Product Description
13 March 2008 - Lifeboat issue
Royal Mail marks the centenary of the adoption of SOS as the worldwide standard distress signal with a set of 6 stamps highlighting the actions of the crews of Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency (MCA) who regularly risk their own lives attempting to save those of others.
Two sets of gutter pairs are available at basic price.
To buy one set of gutters, please order two sets of stamps and specify 'Gutter Pair' in the 'Additional Information' box at Checkout. Two buy a block of 4 sets (2 pairs), please order four sets.
Every year hundreds of incidents offshore put life at risk. These may come from international commercial shipping, fishing vessels or leisure sailors - from ocean racing enthusiasts to windsurfers, and may include the incautious swimmer. Response to signals of distress is the responsibility of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), which co-ordinates a rapid and proportional response based upon the information it receives and the resources at its disposal. Among these are the lifeboats of the Royal and National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), MCA or military helicopters, or other ships and vessels close to the casualty. Most such emergency rescues at sea are initiated by a Mayday call, an internationally recognized request for help derived from the French "m'aider" - help me.
The MCA have a network of 19 command and control centres to co-ordinate Search and Rescue activities around the coast of the United Kingdom. The RNLI operates a variety of different lifeboats depending upon the response required. Comprehensively equipped to deal with all forms of survival problems, both solid hull and inflatable boats are used.
The Tamar-class, shown at Tenby on the 78p stamp, is the most modern lifeboat in service. Displacing 31.5 tonnes the Tamar is a fast, slip-way launched, all-weather boat with a sophisticated control system. With a fibre reinforced composite hull and twin diesel engines the Tamar can reach 25 knots and has a range of 250 nautical miles. The Tamar will eventually replace the older Tyne-class lifeboat, shown at Appledore on the 46p stamp (displacement 25 tonnes).
The Severn-class, shown at Barra on the 1st class stamp, is the largest in the fleet with a displacement of 41 tonnes. It shares its hull shape with the smaller, but basically similar Trent-class (displacement 27.5 tonnes).
The Mersey-class (not shown on the stamps*) is the smallest solid hulled lifeboat and the first designed to launched from a carriage.
Designed for inshore, estuary and river rescue the rigid inflatable lifeboats (RIB) include the 8.5 metre B-class and the 5 metre D-class, shown at St Ives on the 54p stamp. The small and highly manoeuvrable D-Class can be trailer mounted.
The Coastguard's Sikorsky S61N helicopters, are operated from four MCA bases and the MCA can call on additional support from two Royal Navy and six Royal Air Force helicopter bases ensuring UK wide search and rescue cover. The Portland based Coastguard Helicopter 'Whiskey Bravo' (on the 48p stamp) became operational on 1 October 1995. The Lee-on-Solent based Coastguard Helicopter 'India Juliet' (on the 69p stamp) became operational on 15th May 1988.
