Sails blown out RED FLARES SIGHTED in the vicinity of Les Hanois Lighthouse were reported to the honorary secretary of St Peter Port lifeboat station at 2215 on Friday, November 11, 1977. A quarter of an hour later the 52ft Arun lifeboat Sir William Arnold slipped her moorings in St Peter Port Harbour.

The wind was west south west, strong gale force 9, gusting to violentstorm force 11, with heavy rain squalls.

The spring tide was in the fourth hour of ebb.

Sir William Arnold maintained her full speed of 19 knots until she rounded St Martins Point. Then, with the tide ebbing directly against the wind at 5 knots, very rough seas were encountered, so that Coxswain John Petit found it frequently necessary to ease the throttles to about 9 knots when cresting the larger waves. Visibility became so restricted by driving spray that navigation was mainly dependent upon radar and the Decca Navigator.

The Port Signal Station told the lifeboat at 2244 that a police car at Pleinmont Point had reported red flares fairly close to that position. Coxswain Petit therefore kept as close to the shore as possible on his approach and the lifeboat had even heavier breaking seas to negotiate as she crossed the numerous shoals in the area. The police car then reported that they could see a small light about a mile south of Pleinmont Point, and a French naval vessel, Detroyat, said she had seen red flares and was going in their direction.

At 2317 the lifeboat saw a red flare ahead. Soon afterwards a small white light could be seen to the south and the lifeboat altered course towards it. Itwas visible only from time to time between the swells and, a few minutes later, the lifeboat found that it was the cabin light of the 25ft sloop-rigged yacht Cunopns. Her position was immediately south east of Pleinmont Ledge, about half a mile offshore, and she was wallowing, bows south, without power. Her mainsail was gone and her jib was shortened to about three feet. Coxswain Petit went to the upper conning position and he noted that the wind had veered to west by south but its force was being maintained.

The lifeboat approached the yacht's port side and could then see that those on board were sheltering in the cabin.

There were three men and one woman, who was the only one who could speak some English. They were asked to put their lifejackets on before an attempt was made to take them on board the lifeboat.

Deputy Coxswain Peter Bougourd and Crew Member Robert Hamon stationed themselves in the starboard waist to receive the survivors, while Assistant Mechanic Bob Vowles and Crew Member John Webster prepared to take them inboard and Motor Mechanic Eric Pattimore manned the radio and radar.

The sea condition here was even worse than elsewhere because of the proximity of Pleinmont Ledge over which the seas were lifting and breaking.

The yacht was being tossed in all directions by the heavy breaking seas and by the wind, and it was a most exacting task to bring the two vessels safely together.

Nevertheless the casualty's occupants were successfully evacuated, one at a time, in four successive alongsides, each lasting only seconds before the yacht bounced clear 20 to 30 feet on each occasion. It took all the strength that Peter Bougourd and Robert Hamon could muster to pull the largest of the men aboard and the two lifeboatmen were themselves in danger of being pulled over the side during these operations.

All four survivors were taken below and given dry blankets in place of their wet clothes, while the lifeboatmen on deck threw a grapnel aboard the yacht in an attempt to tow her to St Peter Port. The grapnel soon pulled out, however, and Coxswain Petit wisely abandoned her and returned as fast as possible with the survivors, who were in complete agreement with his decision.

They had been bound for St Peter Port from St Malo and had almost reached the lee of St Martins Point when the storm blew their sails out and the strong spring ebb carried them westwards.

On arrival at St Peter Port at 0037, the survivors were landed in care of the St John Ambulance and The Shipwrecked Mariners' Society, the lifeboat returning to her moorings by 0115.For this service a second bar to the bronze medal has been awarded to Coxswain John H. Petit and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum have been accorded to Deputy Coxswain Peter N. Bougourd and Crew Member Robert Hamon. Medal service certificates have been presented to Motor Mechanic Eric Pattimore, Assistant Mechanic Robert Vowles and Crew Member John Webster..