A fundraising appeal has been launched by Leverburgh RNLI Lifeboat station to raise £60,000 towards a new fixed pontoon.
Access to the lifeboat is currently via a temporary modular pontoon which is slippery when wet, particularly at low tide.
It also presents challenging circumstances in bad weather.
A new pontoon berth would allow safer and speedier access, "saving precious minutes which could make all the difference between life and death for a casualty at sea," say fundraisers.
It would improve the landing of disabled casualties.
A generous donation of £10,000 has already been received towards the cost of the new facility from the Jeffrey Trust.
The small community which Leverburgh Lifeboat Station serves already raises approximately £20,000 per year toward everyday RNLI running costs.
But the proposed pontoon berth requires additional funding.
Leverburgh RNLI honorary president, Hamish Taylor, said: “The proposed new pontoon
berth is a very necessary development at Leverburgh Lifeboat station, and will significantly
enhance crew safety when boarding their boat in a hurry. It is also the first step
in the long-
"I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the generosity of the communities of Harris and North Uist, which are already contributing extremely generously to the day to day running of the RNLI; their per capita contributions must surely be among the highest in the country."
The appeal is seeking assistance from Harris exiles, regular visitors and those who have become part of the community by building holiday homes on the island.
A donation page has been set up at www.justgiving.com/Leverburgh-
Leverburgh lifeboat appeal for new pontoon
29 September 2015