LIFEBOAT – FREE GARDENERS Practice

Accreditation The Redcar & Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 26/10/1877.

THE FREE GARDENERS’ LIFEBOAT AT REDCAR

     The crew of the Free Gardener went out for their first practice with this boat on Tuesday afternoon, the 18^th inst. A good launch was effected the boat, with its complement of twenty three hands, taking to the sea in a little over two feet of water. The crew immediately mad for the “Luffway,” and arriving there the boar was tested in various ways; on returning homewards, she was for some time purposely kept amongst the breakers near the shore, which broke over her rather freely – too much so for the comfort of those on board, who were several times thoroughly drenched. Unlike the National Institution’s boat, the Burton—on-Trent, the Free Gardeners’ boat is built on the old principle, and has no rudder, being steered with oars by the coxswains (R. Picknett and J. Thompson): she can consequently be rowed from either end, the oarsman having simply to turn round on their seats in order to proceed in an opposite direction. On landing, the members of the crew expressed themselves well satisfied with the boat. The practice brought out the capabilities of the boat to good advantage on the whole, but the sea was not particularly heavy, and she yet remains to be tried in what may be termed a rough sea.