Steve Vince, former lifeboat Coxswain/Mechanic at Poole Lifeboat station passed away on 30.01.2024 after a short illness. Steve joined the Poole lifeboat crew in 1981, was appointed Coxswain in 1989 and Coxswain/Mechanic in 1990. He was awarded the RNLI's Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum in 1986 for his part in rescuing a boy and girl from marshland in Poole Harbour and in 1994 he received a framed Letter of Thanks in relation to a service to a yacht in distress. During his RNLI service he was credited as having saved 369 lives.


After retiring from the lifeboat in 1998, Steve continued with his passion for the water and went fishing, netting and potting in the Poole and Swanage area. In 2011, he re-located to the canals and spent a few years navigating the inland waterways on his beloved boat, Willow. It was there that he met his wife Rachel who was also enjoying life on the canals and they subsequently married in 2019.


Steve was an wonderful, caring man with a passion for boats and being on the water which is where he spent most of his life, whether it be a harbour commissioner's workboat, passenger boat, lifeboat, fishing boat, cornish pilot gig or canal boat. He touched so many people's lives and will be very much missed by Rachel and all his family and friends.