THE RNLI INQUIRY into the capsizes of Barra Island and Islay lifeboats off the west coast of Scotland last November, reported on page 6, has concluded that both lifeboats were overwhelmed by heavy breaking seas in violent storm conditions and that the lifeboats were both righted successfully by their respective righting methods.

The Barra Island 52ft Barnett lifeboat is fitted with an air bag which automatically inflates on capsize while the Islay 50ft Thames lifeboat, with her watertight superstructure, is inherently self-righting. It was the first time that a lifeboat of either of these classes had been capsized on service and the inquiry found that there was no failure of the lifeboats or their equipment which contributed to the capsizes.

Barra Island lifeboat was built in 1957 and later fitted with a righting air bag as part of the Committee of Management's policy that all offshore lifeboats, up to 54 feet in length, should have a righting capability. The Islay lifeboat is the first modern fast afloat lifeboat to be capsized on service. It is noteworthy that these two lifeboats built to very different designs, whose righting methods had previously only been tested by controlled trials, both performed exactly as was expected of them and that there were only minor injuries to the crews.An analysis of the weather in the area of the capsizes on that November night showed that the winds were gusting to violent storm and hurricane, force 11 to 12; the significant height of the waves was around 30 feet, with a 10 per cent chance of encountering a sea of 60 feet. These seas were described by the investigator as 'diabolical' and the coxswain of Islay lifeboat stated that the weather was as bad as he had experienced in 17 years in the lifeboat service. In such conditions capsize will always threaten relatively small boats.

By providing a self-righting capability and safety gear such as lifejackets, bump caps and personal safety lanyards, the RNLI is striving to minimise the risks to lifeboat crews.

Following the capsizes of the two Scottish lifeboats, messages were received from Her Majesty The Queen and from the Prime Minister. Sir Philip Moore, private secretary to the Queen, wrote to Rear Admiral Wilfred Graham, director of the RNLI: 'The Queen was very impressed recently to hear thai both the Islay and Barra lifeboats had turned turtle and self-righted themselves in a gale off the west of Scotland. Lord Margadale, who is president of the Islay lifeboat, wrote to Her Majesty about this and reported that it was a remarkable performance.

'I should be grateful therefore if you would convey The Queen's congratulations to the crews of both lifeboats on their remarkable efforts. Once again the Royal National Life-boat Institution has given that outstanding service which has been so typical of all its history.' Mrs Margaret Thatcher, who visited Islay last year, wrote to Alastair Macrae, chairman of Islay station branch Committee: '/ was very concerned to learn over the weekend of the terrible experience of the Islay lifeboat crew in the recent storms off the west coast.

'However, I was a/so glad to hear that all the crew were safe. It is on occasions such as this, and more particularly since my visit to your station in the summer, that the dangers these brave men face so selflessly are understood.

'Please convey to the crew and their families my best wishes and thanks for all thev do.'US Coast Guard tragedy The RNLI learned with deep regret that six United States coast guards died and 17 were missing following the collision between the Coast Guard cutter Blackthorn and a tanker in January. A message of sympathy from the Institution was sent to US Coast Guard headquarters in Washington.

Captain William West, Commander, US Coast Guard Activities, Europe, replied in a letter to John Atterton, deputy director of the RNLI: 'When tragedy struck and we lost coast guardsmen in a fine old ship, CGC Blackthorn, who was the first to call with sympathy? Why you and the Royal National Life-boat Institution, of course. With friends and colleagues like this we can weather a disaster even of this magnitude. Thank you and your associates in the RNLI for rushing to our aid when times are difficult. Thoughtfulness such as this strengthens the bonds of friendship between our organisations and this makes me happy even in a tragic moment.' Into the 1980s The start of the 1980s provides a good opportunity to review the past ten years. The RNLI started the 1970s with the tragic capsize of the Fraserburgh lifeboat, less than a year after the Longhope lifeboat had capsized. A total of 13 men were lost in the two capsizes, both of which involved non self-righting lifeboats. Following these two tragedies the Committee of Management introduced a policy to make virtually the whole offshore fleet selfrighting by the 1980s. This programme is now nearing completion and it is to the credit of the technical officers of the Institution that the problems of giving some of the older lifeboats a selfrighting capability has been solved.

The policy has certainly been vindicated.

It is a cause for both heartfelt thankfulness and pride that, since 1970, only three of our lifeboats have been capsized, that all three righted themselves and that only one of our courageous lifeboatmen lost his life on service—although indeed even one is too many.

Four new lifeboat designs entered the fleet in the 1970s: the Arun, Thames and Rother offshore lifeboats and the Atlantic 21 ILB. Each has shown that she can do what was asked of her—and often more. With the prototypes of the new RNLI Medina 35 and Lochin 33 intermediate lifeboats just starting their operational evaluation trials and the prototypes of a new fast slipway lifeboat soon to go on the stocks (see page 4) the Institution can look forward with confidence to continued technical progress.

Because of the national and international inflation of the 1970s the cost of running the lifeboat service rose dramatically from just over £2 million in 1970 to approaching £10 million in 1979, but. undeterred, our financial continued on page 4.