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, Davdot during a
special ceremony and service of dedication held on
Saturday 10 October 2026.
Joe Joyce, Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Operations
Manager, welcomed guests and had a special mention for
Richard and Jennifer Kendrick who were in attendance to
represent the donors of the lifeboat which has been on
service since April 2026. Richard and Jennifer then
handed the lifeboat into the care of the charity.
The honour of accepting the lifeboat on behalf of the
station and crew went to Liam Magee, President of the
station and John McCarter, chair of the Lifeboat
Management Group. Rev Mel Niblock, Mr Michael Roulston
and Fr Francis Bradley led the congregation in the
Service of Dedication for the noble purpose of rescuing
those in danger on the sea.
A special rendition of the lifeboat song, Home from the
Sea, which is penned by Phil Coulter, was sang by the
lifeboat crew. They were accompanied by the Trad Lads
who provided the music for the ceremony. |
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Richard and Jennifer
Kendrick name the lifeboat Davdot |
Richard and Jennifer
Kendrick then formally named the lifeboat Davdot, as the
gathered crowd of well-wishers including family and
friends of the station, watched as a bottle of the local
craft beer Kinnegar, was poured over the side of the
lifeboat at the end of the ceremony.
Speaking about the event, Joe Joyce, Lough Swilly RNLI
Lifeboat Operations Manager, said it marked another
significant milestone in the station’s history: "As one
of the Launch Authorities, I have the responsibility to
authorise the lifeboat’s launch when requested, and to
send a message to the crew asking them to get to the
station as quickly as possible. We know thanks to the
generosity of the donors and the commitment and
dedication of our volunteers, that Davdot will help
ensure we continue to provide an effective lifesaving
service." |
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L-R: RNLI Trustee Paddy
McLaughlin, Jennifer and Richard Kendrick and Joe Joyce,
Lough Swilly RNLI Lifeboat Ops Manager |
The Davdot replaces the
Minnie and Ernest George Barry which during its almost
19 years at Lough Swilly RNLI, launched 265 times, with
its volunteer lifeboat crews rescuing 233 people, five
of whom were lives saved.
The Atlantic 85 lifeboat is one of the fastest in the
RNLI’s fleet with a top speed of 35 knots. The lifeboat
design allows room for four crew members and is powered
by two 115 horsepower engines. The radar allows the crew
to operate effectively in poor visibility, and it also
comes with VHF direction-finding equipment. |
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The new Atlantic 85 class
lifeboat, Davdot |
The lifeboat has a
manually operated self-righting mechanism which combined
with inversion-proofed engines keeps the lifeboat
operational even after capsize. The lifeboat can also be
beached in an emergency without causing damage to its
engines or steering gear.
The Atlantic 85 which was introduced to the RNLI fleet
in 2005, carries a full suite of communication and
electronic navigation aids, as well as a searchlight,
night-vision equipment and flares for night-time
operations.
Since Lough Swilly RNLI was established almost 40 years
ago, the station’s lifeboats have launched more than
1,000 times with its volunteer crews coming to the aid
of 895 people, 42 of whom were lives saved. |
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