FIFTY HELPERS TO LAUNCH LIFE-BOAT Hastings, Sussex. At 7.10 p.m. on Monday the 19th of August, 1963, the Fairlight coastguard informed the honorary secretary that a small yacht appeared to be in difficulties near the breakwater at Hastings. The honorary secretary went to the life-boat station, where he met the motor mechanic, who told him that the yacht had tried to gain the breakwater but had broached to and had taken a lot of water on board.

Although the weather was fine there was a moderate sea running with a strong wind from the south-west. The life-boat M.T.C. was launched at 7.31 with the aid of fifty helpers, who had to drag the boat over a steep shingle bank as there was an exceptionally low tide.

When the life-boat made contact with the casualty she was one and a half miles south-south-west of the Fairlight lookout. The casualty was the yacht Black Pearl bound from Brighton to Folkestone with two men on board. The life-boat took the yacht in tow but had to heave to for over an hour to wait for the tide before she could make Rye Harbour. After the yacht was secured the life-boat returned to station at 11.50 p.m. A letter of thanks for such a prompt launch under arduous conditions was sent to all concerned by the Institution..