new marine vessel a lifesaver

Water safety was given a boost over the weekend as Marine Rescue Busselton took possession of a new vessel.

The $500,000 boat, named Busselton Marine 1, and the volunteer organisation’s refitted Cheryll K, benefited from the State Government’s record $19.5 million funding for WA marine rescue groups.

The Busselton group received a $400,000 Emergency Services Levy capital grant, and raised $100,000 over three years for Busselton Marine 1, which is a larger and more powerful vessel than the group previously had.

The Cheryll K was refitted with a new interior and state-of-the-art electronics with an $89,000 ESL grant.

Marine Rescue Busselton skipper Robert Logan said the new vessel would make a difference to the group’s response times and rescue capabilities — perfect timing ahead of the busy summer season.

“The holidays are coming and, just in general, there are a lot more people in the district with boats so this is a really great thing for us,” he said. “This new boat will be able to handle rough conditions much better and be safer for our crew.”

Busselton Marine Rescue has more than 70 active volunteer members and has been involved in more than 25 search and rescue missions over the past year.