1997 The Finish Lifeboat Society celebrated its hundredth anniversary. The society has over hundred vessels and boats, and more as 10.000 members.
To honour the society one of there lifeboats is depict, she is the MERIKOKKO and was built in the 1930s, she operated from Utö.
She got a engine, but also fitted out with sails
It was Christmas night in 1947, when the American vessel PARK VICTORY was anchored near the islet of Liliharu southeast of Utö; she carried a load of coal from Hampton Roads to Finland.
The crew of the PARK VICTORY planned to stay there for Christmas.
During the night a blizzard broke out, and her anchor chain broke, and the ship drifted out to sea finally
Running aground on the rocks, which holed her water flooded in.
After a SOS was given the lifeboat MERIKOKKO a pilot boat and a navy ship came to the rescue.
Under extreme circumstances this three vessels managed to rescue 38 men, but 10 men were lost.
2009 There is still a MERIKOKKO as lifeboat in Finland, now stationed in Pyhäjoki built in 1938, so I think she is the same lifeboat but modernized.
She has a weight of 20 tons, dim. 13.1 x 3.5 x 0.9m. (draught)
Powered now by two engines, 200kW., speed 9 knots
Crew 3.
Additional info is welcome, is she the same lifeboat and where built.
Finland 1977 2m80 sg 1476, scott 1045
Source: Log Book. http://www.meripelastus.fi/en/pelastusa ... html?id=41 and other web-sites.