Success under Challenging Conditions
Project Overview
Criccieth, on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales, is justifiably proud of its Lifeboat Station. The station currently operates a B class Atlantic 85 lifeboat and an Arancia inshore rescue boat. The crews have been presented with nine awards for gallantry. The station, built in 1853, is an attractive building with cheerful red paint and an interesting roof line. However, an old wooden plant trough on the station forecourt was looking less cheerful, and clearly showing the ravages of a life spent on the shore line facing salt spray, abrasive sea winds and not infrequent dousing in salt water.
Powdertech Corby offered to replace the deteriorating trough in memory of a family member; a lifetime supporter of the RNLI and frequent visitor to Criccieth. The environmentally harsh conditions at the sea front meant that the materials used needed to be thoroughly weather-proof. The trough also needed to be visually in keeping with the traditional look of the rest of the building and to be maintenance-free.
The Solution and its Benefits
A trough was fabricated in sections from extruded and sheet aluminium and pre-treated in Powdertech’s multi-stage pre-treatment process to protect all surfaces of the metal whether or not they are visible. The wood effect is a light Beech, PWF 068, which has also been used by a well-known supermarket. PWF offers high performance coating, protecting against corrosion and abrasion with excellent adhesion and with good colour stability. Crucially it does not warp, rot or mildew.Despite facing extreme conditions day-in, day-out, in an environment that would challenge treated or painted wood, and many other materials, the trough looks as good as the day on which it was installed, three and a half years ago. No maintenance has been necessary, an added bonus for a crew with matters of life and death to attend to.
Data sheet with 2018 independent test results is HERE.
The image of Criccieth RNLI Station from the beach is by courtesy of Bob Jones.
