Broken rudder THE HONORARY SECRETARY of Moelfre lifeboat station was informed by Holyhead Coastguard at 0845 on Sunday September 21, 1980, that the yacht July Morn had reported that she was in difficulties, her rudder broken, 100 yards off Llanddona Beach in Red Wharf Bay.

Maroons were fired at 0850 and then minutes later Moelfre's 37ft 6in Rother lifeboat Horace Clarkson launched on service under the command of Coxswain William Roberts.

The wind was north easterly, gale force 8, and the sea was rough with a medium to heavy swell. It was half an hour after high water and the ebb stream was setting westerly at about half a knot. Visibility was poor, less than 500 yards for most of the service.

After launching, Coxswain Will Roberts set course south east by south and headed towards Red Wharf Bay.

Despite repeated attempts, no direct radio communication was established between the lifeboat and the yacht, although Holyhead Coastguard, via Anglesey Coastguard mobile and Penmon lookout, was able to communicate with both boats. Using the Coastguard to relay messages, the lifeboat asked the yacht for her position and the depth of water in her vicinity. July Morn gave her position as two miles off Red Wharf Bay and the depth of water as. 35 feet.

Shortly after, at 0922, the lifeboat picked the yacht up on her radar, at half a mile range, and then, a few minutes later, July Morn was sighted a quarter of a mile away.

As the lifeboat approached, the yacht was seen to be a 33ft ketch. She was almost a mile west by south of Careg Onnen Quarry, her bows pointing east.

Apparently she had hit a sandbank about half a mile off Trwyn Dwlban Head, damaging her rudder, and she had then headed east across Red Wharf Bay, using her engine and the wind to steer. Waves were breaking over the yacht and she was barely under control.

Coxswain Roberts decided to try to tow July Morn rather than take off her crew, a man and a woman, who were exhausted. The gale was still blowingfrom the north east, but in the shallow water near the yacht the seas were broken and confused and about 12 feet high.

After approaching the casualty, at 0930, Coxswain Roberts decided to put Second Coxswain John Thomas aboard.

The lifeboat came up astern of the yacht and with skilful seamanship Coxswain Roberts managed to put her bow against the yacht long enough for the second coxswain to jump aboard, taking a towline with him. The lifeboat then drew off seaward and took station off July Morn's port bow.

On board the yacht Second Coxswain Thomas made the towline fast, passing it through a fairlead forward. Coxswain Roberts then headed east towards Puffin Sound and the shelter of the Menai Straits. The fairlead, however, had .sharp edges and frayed the tow rope. Despite the use of a towing sleeve and towels from the yacht, the tow rope parted 11 times in the 3'/2 miles from the start of the tow until the two boats finally passed through Puffin Sound. It took three hours to cover this distance during which time Second Coxswain Thomas was constantly exposed to the full force of the sea; several times he was nearly swept overboard. Each time the tow parted a high degree of seamanship was demanded in manoeuvring the lifeboat to pass it again. For the final difficult leg through Puffin Sound Coxswain Roberts ordered a second line to be passed, a decision which was to prove vital because the main tow parted yet again in those confined waters.

During the course of the morning the sun had appeared and visibility improvedimproved dramatically although the gale continued unabated and the sea did not lessen until the shelter of Menai Straits was reached.

No further problems were experienced down the straits and the yacht was left at her moorings near Menai Bridge. Having satisfied himself that her crew needed no more help, Coxswain Roberts, at 1335, put his lifeboat on moorings at Beaumaris. Moelfre lifeboat returned to station the next day, arriving at 1115, having rescued two children being blown out to sea in an inflatable dinghy on the way.

For this service framed letters of thanks signed by the Duke of Atholl, chairman of the Institution, were presented to Coxswain William J. Roberts and Second Coxswain John M. Thomas.

A letter of appreciation signed by Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director of the Institution, was sent to Motor Mechanic Evan O. Jones..