Lifeboat Station

from Aldeburgh Town Guide 2021

The Arts

Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station

Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station evolved from the Suffolk Shipwreck Association station in 1851 which was originally in Sizewell and there has been a lifeboat here since that date.

The present station has two boats - the Mersey-class lifeboat Freddie Cooper and the inshore lifeboat Susan Scott. The station covers the coast from Harwich to the south, and Southwold to the north.

The current lifeboat station was built in 1994 to replace a smaller one on the same site. The new station gave cover for the first time to the boat and a launching tractor. Incorporated into the design is a public viewing platform. The station has showers and toilet facilities for the crew and a heated store for their foul weather suits. This new boathouse was built using part of the bequest of Mrs Eugenie Boucher, who died in 1992.

The Freddie Cooper, on station since November 1993, is 38 feet long and is self-righting. She is powered by two 285 hp turbo -charged Caterpillar 3208T diesel engines and she has a range of 140 nautical miles. These two engines push the boat through the water to a top speed of 16 knots. Fully laden she weighs 13 tons and she is operated by a volunteer crew of six. The Lifeboat has a capacity to rescue 43 survivors (selfrighting up to 21). She was purchased using a bequest to the RNLI from the late Mrs Winifred Cooper in memory of her husband Freddie.

RNLI Headquarters have announced that Aldeburgh Lifeboat Station will be getting a new Shannon-class boat.

The station’s inshore lifeboat - the Susan Scott- is named after a generous benefactor, who attended the naming ceremony.