Hope Cove Life Boat

{{Infobox building

| name = The Hope Cove Life Boat

| image =

| map_type = Devon

| pushpin_relief = 1

| map_caption = Map of Devon showing Hope Cove

| location = Inner Hope, TQ7 3HW

| location_country = United Kingdom

| coordinates = {{coord|50.2417|-3.8577|region:GB|display=inline,title}}

| building_type = Lifeboat station

| opened_date = 1992

| owner = Hope Cove Life Boat

| website = {{url|https://www.hopecovelifeboat.org/|Hope Cove Life Boat}}

| embedded =

| references =

| footnotes =

}}

Hope Cove Life Boat, at Hope Cove in Devon, is a voluntary search and rescue service that operates an inshore rescue boat in the Bigbury Bay area. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) had a lifeboat station at Hope Cove from 1878 until 1930 which is now a listed building.

RNLI Hope Cove Lifeboat Station

The RNLI established a lifeboat station at Hope Cove in 1878 provided by The Freemasons of England.{{Cite web|url=http://rnli.org/findmynearest/station/Pages/Salcombe-Lifeboat-Station.aspx|title = Salcombe Lifeboat Station - RNLI}} The land for the boat house was donated by the Earl of Devon. Replacement boats were supplied in 1887, 1900 and 1903 and all four lifeboats were named Alexandra.

File:The Lifeboat House at Inner Hope Cove - geograph.org.uk - 1423189.jpg

The station was closed in April 1930 by which time the neighbouring station at {{Lbs|Salcombe}} had been equipped with a motor lifeboat which could cover Bigbury Bay.{{cite book |last= Leach |first= Nicholas |title= Devon's Lifeboat Heritage |year= 2009 |publisher= Twelveheads Press |location= Chacewater |isbn= 978-0-906294-72-7 |page= 28}}

The old RNLI boathouse (located at {{coord|50.2421|-3.85937|region:GB}}) has been designated as a Grade II listed building.

Independent service

A rescue boat was based in Inner Hope in 1992. It was crewed by volunteers under the management of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as part of the Cliff Rescue Team (CRT). The decision was made in 2010 that the MCA would no longer maintain any rescue boats in the UK.

The Under Secretary for Transport recognised the ongoing need for this sea rescue facility in Bigbury Bay and gave the village the opportunity to run an independent lifeboat. A public meeting was held in the village and unanimous support given to form a limited company and registered charity to achieve this. The Hope Cove Life Boat became the 63rd Independent lifeboat service in the UK and has since worked with the MCA and the RNLI to continue to meet their goal of protecting and preserving life in Bigbury Bay.{{cite web|title=Operating Area|url=http://www.hopecovelifeboat.org/?page_id=16|website=Hope Cove Lifeboat|accessdate=5 July 2016}} It is a company limited by guarantee, number 07456004,{{cite web|title=Companies House|url=http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//companysearch?disp=1&frfsh=1441134745&#result|accessdate=1 September 2015}} and registered charity number 1140126.{{cite web|title=Charities Commission|url=http://apps.charitycommission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithoutPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=1140126&SubsidiaryNumber=0|accessdate=1 September 2015}}

The {{cvt|6.5|m|ft}} Rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RIB) Alexandra built by Ribcraft of Yeovil. It has been in service since 2013 and had a major refit in 2022.{{cite web |title=Your lifeboat |url=https://www.hopecovelifeboat.org/your-lifeboat/ |website=Hope Cove Lifeboat |access-date=20 December 2024}}