Fleet Bay Inshore Rescue Service

26/08/2026

Can you join us at Mossyard this weekend?

First up we have a regatta on Mossyard Beach from 1145. Bring Boats, Paddleboards or Kayaks, it's family friendly for experienced and less so. FBIRS will be on the water.

And afterwards, join us at 1Littlefarm for the Big Summer BBQ, where there will be live music, wonderful food and great company. All proceeds go to FBIRS.

Tickets required for the BBQ, but not for the Regatta.

We look forward to seeing you all there.

25/08/2026

🚤 Our new website is live!

We’re delighted to share the new Fleet Bay Inshore Rescue Service website.

It gives you a chance to learn more about who we are, our history, our volunteer crew and the work we do across Fleet & Wigtown Bay — as well as keeping up to date with our latest news, fundraising and progress.

A huge amount has happened over the last year, and the new website gives us a proper home online where we can share that journey with you.

🌊 Take a look:
www.fleetbayirs.co.uk

And, as always, thank you to everyone who supports FBIRS. Your support helps keep this independent volunteer rescue service ready to respond when we’re needed.

Saving lives in Fleet & Wigtown Bay since 1974.

19/08/2026

1littlefarm at Mossyard are hosting a Big Summer BBQ on Saturday 29th August to raise funds to complete the lifeboat. We'd love it if you can join us there. Tickets available from 1littlefarm

On Saturday 29th of August we are hosting an end of summer BBQ to raise funds towards the new Inshore Rescue Boat. Tickets are available to purchase and reserve from the Farmshop at Mossyard.

Please come and join us for a variety of live music and tasty home grown BBQ food. Side dishes welcome. We will host in the lambing shed opposite the Farmshop.

All welcome - join us!
Please share 💛

18/08/2026

Over the last year, the community has helped us raise an incredible amount of money towards a new lifeboat for Fleet Bay Inshore Rescue Service.
We’re delighted to bring you an update on our work to date in the last year:
• We’ve gained charity status
• Formed a board of trustees
• We’ve recruited new crew
• We’ve refurbished our boat house
• We’ve purchased a dedicated launch vehicle
• Undertaken hours of training and fortnightly exercises
We placed an order with RIBCRAFT UK & Europe, who have a strong history of producing high quality RIBS for rescue and military services, for a completed, operational lifeboat.. The Global CEO of RIBCRAFT UK & Europe, Toby Adams has recently and very unfortunately informed us they would be unable to complete the contract as agreed. So, to protect our (and your) investment we arranged to recover the boat, trailer and all of the equipment, which had already been purchased by Ribcraft. As a result we have moved the partially completed boat to another specialist boat builder nearby to complete. This has led, however, to an unfortunate delay at additional cost.
Every pound raised has come from local people, businesses, fundraising events and charitable trusts who believe in what we are trying to achieve — a safe, modern lifeboat to protect people in Fleet and Wigtown Bay.
For more than 50 years, volunteers have gone to sea to help those in trouble. With the continued support of the community behind us, we are looking forward to having her on the water, saving lives, before long.
Thank you, as always, for standing with us.
Fleet Bay Inshore Rescue Service
Saving lives in Fleet & Wigtown Bay since 1974.

28/07/2026

This afternoon we were alerted by a member of the public to a windsurfer in difficulty in Fleet Bay whose board and mast had become separated.
We quickly launched but given the sea conditions it took time to locate the casualty who was lying on his windsurfing board. We brought him aboard, recovered his board and mast and returned him to Cardoness.
Again, a great result. A very experienced windsurfer who was very grateful for our assistance. He’d been windsurfing for 40 years and this is the first time he’d needed assistance.
Thanks to our volunteers and emergency services again for their support.
Thank you to Douglas Wilcox for the pictures.

26/07/2026

Our new crew members are giving of their time and knowledge and we're really thankful to the 3 new members who have joined FBIRS. This week was Keith's turn for some familiarisation of Fleet Bay & The Fleet Isles. Keith brings bags of experience with him and he's a superb addition to the crew. At 6 foot 3, we're also having to have a new drysuit made to fit him!
Training continues both on and off the water to prepare the service for our future HMCG inspection.

23/07/2026

This evening 2 kayakers were caught out by the WNW wind gusting force 6 and couldn’t return to Mossyard and ended up off Cardoness, despite having continually paddled for over 1 hour losing considerable ground over that time. Thankfully another good outcome and as always great to work alongside other emergency services.

20/07/2026

FBIRS are delighted to become members of the National Independent Lifeboat Association.

NILA was only formed in 2022 and was set up to support and promote independent lifeboats up and down the country.

Their work and support we're sure will prove invaluable as we work towards becoming a Declared Facility.

We are happy to announce that Fleet Bay Inshore Rescue Service have joined NILA.

17/07/2026

Thank you to the late Geoff Keating and his family, who have sent us these pictures from the launch of our current boat around 24 years ago.

Pictured christening the boat is the late Molly Wallace, who was a season resident at Mossyard and lead a group dedicated ladies who raised significant sums of money for FBIRS through tablet making, knitting and raffles.

Also pictured is Tony Wood MBE, Solway Sector Manager for HMCG. Tony was and continues to be a great support for FBIRS and general maritime safety in Dumfries & Galloway.

Finally, the crew - somewhat younger looking than today! Kerr McConchie, accommpanied by his sons John, Murray & Duncan, who continue to crew the boat today along with other newly recruited crew members.

Our dedicated launch vehicle back in those days was a Massey Fergusson 135!

15/07/2026

We thought this was a good article to share…

You can order your free label pack here…

https://mca-ws.apsmos.com/ViewProduct.html?sp=Swaterprooflabels

Whether you’re new to kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding, or heading out regularly, make sure you’re prepared before getting out on the water.

Before you go, check you have:

Personal flotation device – to help keep you afloat if you enter the water 🦺

Fully charged mobile phone – kept in a waterproof pouch so you can call for help 📱

Personal locator beacon – useful if you lose mobile signal 📍

Equipment labels – label your paddleboard, kayak and other watersports kit, so the Coastguard can check you’re safe if it’s found 🏷️

In an emergency at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.