inflateable

What level of performance enhancing drugs are used in top flight football? How often are players tested?

What is the relationship like between RNLI beach lifeguards and the offshore crews? Esp. considering the beach guys get a wage? Is there coordination between the two on a shout?, eg IRB versus ILB?

Really interesting stuff (sorry for late reply, I've been away).
Yeah, our Arancias are super basic - a rescue tube, spare paddles in case of engine failure, driver and one crew and that's about it. Generally someone will paddle out to a casualty on a paddle board, and keep them afloat/stable while the IRB gets sorted out and then comes and picks them up.

Paddling someone through the surf on a rescue board is ok if they're calm, but a nightmare if they're panicky or the surf is big.

Ah, good stuff, interesting! I'm a volunteer beach lifeguard (private beach, and the owners are too tight to pay the council for RNLI cover) and we're pretty much on our own with an IRB and channel 16 if it's getting hairy. I wondered how it's supposed to work.... I'm always under the impression that the beach guys and the offshore guys are two separate entities almost.

How does the Atlantic differ from an Arancia? Bigger, obviously, more powerful engines, but more stuff to carry too? Do you train in the surf zone?

I think the RNLI have their own beach lifeguard standard beyond the NARS qualifiction minimum - I know they pool train once a week anyway, and get paid for it...

EDIT - gah, the Atlantic isn't the boat I had in my head, I was thinking of a D Class.