Beam trawler ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1977, at 2132, the 23-ton beam trawler Jenny reported on Channel 16 VHP that she was in difficulty and unable to manoeuvre in heavy weather some eight miles south south east of Nab Tower.

Following the sighting of red flares, a revised position was calculated at 2145, putting the fishing vessel about five miles east of the Nab, so at 220 HM Coastguard telephoned the honorary secretary of Selsey station and requested that the lifeboat be launched.

The assembly signal was made, the crew mustered at the boathouse and made ready for launching, but some difficulty was experienced in opening the boathouse doors because of the heavy seas breaking against them.

Nevertheless, at 2214 Selsey lifeboat, the 48ft 6in Oakley Charles Henry, launched down the slipway into a south-south-westerly gale, force 8, with rough seas and poor visibility in driving rain. It was one hour before high water. Second Coxswain Michael Grant was in command.

Having set the throttles for maximum speed to clear the slipway, the lifeboat was hove to while radar and aerials were rigged, and then Acting Coxswain Grant set out at about 8 knots, the best speed possible in the prevailing weather. The lifeboat was shipping seas overall, making the already poor visibility even worse.

A course of 170°M was shaped to pass The Mixon Beacon, which was cleared by dead reckoning; sea conditions were such that the unlit mark was neither sighted visually nor by radar.

Course was then set 259°M to pass through the Looe Channel. Neither channel buoy was sighted in the rough, near beam sea which caused the lifeboat to roll violently.

Shortly after clearing the Looe Channel, Acting Coxswain Grant asked Jenny to fire a red flare as no target in the datum area was showing on radar.

At 2240 a red flare was sighted several miles west of the given position, so Acting Motor Mechanic Terence Wood.