Broken rudder THE HONORARY SECRETARY of Poole Lifeboat station was informed by Portland RHQ at 0750 on Tuesday, August 23 that a Dutch warship had reported a 25' yacht, Lucy, with a broken rudder 23 miles south of Anvil Point.

She was on passage from Cherbourg.

Poole's 44' Waveney lifeboat, Augustine Courtauld, slipped her moorings at 0810 and headed for the position. The wind was north east force 2 to 3, the sea was slight and the weather fine. The tide was threequarters ebb. A thorough seach was made of the area in excellent visibility but nothing was seen of the casualty and it was thought that she might have rigged a jury rudder and continued on her way. The search was called off at 1130, the lifeboat returned to station at 1330 and was refuelled and ready for service at 1400.

That same night, at 2012, Coastguard Needles reported to the honorary secretary of Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, lifeboat station, that red flares had been sighted by a Viscount aircraft 27 miles south south west of the Needles lighthouse.

It was thought it might be Lucy.By now the wind had gone round to south west, but it was still light, with the sea smooth and visibility good. It was slack water. Yarmouth lifeboat, the 52' Arun Joy and John Wade, launched at 2021 and made a thorough search in the area of the position given, with the help of a helicopter (before it got too dark) and other ships, but without result. The search was called off, with the intention that it should be resumed from the air at first light, and the lifeboat was back on station at 0200. However, before dawn Lucy had arrived in Christchurch, having in fact rigged a jury rudder, and she confirmed that she had fired the red flare sighted by the aircraft.

The next evening, Wednesday, August 24, at 1900, a member of the public reported a flare sent up from a boat aground off Blackberry Point in Christchurch Harbour to the honorary secretary of Mudeford ILB station.

After discussion with HM Coastguard, the ILB was launched at 1905 and made for the point at full speed. She helped MFV Foam get a line aboard the grounded yacht, Lucy, which was then towed back to Christchurch by the fishing boat.

The wind had risen to south west near gale force 7 and the sea was choppy.

The tide was flooding.

On her way back to base the ILB saw a man in the water holding a life ring. He said he was trying to swim out to his son who had been stranded for some considerable time on a little speed boat on her moorings. He refused help for himself but asked if the ILB would take off his son. The ILB took the boy ashore, while his father got there by himself, and then she returned to station. She was rehoused by 1930..