Work is progressing well on the new floating boat house for Poole RNLI.

The new structure will provide the volunteer crew with more space to work on Poole’s two lifeboats.

The first phase of the project has just been completed – with steel framework of the house and the floats already in place.

The construction of the external cladding and side walls is expected to start shortly.

The boat house beginning to take shape. Credit: RNLI/Dave Riley

This will be followed by the glazing and preparation for installing the electrics, the boat lifts, and all the essential equipment to kit out the modern lifeboat house.

Poole RNLI has been using a floating boat house since 1995.

In 2016, the structure, which was affectionately known as the Pig Pen, had to be removed to make way for the refurbishment of the Old Poole lifting bridge.

The plan of the new floating boat house. Credit: RNLI

Since then, Poole’s inshore and all-weather lifeboats have been operating from a Versadock floating pontoon alongside the quay outside the RNLI station.

The new-state-of-the-art boat house is being constructed by Four Tees Engineers Ltd.

Once the work on the lifting bridge is finished and its re-opened, the new lifeboat house will be floated down between the quays.

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It will then be secured and installed on to the piles that have already been positioned alongside the bridge.

Poole RNLI said the new floating boat house “will offer the extra space required to securely house Poole’s busy lifeboats and will be a safe working environment for the volunteer mechanics to keep the vessels protected, prepared and ready to launch, whenever required 24/7.”

Poole’s volunteer lifeboat operations manager, Paul Glatzel, said the volunteer crew were very excited that the new permanent home for the lifeboats is becoming a reality.

“The new boat house will provide much more space for the lifeboats and for the crew, enabling them to work safely in and around the boats,” he explained.

“In the future we look forward to facilitating visits to the lifeboat house, promoting the work that the station does, sharing the key sea safety messages, which in turn will help to save lives at sea. Exciting times ahead,” added Glatzel.