Aldeburgh RNLB Freddie Cooper, 12-34

            RNLB Freddie Cooper 12-34  is the current all-weather lifeboat on station at Aldeburgh, Suffolk. The boat is a Mersey-class fast carriage lifeboat and has been on station since November 1993. She was purchased using a bequest to the RNLI from the late Mrs. Winifred Cooper in memory of her husband Freddie.
Freddie Cooper was laid down in 1992 by Green Marine of Southampton, Hampshire. Her hull has been constructed using a fibre-reinforced composite making her robust, strong and very light. The lifeboat is designed to self-right if capsized but only if her passenger capacity has reached 21 people. If the lifeboat’s survivor compartment is fully ladened with 43 people then the lifeboat is non self-righting. Due to the nature and terrain at the Aldeburgh station, the lifeboat is launched and retrieved using a supplied carriage which gives her quick and safe access across Aldeburgh’s shingle beach. The lifeboat is powered by two Caterpillar marine diesel 3208T engines. Each engine produces 285 horsepower which will push the lifeboat through the water at a top speed of 17 knots. Her fuel tanks hold 242 gallons of diesel which give a range of 240 nautical miles. The lifeboats propellers are installed in tunnels which protect them when launching or in the shallow waters as is the situation at Aldeburgh.

Red House Lugger.
On 29th. August 1996, during storm force winds  Freddie Cooper was launched, along with the Lowestoft lifeboat RNLB Spirit of Lowestoft  to go to the assistance of the yacht Red House Lugger  which had sent out a Mayday and was approximately 30 miles (48 km) south east of Lowestoft. The yacht was on passage from the Netherlands with her skipper, a schoolmaster, and four teenage school children as passengers. Both lifeboats reached the stricken yacht at 10:15 am and found that the P&O cargo ferry MV Norking  was standing by and was providing some shelter for the yacht.
Freddie Cooper's coxswain Ian Firman managed to get alongside and pulled three of people off the yacht. The second coxswain of the Spirit of Lowestoft, Shane Coleman, was then put aboard the yacht and helped the remaining people on to the Lowestoft boat. The yacht was then towed to Harwich to complete what had been a long and arduous rescue. By the time Freddie Cooper returned to her station she had been out at sea for 12 hours. The Lowestoft lifeboat finally got back to its berth at 11:30pm. On 27th. November 1996, coxswain of the Freddie Cooper, Ian Firman, and the coxswain of the Spirit of Lowestoft, John Cathpole, both received RNLI bronze medals for their part in this rescue. Second coxswain Shane Coleman was awarded "the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum".

Rose Bank.
On Sunday 20th. May 2000 Freddie Cooper was launched to go to the help of the Dutch yacht Rose Bank. The yacht had a crew of four who were battling to steer the yacht in a west-north-westerly gale force 7 storm. At 10:38 when the lifeboat was launched, Rose Bank was reported to be seven miles east of Aldeburgh. The weather conditions were rapidly deteriorating and when the Freddie Cooper got to the last reported position there was no sign of the stricken yacht. By this time the Harwich lifeboat RNLB Fraser Flyer (Civil Service No. 43)  had also joined the rescue. Using intermittent radio calls Coxswain Ian Firman was able find the Rose Bank which by this time had drifted 13 miles further east of her original position.
By now the wind had increased to severe gale force eleven and the waves some six metres high. The lifeboat tried several attempts to fire a rocket line across to the Rose Bank so they could secure a tow. This proved to be unachievable and by this time the Rose Bank’s skipper had decided it was time to abandon ship. Three attempts were made by Freddie Cooper to manoeuvre alongside the yacht. The Fraser Flyer positioned herself astern to pick up any one who fell into the sea during the rescue. Three of the crew were lifted off. On the fourth attempt another member of the crew was grabbed and on the last occasion the skipper put his helm hard over, ran to the side and was hauled aboard the Freddie Cooper. The four crewmen were landed at Aldeburgh at 3:15pm and after some time recovering, were eventually taken by car to Harwich to catch the ferry home to the Netherlands. The drifting Rose Bank was recovered three days later by a fishing boat and was towed into Ramsgate in Kent. Eventually the Rose Bank and her owner were reunited.
For his outstanding bravery and gallantry during the rescue of the Rose Bank, Coxswain Ian Firman was awarded a Bronze Medal. Deputy second Coxswain Lee Firman, assistant mechanic, Alan Warner, Jason Burns, Adrian Burns, John Andrews and Chris Spooner were also awarded medal certificates.

Name: Freddie Cooper
Class: Mersey
Operations number: 12-34
Official number: ON 1193
MMSI: 232003208
Call sign: MAKU5
Flag: United Kingdom
Station; Aldeburgh, Suffolk
On station: November 1993 to present
Length overall: 38 ft. 1 in. (11.61 m) 
Beam:13 ft. 1 in. (3.99 m)
Draught: 2 ft. 3.5 in (0.699 m)
Displacement14.07 tons
Engines: 2 x Caterpillar 3208T marine diesels 
Engine output: 2 x 280 hp @ 2,800rpm
Speed: 17 knots  (19 mph - 31 km/h)
Range: 240 nautical miles  (275 miles - 440 km)
Max complement: 43 
Crew: 6
   

Taken in: UK / England / Suffolk Coastal District / Aldeburgh (show map)

Taken on: June 27, 2021

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RNLB Freddie Cooper

12-34

RNLI

lifeboat

Aldeburgh lifeboat

Aldeburgh

Suffolk

North Sea

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Camera: SAMSUNG WB700, f/5.6, 1/250 sec, 58.7mm, ISO 80 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	SAMSUNG WB700
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.004 sec (1/250)
Focal Length:	58.7mm
ISO:	80
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384
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