On 4 May Appledore hosted the 200-year celebration of the RNLI. The day was fine and in the morning sunshine everyone could visit the Mollie Hunt, Appledore’s Tamar class all-weather lifeboat, brought along the quay while the tides were high. As people stood looking at the modern boat, all technology gleaming, leaflets were handed out to let people know that they could also that day, visit a much older lifeboat who had served Appledore 114 years ago. 

She is the Jane Hannah Macdonald III who, as the last non-motorised lifeboat, served the RNLI out of Appledore from 1910 to 1922. She rescued sailors through storms using only oars and the local knowledge of the crew to avoid sandbanks. She is currently being renovated. Keen to share her story, the Appledore Maritime Heritage Trust, as part of the RNLI celebration, invited the public to meet the boat and learn about the renovation required to get her back on the water. The ambition is that in a couple of years – funding allowing – the Jane Hannah will be along the quay for people to board, and travel in around the Torridge Estuary. 

The shipwright was on hand at the open day to explain the procedures of the renovation. Currently the boat is resting in a steel cradle to hold her together during the repairs. The cradle is a wonder in engineering and was produced by apprentices at Harland & Wolff, for which the charity is immensely grateful. 

Works completed so far include the removal of rot from the ribs and treating them. The original gunwale is now revealed, along with the structural ‘knees’ behind the whaleback foredeck. The original rowlock positions can be seen. Much of the gunwale is in good condition. It would have had a capping on it originally which will be replaced in time. Now the gunwale has been treated it hopefully shouldn’t deteriorate any further.

Heritage boat building is on the list of ‘endangered skills’, but the demand for these skills is high and growing; anyone with a wooden vessel requires them to be maintained and currently there are not enough shipwrights to go round.

If you are interested in visiting the Jane Hannah lifeboat or volunteering some time to assist with her renovation and learn new skills, please contact the Appledore Maritime Heritage Trust at amhtrust.co.uk.