SINCE the end of the war in 1945 the number of calls for life-boat assistance emanating from yachtsmen—a term used as conveniently indicating people who go to sea for pleasure rather than profit—has steadily increased. Life-boat calls to yachtsmen accounted for 50 per cent, of the total of 2,295 launches in 1968.

The reaction of most yachtsmen to this information is to suggest that in fact the people getting into difficulties are not yachtsmen at all but inexperienced lubbers who trail craft to the coast and proceed to sea without either the know- ledge or the ability to cope with anything other than a flat calm. Statistics show quite clearly that this explanation will not hold water. All life-boat service reports are carefully analysed and a check over a period of 10 years (1956-1965) shows that by far the greater number of yachtsmen and dinghy sailors needing assistance were fully experienced. Indeed, some of the best known ocean racing vessels have been in distress and assisted by life-boats more than once.

TESTING CONDITIONS The reason is not far to seek. Just as far more swimmers than non-swimmers are drowned, because they are more often at risk, so far more experienced yachtsmen are at sea in weather which not only tests both man and boat but which may well increase suddenly in violence at an extremely inconvenient moment. Not many beginners set out on long passages, particularly in unsettled weather, and in a blow the inexperienced dinghy sailor rarely gets far enough to need a life-boat. In addition, there are strong indications that the Lord still tempers the wind to the shorn lamb! Having failed with this suggestion the hardy critic will almost certainly raise the question of salvage, sometimes even going as far as to hint that the R.N.L.I.

and the life-boat crews make a good thing out of it. Than this there could hardly be a greater calumny.

Every naval man knows that the salvage laws are based on an equitable reward for assistance rendered in saving property and the amount awarded to a salvor is in direct proportion to the work done and the value of what is saved.

In general the 'no cure, no pay' rule applies. Professional seamen have long accepted the salvage laws as fair and equitable and have rarely been heard to complain about them. But at comparatively frequent intervals some yachtsman will cry scandal to high heaven because a life-boat crew have made a claim for salvage after rescuing him and his crew and towing his vessel to safety.

ONLY LIVES It must be clearly stated that life-boatmen do not volunteer to save vessels— only lives. Like everyone else, they are fully entitled to claim salvage for property saved, if they think fit, and there is nothing whatever that the R.N.L.I. can do about it—other than to refuse to claim salvage as owners of the life-boat. The Institution never does claim salvage so that any court award would be reduced by the amount of the owner's share, which is normally a major portion.

*Cmdr. Middleton has been a member of the Royal Naval Sailing Association since 1937 and joined the R.N.L.I. as a District Inspector in 1946. He subsequently became Assistant Chief Inspector and was Superintendent of the Institution's Stores and Repair Depot when he retired in 1964. He has since carried out a close analysis of all life-boat services over a period of 10 years.In fact, life-boat crews themselves very rarely claim salvage and when they do the amount involved is almost invariably less than would be likely to be awarded in court. Many crews have never made a claim at all, and those that have probably did so in sheer desperation after having been told by the owner of a vessel that he was not really in trouble but thought he might just as well take a pluck as the life-boat was there and it was coming on dark. To a life- boatman who has been hauled out of bed two nights in succession and then meets this sort of remark on his next service the temptation to apply a corrective must be overwhelming. Indeed, it might help if more people got round to saying 'thank you'.

'TINY FRACTION' A number of senior, experienced yachtsmen, fully aware of the amount of time and money now devoted to dealing with yachting casualties, decided that an effort must be made to increase the contributions from yachtsmen to the R.N.L.I. At the present moment, as far as can be ascertained, the money donated by those who use the sea for pleasure is but a tiny fraction of what it costs to deal with the casualties of their kind. With the cost of the service now running at nearly £2,000,000 a year it is essential that those who enjoy (if that is the word) the protection afforded by the life-boat service should make a generous contribution towards its upkeep. To this end the Yachtsmen's Life- boat Supporters' Association was formed.

If this appeal fails the possible disadvantages to the pleasure-seeking seagoer are many. State control might well mean restrictions, taxes and so on. Worse, it might well mean less dedicated crews of life-boatmen if the change was made to paid, if not pressed, men. For life-boatmen are great individualists and do not take kindly to regimentation.

So this appeal is made to all who put to sea for their own pleasure. Will you join the Y.L.A. ? If so, please get in touch with your branch secretary, who knowsall about it and has a supply of membership forms. Or write direct to the Secretary (Y.L. A.), Royal National Life-boat Institution, 42 Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.I, who will send you a form. To be frank this does not entitle you to anything you have not been getting already, other than the right to show your support for the life-boat service by flying the Y.L.A. flag, wearing the tie or attaching the plaque to your vessel or dinghy.

Better still, will you also act as liaison officer for the Y.L.A. in your own club and endeavour to induce fellow members to join? This is a really worthwhile effort with which to show appreciation of the men who risk—and sometimes lose—their lives to save others. Even if some of those they save are those ham- fisted lubbers who ought not to go to sea!.