Four rescued HEARING, soon after 1300 on Sunday December 14, 1980, that a yacht firing red flares had been reported off Eastoke Head, Hayling Island, Crew Member Frank Dunster together with Trevor Pearce, a shore helper and first aider, and James Berry, another shore helper, went immediately to Hayling Island lifeboathouse to make ready for launching. The station's duty deputy launching authority's telephone line was engaged, so Icarus maroons were fired to alert him and other crew members.

Almost immediately the DLA arrived at the boathouse and, telephoning Hayling Coastguard, learned that the yacht, which had broken her rudder, was fast being driven on to a lee shore by the south-westerly force 8gale. An RN helicopter from HMS Daedalus had been diverted to the scene but could not lift off the crew of four from the yacht because of the motion of her mast and rigging as she was carried by the rough seas. A few minutes later, in confirmation, the helicopter arrived over the lifeboat station and indicated that she would guide the lifeboat to the yacht.

The first person to arrive to the sound of maroons was Graham Wickham, a young shore helper who had considerable small boat experience including crewing experience with Hayling Island Sailing Club rescue boat. Realising the urgency of the situation, the DLA decided to launch the lifeboat without delay with Frank Dunster, normally a crew member, acting as helmsman and Frank Pearce and Graham Wickham as crew.

Hayling Island's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat launched into Chichester Harbour at Sandy Point at 1320. The tide was flooding, high water being at 1600. A force 8 gale was blowing from the south west, building up seas some five to six feet high which the lifeboat met as she headed south by west out to the bar at almost full speed.

Once on the bar and around Chichester Bar Beacon large sweeping seas were met, some estimated to be more than 15 feet high. Speed was reduced to 7 to 9 knots and, in driving spray and heavy rain, visibility was poor.

Rounding the beacon the lifeboat turned on to a north-westerly heading to make towards the hovering helicopter which was thought to be above the casualty, and now constant use of throttles and helm were necessary to minimise the danger from the large beam seas. As the lifeboat neared her, the helicopter moved off half a mile or more to the south west. The lifeboat followed, heading into the heavy seas at slow speed, and the yacht was sighted about 400 yards away.

Immediately after spotting the yacht the Atlantic 21, caught by a very large rogue sea, was completely engulfed and almost capsized—the auxiliary coastguard in charge at Hayling Island, watching through binoculars, thought the lifeboat must have capsized and was amazed to see her come through the sea upright. She then fell very heavily into a trough; both engines stalled but they were restarted immediately.

Helmsman Dunster first made sure that his crew were safe and then asked Trevor Pearce to check around the boat. It was found that both port and starboard quoit lines had come loose in the near capsize; they were recovered and made fast inboard.

The Atlantic 21 was then brought in close to the 7-metre yacht, Fill's Flyer, whose crew had put out an anchor and were making the anchor warp fast around the mast. Once the warp was fast, Helmsman Dunster began a run in along the yacht's port and lee side, but,when only a few feet off, the lifeboat took a large sea aboard. She once again fell into a trough, and the engines stalled a second time. Frank Dunster restarted both engines immediately and went full astern to avoid collision with the yacht. A second run in was made, again without success because a sea picked the lifeboat up and laid her athwartships a few feet off the casualty's transom.

A third run in alongside the yacht's port and lee side enabled Crew Members Pearce and Wickham to grab two of her crew of four. It took four more attempts to take off the third member of the yacht's crew, who had an artificial leg, into the lifeboat; on the last attempt the man jumped and landed heavily on Crew Member Pearce, injuring his knee.

A final run in alongside was made at 1338 to pick up the last member of the crew, the yacht's skipper, and once he was safely aboard the lifeboat turned towards home.

Remembering how rough and dangerous the seas around Chichester Bar and Beacon had been on the outward trip, Helmsman Dunster first headed about east south east into less rough water. When the orange 'Chi' racing mark was abeam he turned the lifeboat stern to sea for the run across the bar into Chichester Harbour. Speed was reduced, the lifeboat now being 'seven up', and it was not until 1351 that the Atlantic 21 was safe alongside Hayling Island Sailing Club and the yachtsmen landed.

The lifeboat was recovered, refuelled and made ready for service again at 1410, and Trevor Pearce was taken to hospital for treatment to his injured knee.

The yacht's anchor held just off the shore and she was later recovered by a fishing trawler and towed to Langstone Harbour.

For this service the bronze medal was awarded to Helmsman Frank S.

Dunster and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Members Trevor M. Pearce and Graham A. Wickham..