Engine failure A MESSAGE came from Warden Point Coastguard to Sheerness honorary secretary at 0752 on Monday, May 26, to say that a cabin cruiser had broken down near the outfall buoy and groynes half a mile east of Garrison Point. The people on board were waving.

The 44' Waveney lifeboat Helen Turnbull slipped her moorings at 0804 and set out in a force 7 north wind andrough sea; it was low water. As soon as she rounded Garrison Point the cabin cruiser was sighted in broken water near the outfall groynes. The lifeboat was taken in downwind, just touching bottom, about 30' from the casualty.

A line was thrown aboard and her crew were told to cut the anchor warp. Helen Turnbull then went astern into deeper water, where the tow was reconnected to the stern of the lifeboat. The cabin cruiser, together with her crew of three, were brought safely to Sheerness at 0829..