Catamaran in distress THE HONORARY SECRETARY of Lyme Regis inshore lifeboat station was informed by Portland Coastguard at 1135 on Monday May 28, 1979, that a red flare had been fired from a white boat about l'/2 miles south of Beer Head, about 6'/2 miles west south west of Lyme Regis.

The day was squally, with a near gale, force 7, blowing from south south west and the forecast was that the wind would increase to full gale, force 8. The tide was at half ebb and it was apparent that the sea condition was bad, particularly in the shallows off Lyme Regis where the steep, breaking waves were 10 to 15 feet high. Continuous heavy rain was reducing visibility to less than half a mile.

The honorary secretary told the Coastguard that he would only consider launching if his most experienced helmsman was available. Within minutes the senior helmsman, John Hodder, arrived at the boathouse.

After due consideration of the situation he told the honorary secretary he felt the boat would be capable of coping with the conditions and it was agreed that she should launch on the strict understanding that she must return to station if the weather deteriorated further.

Maroons were fired and at 1150 the Atlantic 21 was launched, manned by Helmsman John Hodder and three experienced crew members, Paul Wason, Graham Turner and Tim Zair.

Helmsman Hodder took the exceptional precaution of instructing all his crew to inflate their lifejackets before the lifeboat left harbour.

On rounding Beacon Post off the harbour entrance the worst of the sea was encountered and Helmsman Hodder asked Paul Wason to lie in the bows of the boat to help keep them down. He did so, using the inflatable stretcher as a mattress. Once clear of the shallows and rocks in this area the seas lessened to about 12 feet, breaking forward of the port beam, but the Atlantic 21 was able to make good no more than 13 knots.

When off Culverhole Point, about 2'/2 miles from Beer Head, the ILB learned from the Coastguard that a fishing boat had launched off a lee shore, reached the casualty, a catamaran, and taken her in tow towards Beer Roads.

The Atlantic 21 altered course to starboard to intercept.

The 24ft fishing boat, Pearl was under the command of her skipper, David Newton, who is an auxiliary coastguard, with Norman Jackson, Keith Turner and David Driver as his crew.

The wind was now gusting well over force 8 in the squalls and visibility in the continuous heavy rain was such that the tow was not sighted until aboutHaifa mile away, when it was quarter of a mile east of Beer Head.

The Atlantic 21 came up with the two boats at about 1220 and escorted them to Beer Roads. On arriving at a mooring just off the beach, Pearl passed the tow line through the ring of the buoy and then went ahead slowly until the catamaran reached the mooring and her crew could make her fast. The mooring was, however, in broken water and, as no one thought the casualty would last long, Pearl asked the ILB to take off her two crew. The catamaran, tiderode, was lying beam on to the sea making it very difficult for the lifeboat to approach; but, waiting for lulls between the waves. Helmsman Hodder twice brought his boat alongside so skilfully that he was able to take one man off each time without mishap either to them or to the Atlantic 21.

Then, while Pearl steamed into the sea, Helmsman Hodder brought his boat alongside the fishing boat and put the two men on board.

The fishing boat indicated that she intended returning to the beach whence she launched, so the Atlantic 21 stood by. Pearl was heeled right over by an exceptionally large breaker while she turned for the run in, but all was well and she successfully beached a few minutes later at 1243.

The Atlantic 21 then returned to station, making good about 15 knots with the sea on her starboard quarter and calling the Coastguard to give her position every five minutes en route as there was concern for her safety. She eventually rehoused at 1330.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the Institution, were sent to Helmsman John Hodder and to David Newton, Pearl's skipper..