Ketch founders RAMSEY COASTGUARD informed the honorary secretary of Port St Mary lifeboat station at 0846 on Sunday May 17, 1981. that a yacht was aground at Derby Haven, east of Castletown; she was on the seaward side of the breakwater and it was anticipated that the lifeboat might be needed.

At 0858 the honorary secretary was told that Castletown Coastguard rocket brigade was preparing to try to take off the two crew of the yacht, a 42ft ketch, and the lifeboat was asked to launch.

Maroons were fired and Port St Mary's 54ft Arun lifeboat The Cough Ritchie slipped her moorings at 0910 under the command of Coxswain Mechanic Arthur Norman Quillin.

A strong breeze, force 6, was blowing from east south east, gusting to near gale, force 7, and the sea was rough. It was almost 2'/2 hours before high water and the flood tidal stream was setting north east at about 2 to 3 knots.

Coxswain Quillin set course across Bay ny Carrickey and Castletown Bay for Langness Point, heading into the wind. The lifeboat was abeam of Scarlet Point at 0920 and rounded Langness at a distance of a quarter of a mile at 0925.

A northerly course was then set to run parallel with the shore and St Michaels Island was rounded at 0932.

On entering Derby Haven speed was reduced. A white-hulled, ketch-rigged yacht, later identified as Melfort. was seen aground on rocks on the north side of the haven about 80 yards on the seaward side of the breakwater. She was lying on her port bilge, bows pointing north west, rising and falling on the rocks with water breaking around and over her. Two people wearing protective clothing could be seen standing on the starboard side of the deck.

The wind was still from the east south east, force 6 to 7, and the sea in Derby Haven was rough. It was just under two hours before high water.

As Coxswain Mechanic Quillin was approaching the yacht at slow speed to assess the situation a message was received from the Coastguard on the north side of the haven asking the lifeboat to stand off as a breeches buoy was being rigged from the shore to the casualty. Coxswain Quillin gave orders for the Y class inflatable dinghy carried on board the Arun to be launched to give help if it was needed and the Coastguard was informed. He took the Arun towards the shelter of the breakwater, where the dinghy was launched, and then the Arun was made fast alongside the breakwater.

Manned by Crew Member Eric Quillin.

as helmsman, and Crew Member William Halsall. the inflatable dinghy was taken in sheltered water towards the northern end of the breakwater and stood by while, at about 1010. one man was rescued by breeches buoy. Three other people could be seen on board the yacht and it was thought that it would be possible for them all to be taken off by the coastguards ashore in the same way.

Then, at about 1015, the casualty, still pounding on the rocks, began to break up. Her wheelhouse was carried away and the breeches buoy lines became fouled in the wreckage. From their position off the northern end of the breakwater. Helmsman Eric Quillin and Crew Member Halsall decided that the three people still on board, who were standing in the after part of the yacht, were in extreme peril and needed immediate help.

In an attempt to reach the stricken vessel and effect a rescue, Helsman Quillin took the inflatable dinghy towards the yacht. Picking up the floating breeches buoy lines, still attached to the wreck, the little boat approached Melfort under power with Crew Member Halsall helping by pulling hand over hand on both parts of the \\nes,. Aboard the casualty a man was seen to be making his way forward. As the inflatable dinghy came nearer, seas started to break over and into her. Once alongside Crew Member Halsall tried to help the man in the bows into the inflatable, butthe man's legs had become trapped by wreckage and he appeared to be too weak to help himself.

As William Halsall was trying to free the man's legs a heavy sea pushed the inflatable away from Melfori throwing both the lifeboatman and the yachtsman into the sea. Helmsman Quillin, trying to hold the boat alongside, ended up half in the water and half in the boat.

Crew Member Halsall, still holding on to the other man, was fouled by the breeches buoy lines, and while trying to clear the lines the man he was attempting to rescue was wrenched from his grasp and disappeared.

Helmsman Quillin, having recovered his position in the boat, saw William Halsall in the water between the two parts of the breeches buoy line drifting towards him. Reaching for the line, Eric Quillin pulled the inflatable towards William Halsall and dragged him on board. By this time the little boat was about two-thirds full of water. No sign could be seen of the other man in the water.

Almost immediately another large wave hit the inflatable boat, capsizing her port bow over starboard quarter and throwing both lifeboatmen into the water. They could not regain their upturned boat which was being blown quickly away from them and. because they had swallowed so much seawater.

could not inflate their lifejackets for extra buoyancy. Both men were swept down on to the seaward side of thebreakwater where they were rescued by the crew of the lifeboat. Coxswain Quillin had seen the inflatable boat capsize and had landed Second Coxswain John Williams and Assistant Mechanic Derrick McCutcheon on the breakwater.

By means of a line with a bight at the end, William Halsull was the first man to be pulled clear of the water, followed by Helmsman Eric Quillin.

Immediately following the rescue of the crew of the inflatable dinghy, a man was seen clinging to a lifebuoy and being swept down to the breakwater.

Coxswain Quillin, with great presence of mind, grabbed a boathook and jumped on to the breakwater as the man in the water was swept in, striking his head on the wall. Coxswain Quillin was able to catch the man at the back of his jacket with the boathook and haul him high enough out of the water to be grabbed by the others and pulled to safety. He was taken aboard the lifeboat and given first aid treatment.

Meanwhile out at the wreck, which by now had completely broken up, a man could be seen clinging to a spar.

Using hand signals and shouting, the lifeboatmen tried to persuade him to let himself go and be swept down by the seas on to the breakwater. The man, however, continued to cling to the spar, so Coxswain Quillin decided to try to reach him by taking the Arun out to sea and approaching down wind. It was now only about 45 minutes before high water and there was a greater depth of water on the seaward side of the wreck.

Helmsman Eric Quillin was left on the breakwater, ready to help should the man still on the wreck be swept down that way, or should the missing man appear.

The Arun left the breakwater at about 1040, headed up wind and sea of the casualty and then made a slow down wind approach towards it. Coxswain Quillin was able to bring his lifeboat, stern to sea, just short of the partially submerged wreck. With the lifeboat touching the rocks. Assistant Mechanic McCutcheon threw a line with a bight at its end to the man in the water who passed it round his body. Coxswain Quillin put the lifeboat slowly astern to clear the rocks and the man in the water was pulled from the wreck to the port waist of the lifeboat. Once alongside it was seen that he would not be able to help himself; he later said that the last thing he remembered before being rescued was passing the bight of the line thrown to him over his shoulders. In trying to pull the man aboard Assistant Mechanic McCutcheon lost his balance and fell into the water with him but he was able to get back aboard virtually unaided by grabbing the side of the boat as she rolled heavily to port. The man in the water was pulled aboard and immediately treated for hypothermia, shock and superficial injuries.

The lifeboat returned to the shelter of the breakwater and made fast alongside at about 1050, when it was confirmed with the Coastguard that one man was still missing. Coxswain Quillin posted lookouts and within a few minutes a Wessex helicopter from RAF Valley arrived overhead and started to search the area. At 1111 the helicopter recovered a body from the sea between the southern end of the breakwater and the perch.

The body was landed on the breakwater at 1119 and taken aboard the lifeboat.

The Arun left Derby Haven breakwater at 1124 and made for Castletown, arriving at 1150. The two survivors and the body were landed into the care of the police and a doctor. Port St Mary lifeboat then returned to station; she arrived at 1240 and was made ready for further service.

Melfort had sailed to Derby Haven from Glasson Dock, Preston, on Saturday May 16 and had picked up a mooring on the southern side of the haven.

At about midnight the mooring chain had parted and the yacht went ashore on to rocks on the falling tide. A kedge anchor had been laid at low water but it had not been possible to kedge off as the tide rose on Sunday morning and so distress flares had been fired.

For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain/Mechanic Arthur Norman Quillin and Crew MembersEric Quillin and William H. Halsall.

Vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain John R.

Williams, Assistant Mechanic Derrick McCutcheon and Crew Members Derek R. Cregeen and Stephen R. Cregeen.