Wednesday Catamaran caught out A BOAT SIGHTED in exceptionally heavy seas on the south west part of West Hoyle Bank and needing help was reported to the honorary secretary of Hoylake lifeboat station at 0845 on Thursday September 20, 1979, by Coxswain T. H. 'Harry' Jones. Maroons were fired, a message passed to Liverpool Coastguard and at 0900 the 37ft Oakley relief lifeboat The Will and Fanny Kirby, on temporary duty at Hoylake, left the boathouse on her carriage.

She was towed across the East Hoyle Bank to a position just north of Hilbre Island and was launched at 0926.

The wind was westerly strong gale force 9, gusting to storm force 10. The sea was very rough and broken, with waves estimated to be 10 feet high. It was two hours before high water and the flood stream was setting southerly into the River Dee at about 2 knots.

The sky was cloudy and visibility good.

The rough seas made launching extremely difficult. Solid water was breaking over the boat and tractor and at times the boat and carriage were being lifted from the sea bed. Just before launching all that could be seen of the tractor from the boat were the air vents, exhaust pipes and the driver and his assistant. The driving cab had completely filled with water.

Once into the comparatively deepwater of Hilbre Swash the lifeboat was able to make full speed leaving HE 5 Buoy to starboard and keeping close to the eastern edge of West Hoyle Bank for protection. Welshman Buoy was left to port as Coxswain Jones took the lifeboat across the south-east corner of the bank, entering Welshman's Gut at about 0940. At 0958, when just over half way between SE Hoyle Buoy and Dee Buoy, the masts of the casualty were sighted about one mile on the starboard bow; she was on West Hoyle Bank half a mile north of Dee Buoy. At the same time a very weak mayday signal was picked up on 2182 kHz but the callsign could not be identified.

As the lifeboat approached, the casualty was seen to be a white hulled, ketch rigged catamaran about 40 feet in length. She was anchored, bows west, but rolling, pitching and veering violently and taking solid water over her bows. The sails were furled and lashed and there was no sign of damage. No one could be seen on deck.

The wind was still westerly force 9, gusting force 10, and the seas around the casualty, Truganini, were estimated to be 15 feet high; because the water was shallow the waves were confused and broken. Further to the east, huge waves could be seen breaking over the higher part of West Hoyle Bank. The tidal stream was now setting to the south east at about two knots.

By 1005 the lifeboat was within 60 feet of Truganini's port quarter and attempts were made to attract attention with loud hailer and horn. There was no response, however, so Coxswain Jones manoeuvred his boat slowly ahead until she was abreast of the catamaran's port beam, then turned in a circle to port until he was lying off her port quarter once more. There was still no sign of life and it was decided to try to put Second Coxswain John McDermott aboard to search. As the lifeboat was closing the casualty a man appeared on deck from the starboard cabin and shouted across, asking that his two women crew members be taken aboard the lifeboat and that the catamaran be taken in tow; he also said that he would be unable to recover his anchors.

Coxswain Jones told the skipper that it might prove too rough for towing and that he was going to try to take off the whole crew. Second Coxswain McDermott and Crew Member David Dodd were detailed off to board the casualty and help with the transfer. The violent movement of the anchored catamaran made going alongside both difficult and dangerous, so the lifeboat lay off the port side and the second coxswain succeeded in getting aboard as the two vessels came together. The boats quickly separated and the lifeboat came astern to clear the danger. The manoeuvre was repeated and David Dodd managed to get aboard. The time was 1017.

Once aboard the catamaran Second Coxswain McDermott found that the crew were too exhausted to be transferred safely in the very rough seas, and so, realising that, if her anchor cables parted, the boat would be blown at great speed into the huge seas on the high part of the bank and wrecked, Coxswain Jones agreed to take her in tow.

While the lifeboat was manoeuvred into position on the port side of Truganini, Second Coxswain McDermott and Crew Member Dodd buoyed the anchor ropes and made ready for slipping, both men hanging on as best they could as solid water crashed over the foredecks where they were working.

The tow line was passed by heaving line and the lifeboat moved up wind on the port bow. The anchor ropes were slipped and the tow line secured at the same time with both men lying flat on the decks, the seas breaking over them.

On starting the tow, Coxswain Jones found that the lifeboat did not have enough power to drive up wind so he allowed the bow to pay off to port and headed across the sea towards Welsh Channel and Mostyn Harbour. It was now 1030.

On entering Welsh Channel course was directed towards Mostyn Deep, bringing the weather round on to the starboard quarter. Great difficulty was experienced in maintaining the tow because the catamaran was continuously surfing down wind and overtaking the lifeboat to starboard. A plastic dustbin, carried aboard the sailing boat as a rope stowage, was streamed astern as a drogue and a heavy shackle was placed on the tow line to weigh it down and form a spring. The temporary drogue reduced speed enough to allow the lifeboat to get down wind and to starboard and, before it carried away, the 'drogue' had lasted just long enough for the protective lee of the Point of Air to be reached.

Keeping along the edge of Mostyn Bank to get as much shelter as possible, SE Air, NE Mostyn and Mostyn Buoys were all left to port. Mostyn Harbour was reached at 1055 and the catamaran secured alongside the west wall at 1100.

Having satisfied himself that Truganini s crew needed no further help, Coxswain Jones sailed from Mostyn at 1115 for Hoylake via Salisbury Deep, Hilbre Swash, East Hoyle Spit and Spencers Spit. The 12 miles to Hoylake took !3/4 hours through the very rough, storm-driven seas. The lifeboat was beached at 1300 and recarriaged; she was ready for service at 1330.

For this service the bronze medal was awarded to Coxswain Thomas H.

'Harry' Jones and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum to Second Coxswain John McDermott and Crew Member David A. Dodd. Medal service certificates were awarded to Acting Motor Mechanic Peter J. Jones, Acting Assistant Mechanic Alan R.

Tolley and Crew Members GeoffreyOrmrod and Gordon J. Bird. Framed letters of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, the chairman of the Institution, were sent to Acting Tractor Driver Jeffrey W. Kernigham and Acting Assistant Tractor Driver Helper Jesse S. Bird..