Open fishing boats FLAMBOROUGH COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Bridlington lifeboat station at 0918 on Thursday January 31, 1980, that the coble Renown was in difficulties one mile east of Rolston and some 13 miles south of the lifeboat station; a net was fouling her propeller.

Bridlington's 37ft Oakley lifeboat William Henry and Mary King, under the command of Coxswain Fred Walkington, launched through heavy surf and set course south. It was low water and a gale force 8 was blowing from the south east. In driving sleet visibility was poor.

On launching, the lifeboat established radio communications with the coble Betty A and was told she had managed to get a line aboard Renown, that she was holding the crippled coble off the lee shore and that she was trying to gain deeper water. The wind was backing and by the time the lifeboat arrived at the casualty the gale was from south east by east and snow was falling. In these conditions the difficulties for any cobles entering Bridlington Harbour would be increasing because, as the harbour mouth faces towards the south, in east to south east gales these open fishing boats have to turn broadside on to the heavy seas just before entry; and when the tide is low the heavy seas become surf.

A third coble was located on radar and she decided to return to harbour while the lifeboat remained to escort Betty A and her tow, now making good about 4 knots.

The wind was still backing and increasing and it had risen to strong gale force 9 by the time the lifeboat and the two cobles were approaching harbour at 1245. During the passage Renown had managed partially to free the net and was now able to re-start her engine, though still with minimum power. It was decided, therefore, that the tow should be slipped and Betty A was asked to enter harbour first and wait just inside the entrance, bow to sea, ready to help if needed. Although struck by two heavy breaking seas, she entered harbour safely and turned into position. The lifeboat then took up station on Renown's port quarter and lines were made ready so that the lifeboat could close rapidly and pull the coble head to sea if her engine lost power.

Just at this time, 1255, the coble Three Fevers was seen, about 75 yardsfrom the harbour entrance, steaming over the Canch, a notorious sandbank.

The lifeboat had just told Betty A that Three Fevers was coming in when the approaching coble was struck by a sea, estimated at 12 to 13 feet high, which broke from astern and immediately filled the boat; two of her crew of three were washed over the side.

Coxswain Walkington told Renown to turn head to sea and 'dodge' and asked Betty A to leave harbour and stand by Renown while he took the lifeboat at full speed to the help of Three Fevers.

Two of the fishermen were in the water. The coble was either aground or just being kept afloat by the air trapped in her wheelhouse, on top of which was the third member of the crew. The first man was approached and pulled on board the lifeboat just as he was going under. The second man, separated by about 30 feet from his mate by the seas, was being kept afloat by fish boxes to which he was clinging; he also was pulled on board.

The third man was still on the wheelhouse top, just above water, but the area around the coble was littered with ropes and wreckage. Second Coxswain Denis Atkins was just signalling to him to get into the water when he was washed off and clear of the boat. A lifeboatman threw him a rope which he grabbed, but before he could be pulled alongside another heavy sea swept him under. He managed, nevertheless, to retain his grip on the rope and when he surfaced was immediately pulled on board. The lifeboat then returned to harbour to land the survivors.

As soon as the three fishermen had been handed into the care of an ambulance crew the lifeboat took up station in the harbour mouth as Betty A escorted Renown into harbour.

The lifeboat then sailed immediately to escort another coble, Sincerity, which was reported ten miles south of Bridlington returning through heavy head seas, the strong gale having now backed to north east. While escorting Sincerity a number of seas broke into the lifeboat, one of which tore the fire extinguisher and its stowage from the bulkhead, and both boats had to turn and 'stem' many of the large seas.

Sincerity was safely escorted into harbour at 1532. By now, with the tide high, there was not enough beach to recarriage the lifeboat in the heavy surf, so the lifeboat remained in harbour to await the fall of the tide. After having a meal and changing into dry clothes the crew reassembled and sailed again to recarriage, still through heavy surf, at 2030.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Fred Walkington and vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Denis Atkins, Motor Mechanic Roderick W. Stott and Crew Members Claud Sharp, Anthony J. Ayre, Paul A.Staveley and Harry T. Wood. A letter of thanks was sent to Arthur Dick, Bridlington station honorary secretary, commending the efficiency of the shore helpers when launching and recovering the lifeboat in the very bad conditions which prevailed..