dartmouth is a small port on the west side of the natural harbour formed by the river dart. in the 1860s the dartmouth and torbay railway established more quays on the opposite bank at kingswear. the rnli approved that dartmouth lifeboat station be established at dartmouth in july 1876 but it was 1878 before a lifeboat arrived. during the summer the lifeboat was kept in a boat house at sand quay, but during the winter it was kept afloat in warfleet creek where it was quicker to respond to any ships in distress. it would prove difficult for the rowing lifeboat to leave the estuary of the dart if the wind was blowing from the sea unless a tug was able to help. the station was closed in 1896 and during all that time just one effective service was provided. that was on 20 september 1887 when the crew attended a trawler near kingswear castle. the boat house is now used by the dartmouth amateur rowing club.