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The Yachtsmen's Life-Boat Supporters' Association By Commander F R H Swann OBE RNVR

IT has always been a comforting feeling for yachtsmen to know that if they are in trouble off the coasts of the United Kingdom or Ireland and can make a distress signal by visual means or R/T, a life-boat will come to their assistance whatever the weather conditions. In pre-war days there were few calls from yachts, partly because of the small number and partly because those that did make coastal passages were usually well found and manned by experienced sailors both professional and amateur. Since the war the situation has changed owing to the fantastic increase in the number of yachts and all forms of boating for pleasure.

Consequently the calls on the life-boat service have greatly increased, the holiday months of August and September being particularly hectic. Services to all forms of pleasure boating have increased threefold in the last ten years. Last year inshore rescue boats alone launched 1,177 times and saved 506 lives and no less than 61 per cent, of these services were to those who seek their pleasure on the sea.

Due to the great increase in the number of services the R.N.L.I. is very fully extended, not only from the personnel angle but also financially because of the ever-increasing cost of new boats, materials, wages and so on. Consequently the Institution is going through a period of financial strain. It needs more regular income, partly in order to maintain the efficient service required, but also to finance new developments and in particular to pay for the fast new life-boat which is now being designed and is urgently needed to enable the life-boat fleet to be deployed to the best advantage in a modern context. The Institution also needs to replenish its reserves which have been drawn on recently and are inadequate.

LEGACIES At present the Institution still has to rely far too heavily on legacies which form between 50 per cent, and 60 per cent, of total income and is, of course, a source of revenue over which it has virtually no control. This is not a satisfactory state of affairs as ordinary income should be sufficient not only to meet ordinary expenditure but also to finance a substantial proportion of capital costs.

Consequently the Committee of Management a year ago considered various ways of raising more money as a matter of great urgency. Amongst other ideas it was felt that an effort should be made to obtain more support from yachtsmen, who are now the principal beneficiaries of the life-boat service. Many yachtsmen and yacht clubs do subscribe to the funds of the Institution but many others tend to take the life-boat service for granted.

The Committee of Management asked me to try and raise more money from yachtsmen. I therefore formed a Committee of prominent yachtsmen, some of whom were members of the Committee of Management, whilst others were co-opted. After considerable discussion and consideration of the views of several hundred yacht clubs and a number of particularly interested individuals, it was decided to start a Yachtsmen's Life-boat Supporters' Association (short title— Y.L.A.) and this was launched by Sir Alec Rose on the second day of the Boat Show in January this year. Sir Alec became the first member and hoisted the Y.L.A. flag in Lively Lady.

SOURCE OF REVENUE The Yachtsmen's Life-boat Supporters' Association exists for two purposes only. The principal one is to be a source of revenue for the Institution. The second is to be a vehicle for increasing interest in the life-boat service through THE LIFE-BOAT journal which will be sent free to every subscriber. The annual subscription for full members has been fixed at £3, the lowest figure which will provide a reasonable margin of profit after meeting the overheads of clerical work, registration, and so on. Full members, in addition to receiving THE LIFE-BOAT journal free can buy an attractive tie, a plaque to fix in their boat, a pennant to fly at the crosstrees, and a key ring, all with a Y.L.A. design. It is hoped that many yachtsmen will pay more than the minimum subscription and also give us covenants which are much more valuable that a straightforward subscription. In addition, there is an Associate Membership with an annual subscription of £1. This is intended for dinghy sailors, young people, non-boat owners and so on. Associate members will receive THE LIFE-BOAT journal free but will not be entitled to buy any of the flags or insignia.

The Institution is advertising the Y.L.A. in yachting papers and other appropriate media. But there is no doubt that it can be promoted best by personal contact. District organising secretaries and inspectors of life-boats have, therefore, been asked to promote the Y.L.A. in their respective areas and we very much hope that many of our branch and guild members will agree to help them.

*Cmdr. Swann is a Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Management of the R.N.L.I. and Chairman of the Operations Committee. He is also Commodore of the Royal Cruising Club.We are also very fortunate in having the services of Commander Middleton, a retired officer with an unrivalled knowledge of life-boat affairs, after many years' experience as an inspector and later as Assistant Chief Inspector and Superintendent of the Depot. He will help to establish contact with yacht clubs and to liaise with them.

The Y.L.A. has made quite an encouraging start and is arousing considerable interest. We must try and keep the momentum going and hope that we shall be able to secure a worthwhile number of subscribers. We should be grateful to any readers of the journal who can help us in this objective..