Forty years on the ex RNLI Dover MLB Waveney 44004 (plus seven others) is still operating with the Royal Volunteer Coastal Partrol, Narooma Division. The vessel is still powered by RNLI fitted 3208 Cats but unfortunately the old bus is showing its 40 years. Many deck rivets have corroded out, exhausts need replacing, the APU needs a rebuild and the hull is getting a bit thin in places. The vessel generally is in dire need of a major refit.
The vessel is used for inshore rescue work on the Far South coast of New South Wales, Austrlaia which requires negiotation of the notiorous Narooma Bar entrance (10 fatalities on this bar in the last 10 years). Fantastic vessel in a head sea, very lively (horrible) in a following sea (too slow, wrong hull shape), especially surfing in through a bar with only 80m of searoom between the Bar sea walls. Great close quarters handling vessel and one thats been a priverledge for me to handle.
Ross Constable Senior Skipper, RVCP Narooma Division