Portree RNLI

13/08/2026

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea, but it’s not limited to launching a lifeboat or providing lifeguards to save lives.

Water Safety contributes to the RNLI’s vision of saving everyone, by developing Water Safety and Lifesaving Plan and working with Partners to help influence improved safety, to reduce the number of preventable deaths and incidents that occur within local coastal and inland waterway environments.

The RNLI is currently recruiting a volunteer Water Safety Advisor to based in Portree.

The Water Safety Advisor is part of a team contributing towards the local Water Safety and Lifesaving Plan by going into the community and delivering RNLI water safety advice.

To find out more information and to apply, head to the RNLI website 👇

The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea, but it’s not limited to launching a lifeboat or providing lifeguards to save lives. 

13/08/2026

Monday 3 February 1997 - the Press & Journal reported that the new Portree lifeboat had been tasked with her first launch.

The higher speed of Stanley Watson Barker compared to her predecessor meant that response times were greatly cut when responding to incidents.

🗞️ British Newspaper Archive

12/08/2026

The bunting and flags are up! Our 2026 Open Day is just around the corner… see you this Saturday 15 August from 11am down on the pier 🤩

12/08/2026

In The Courier and Advertiser on Saturday 23 July 1994, this article mentions that the Waveney lifeboat at Portree, Ralph and Joy Swann, was to be replaced by a brand new Trent class vessel - a lifeboat that would later be named as Stanley Watson Barker.

12/08/2026

In April 1991, The Press and Journal reported that the Waveney class lifeboat, Ralph and Joy Swann, had started sea trials in preparation for her new role as Portree lifeboat.

The vessel had previously been based in Tobermory and had undergone a full refit in Buckie before taking up service in Portree.

🗞️ British Newspaper Archive

11/08/2026

As we approach Open Day and the final farewell to Stanley Watson Barker on Saturday 15 August, we are going to share some archive photos and articles from the history of the station.

This first photo shows Stanley Watson Barker arriving in Portree and taking over the service from the Waveney class vessel Ralph & Joy Swann, which had been the permanent Portree lifeboat since 1991.

The second photo shows our new lifeboat, Peter and Mary, arriving at Portree for the first time in April 2026, as Stanley Watson Barker watches on (photo credit to Martin Fish/lifeboatphotos).

11/08/2026

Portree RNLI was first established in 1991, with the Waveney class lifeboat Ralph & Joy Swann permanently assigned to the station following a trial period using a relief vessel. The Waveney was the first class of ‘fast afloat’ lifeboats to be operated by the RNLI and was based on the design being used by the United States Coast Guard at the time.

In June 1996, Portree welcomed a new Trent class lifeboat to the Isle of Skye station, which had been built at a cost of £1,175,000 and had double the engine power and range of its predecessor. It was officially named Stanley Watson Barker and was funded from the bequest of the late Mr Stanley Watson Barker, former town clerk for Barking and Dagenham, together with legacies from Mr Jack R. Blaxland and Mrs Eileen Arabian.

David Beaton trained to become Deputy Second Coxswain onboard the new lifeboat and remembers seeing her for the first time:

‘When we went down to Poole in 1996 to see our new Trent class boat, which became affectionately known as ‘Stan’, we were completely blown away with her. She is an amazing boat which has proven its worth - time and time again - over the last 30 years. It was a privilege to be part of her crew.

‘I could talk all day about the memories aboard both boats and every successful rescue is a good memory. But there have also been some sadder memories too along the way.’

The current station Mechanic at Portree RNLI, John ‘Clanky’ Nicolson, is also a long-serving crew member:

‘When the Portree station first opened, the crew were alerted to a ‘shout’ by rocket maroons launched from the pier. We use pagers nowadays of course, which the crew always carry with them. A lot has changed in terms of technology and paperwork, but the primary focus remains – to save lives - and we are proud to be a part of that.

‘Being part of the crew is like being part of an extended family, you have to trust your crew and your lifeboat with your life, and we have a really tight-knit crew here.’

Both David and John have family members following in their RNLI footsteps. David’s son, Iain Beaton, is a volunteer Coxswain and crew member at the station and John’s son, Stuart Nicolson, is the full-time station Coxswain.

David and John were together on the very first shout for Stanley Watson Barker in 1996. In 2026, Iain and Stuart were on the crew for the first shout for the brand-new lifeboat Peter and Mary.

Read the full news release in the comments 🧡

11/08/2026

A final farewell to Stanley Watson Barker 🧡 after three decades of active service, the island of Skye will be saying a final farewell to our veteran RNLI lifeboat.

During her long service, she launched to 530 incidents. 458 people were aided by the lifeboat and her crew, and 11 lives were saved.

The Trent class vessel took up the duties of the official Portree lifeboat in 1996 – a position which she held for 30 years.

The veteran lifesaving vessel officially handed over the title of Portree lifeboat to the brand-new £2.78M Shannon class RNLB Peter and Mary on Monday 1 June 2026.

Members of the public are being invited to say a final farewell to Stanley Watson Barker during the station Open Day on Saturday 15 August, before she heads off to pastures new.

Read the full news story in the comments 🧡