Hurricane tow AT ABOUT 1515 on Thursday, October 14, 1976, HM Coastguard informed the honorary secretary of Weymouth lifeboat station that the 52-ton yacht Latifa had requested assistance off Portland Bill. She had damaged sails, a shattered main boom, split mast and jammed halyards. HMS Ariadne, a Leander class frigate, was in the vicinity and making for the yacht's position. The honorary secretary placed the lifeboat crew on stand-by in the boathouse.

An intense cyclone, with winds of hurricane force, had been moving steadily up the coast all night and throughout the day. All Channel Island ferry sailings had been cancelled and, even at the lifeboat house in Weymouth harbour, in the lee of the south-west wind, it was plain that it was now at least storm force 10. There was adelayed but now strong ebb tide running directly against this wind, as the sequel to an unexpectedly high water earlier, and so it was apparent that the sea condition was going to be much worse than anything to which this first glass fibre 54' Arun lifeboat, Tony Vandervell, had been exposed since she was built.

Eventually the honorary secretary learned that Ariadne had succeeded in escorting the yacht clear of Portland Race, and that the casualty was now making steady if slow progress eastwards under the power of her own engine. It was naturally assumed by all concerned that she would now turn north for the shelter of the Bill and Weymouth. The crew were, therefore, stood down and two of them returned to their individual duties elsewhere. It was now about 1630.

Soon after this, the commanding officer of Ariadne, who was in touch with Latifa on VHP, received a request from the yacht, which had a crew of four men, to take off the four women who were on board as the skipper intended to continue heading downwind for the Needles. He also asked Ariadne to escort him there. To this the captain replied that he could not manoeuvre close enough to take anyone off; he could not even pass them a tow under those conditions and he strongly advised them to enter Weymouth.

At about 1710, the Coastguard informed the honorary secretary that the yacht had now reported running short of fuel and that the escorting frigate had suggested that Weymouth lifeboat should be asked to attempt to take the yacht in tow for Weymouth; the honorary secretary decided to launch while there was still some daylight left.

Second Coxswain Victor Pitman, the coxswain being away on leave, hurriedly mustered his crew again, this time with two local fishermen (not crew members) to replace the two who had had to departearlier, and to keep his total number up to the seven he was sure he was going to need. Vic Pitman took the lifeboat away from her moorings at 1728. It was his second time in command of her.

Acting Coxswain Pitman knew he would have no communication with the crew on the after deck once they were exposed to the shrieking wind and he had already made up his mind that the only possibility would be to tow the yacht to safety. So he put Crew Member Bertie Legge in charge on deck while he concentrated his entire attention on controlling and manoeuvring the lifeboat from the upper conning position.

Motor Mechanic Derek Sargent was to do all the navigating by radar and Signalman Lionel Hellier manned the radio, while Emergency Mechanic Eric Pavey acted as intercom between the coxswain and the towing party and helped in all departments. Newcomers John Kellegher and Bernard Wills completed Bertie Legg's deck party.

Tony Vandervell headed south towards an expected rendezvous near West Shambles Buoy. On approaching Grove Point, however, Ariadne indicated a position further to the east and requested rendezvous to be made at the East Shambles Buoy. Acting Coxswain Pitman now had to alter course south east with the prospect of the sea in its worst potential position, on his quarter. Full speed was maintained until, when about a mile from the rendezvous and no sign of the frigate and her charge could be seen, the lifeboat slowed to about 14 knots.

The wind was now west south west hurricane force 12, blowing on the lifeboat's starboard quarter, directly against an ebb tide of about 3 knots.

The seas were consequently phenomenal and more than once hurled the lifeboat over almost on to her beam ends. An estimate of the worst roll experienced was that it reached 70 degrees. The East Shambles Buoy was sighted lying flat on the water under the weight of the wind and the course was altered southwards to meet the casualty.

It was at about this time that the metal cover on the compass in the wheelhouse was torn from its pivots by a particularly violent pitch, lifted itself clear, then flew horizontally aft, striking the bulkhead by the doorway, beside a crew member's head HMS Ariadne's lights were eventually sighted, and the casualty was met about 1.5 miles south of the East Shambles Buoy at about 1815. It was now dark.

On the southerly course, the lifeboat rolled heavily as the crew began the hazardous job of preparing the towline.

It had to be brought up from its stowage in the tiller flat and flaked out in the after cabin as it would have been impossible to work along the side decks and the ropes would have been washed overboard.

The yacht's skipper once more asked for the women passengers to be takenoff and for the lifeboat to escort him to the Needles. The coxswain replied that this was not possible and Ariadne's captain explained that he could not even manoeuvre enough to give a lee for such an operation. The lifeboat's signalman then informed the yacht's master that his only hope was to accept a tow to Weymouth.

The lifeboat's dinghy, on the after deck, although under lashings, was blown out of her chocks by the force of the wind, until It pressed against the towing bollard. Lionel Hellier braced himself to fire a rocket line as Acting Coxswain Pitman made his first approach into the wind, the yacht's skipper having altered course for the purpose. As he glimpsed the yacht's lights between the waves and squeezed the trigger, a sudden lurch sent him sprawling across the dinghy, the rocket line tumbling out of its canister and the rocket away from its target. He decided to make the next shot lying across the dinghy and the second line was prepared while the lifeboat was turned through 360 degrees for another approach. Aim was difficult, the yacht's lights only being briefly visible between waves. Even Acting Coxswain Pitman on the upper conning position lost sight of her several times, although she had a 90' mast and her masthead light was burning.

A consensus of wave height estimates at this point places them between 40 and 50 feet and the captain of Ariadne says they were as steep as anything he has seen.

The second shot fell right across the rigging of the yacht, but her crew were unable to reach it.

Once more a line was prepared and once more Vic Pitman took the lifeboat in a complete circle for yet another approach. The crew were full of praise for his handling of the boat, especially during this most difficult phase.

For his third shot, Lionel Hellier decided to get maximum visibility by standing again. It was impossible, however, to stand without support on that deck and so John Kellegher pinned him against the after guardrail, with his arms around both sides of him, while he fired. Both men were in a very hazardous situation by the after boarding position at that moment, with the lifeboat pitching heavily. The shot was a bull's eye, straight between the yacht's rigging and into the crew's hands.

About 60 fathoms of nylon tow line was veered out as Acting Coxswain Pitman, with a masterly display of seamanship, manoeuvred his lifeboat to take the strain gently and begin the tow with a turn to starboard towards Weymouth. About 4 knots was made good.

Derek Sargent had been manning the radio during Lionel Hellier's absence, and he now returned to his navigating duties. No buoys could be sighted on the return passage due to the seas andthe driving rain and spray and his blind pilotage was all-important.

The lifeboat safely entered harbour with her tow at 2055.

The leadership and determination of Acting Coxswain Vic Pitman on only his second time in command of this lifeboat, and under such daunting circumstances, were inspiring and courageous to a very high degree. He also accomplished a great feat of seamanship.

His crew, their average age 50, were no less praiseworthy in their respective roles including the two who are not normally crew members but whose presence and seamanship on this occasion were invaluable.

The results were the rescuing of eight lives under the worst conditions any of the participants can remember, and a conviction on the part of every Weymouth crew member that the Arun had proved herself completely.

For this service the silver medal for gallantry has been awarded to Acting Coxswain Victor J. Pitman. The thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Motor Mechanic Derek J. Sargent, Emergency Mechanic Eric L. Pavey and Crew Members Bertie A. C. Legge, Lionel F. Hellier, Bernard Wills and John Kellegher..