Damage on service PADSTOW LIFEBOAT, a 48' 6" Oakley, with midship steering, James and Catherine Macfarlane, launched on service at 2256 on Tuesday, December 7, to investigate a report of red flares.

The wind was west north west near gale force 7 gusting to force 8, with a very rough, steep, breaking sea over aheavy onshore swell; it was 5 hours ebb, so that the tide was setting against the wind at a rate of about 0.2 knots.

Visibility was good.

Shortly after launching, while on a west south west course towards Trevose Head, the lifeboat encountered two particularly heavy seas fine on the starboard bow. Coxswain Anthony Warnock reduced speed and the next sea, estimated to be 25' high, broke heavily on the starboard bow falling on to an almost stationary boat. A considerable weight of water dropped almost vertically on to the canopy forward of the wheelhouse smashing the windscreen and damaging the wheelhouse.

The coxswain, second coxswain and three crew members sustained injuries.

Four of them suffered cuts from the broken glass to the head, face and hands, two requiring stitches. The fifth man had damage to the ribs and the other crew members were unhurt.

Coxswain Warnock received a bad cut over his right eye which temporarily blinded him, and some concussion. He was moved to the after cabin for first aid treatment and Second Coxswain/ Assistant Mechanic Trevor England took over command. By good judgement and seamanship he brought the boat back to station at 2335 and successfully rehoused her at 0002 on December 8 in order to land the injured men.

Although it was unnecessary for the lifeboat to launch again, Second Coxswain England said that he could have mustered a crew who would have been prepared to take the boat to sea before the repairs were completed, should an urgent call have come, and the honorary secretary wrote, 'All the crew have greatfaith in their lifeboat and were prepared to go to sea again without windscreen or wheelhouse doors'.

With the help of Mashford's Yard, Cremyll, and the RNLI depot, repairs were immediately put in hand and carried out on the slipway. James Catherine Macfarlane was available for service throughout, if an urgent call had come, and was back on full service, with repairs completed, late on the same evening, Wednesday, December 8.

A framed certificate inscribed on vellum has been presented to Coxswain Anthony Warnock, Second Coxswain Trevor England, Acting Motor Mechanic A. Prosser, Acting Assistant Mechanic A. May and Crew Members R. Tummon, A. House and R. Norfolk..