Happisburgh gets set for new lifeboat
(North Norfolk News, 04 September 2008)
Plans to bring a second lifeboat to Happisburgh have taken another step forward.
With the village's RNLI crew hoping to take delivering of an Atlantic 75 craft early next year, a planning application has now been submitted to North Norfolk District Council to replace the slipway at Cart Gap where they are based.
The plan will also see the track leading to the slipway widened to allow access for the new tractor and trailer required for the bigger boat.
Happisburgh Lifeboat Station was forced to relocate to Cart Gap in 2003 after the village's lifeboat ramp fell victim to coastal erosion.
Lifeboat operation manager Cedric Cox said that he felt with the work being done to improve the Cart Gap ramp it meant the station would remain there for at least another five years and most probably permanently.
He said: "The Cart Gap ramp has got to be made wider and be repaired because it has been there for more than 30 years.
"Hopefully when we get the permission it should take a month to six weeks to do.
"We should then get the tractor and trailer before getting the boat in January or February."
When it arrives, the new Atlantic 75 will be stationed alongside the station's current D class boat for a two year trial.
It has a much greater range and better rough weather capability than the class D boat and is faster, with a top speed of 35 knots.