Knockdown JUST AS Lytham-St Anne's lifeboat was being moored after returning from exercise at sea on Saturday afternoon, June 6, 1981, Liverpool Coastguard informed the station honorary secretary that an unconfirmed report had been received of a red flare sighted off South Shore, Blackpool. The time was 1520. Coxswain Arthur Wignall was asked to keep his crew aboard on standby. A quarter of an hour later a further message came that a 25ft yacht in difficulties had been sighted close inshore; the 46ft 9in Watson lifeboat City of Bradford III slipped her moorings immediately.

A near gale to gale, force 7 to 8, was blowing from south west by west and the sea was very rough. It was about half an hour after high water and a strong ebb tidal stream was setting westwards at about 5 to 6 knots. Although it was a cloudy afternoon visibility was good.

The lifeboat headed down channel at full speed and the end of the north training wall to Sailer's Bank was rounded at 1555. Coxswain Wignall then steered north by east towards South Shore. In the very rough, short seas which were breaking in the shallow waters on Salter's Bank the lifeboat was being rolled so heavily that at times her gunwales were rolled right under. Solid water was breaking over her the whole time and visibility was reduced to about a mile.At about 1607 a mast was sighted fine on the starboard bow and course was altered directly towards it. Soon afterwards, a sail was seen on the mast and the boat appeared to be sailing south in dangerous waters and heading towards even further danger.

A few minutes later, when about half a mile off, the mast and sail were seen to roll to port and disappear for about a minute before rising again. As the lifeboat approached, the yacht, later identified as Morag, was seen to be a small clinker-built, green-hulled sloop; she was under full mainsail and jib, towing an inflatable dinghy very close astern and she was rolling very heavily as though she had taken a lot of water.

Heavy seas were breaking over her and her sails and gear were slamming from side to side. There was no sign of life on the yacht and Coxswain Wignall thought she had been abandoned. She was about a quarter of a mile offshore on the Crusader Bank, three-quarters of a mile north west by north of St Anne's Pier.

The gale was still blowing, the sea was very rough and there was a considerable amount of surf in the shallow water. It was about one hour after high water and the ebb stream was setting to the north west.. Visibility was down to just under a mile in the heavy spray.

Coxswain Wignall left the yacht to starboard, turned and brought the lifeboat back close to starboard of the inflatable dinghy. A man was then seen in the water apparently clinging to the stern of the yacht. As the port bow of the lifeboat came close. Assistant Mechanic Brian Pearson leaped into the inflatable dinghy, which was only about two to three feet from the yacht. The man in the water was found to be hanging to the stern by his own lifeline which had become fouled in some way.

As Brian Pearson shouted for an axe to cut the man free he saw that the bow of the lifeboat was coming between the yacht and the dinghy. Realising the trapped man was close to being crushed by the bow of the lifeboat rising and falling above them, Brian Pearson leapt into the water, grabbed the stern of the yacht and dragged the man round on tothe port quarter clear of the lifeboat's bow.

The yacht swung round alongside the starboard side of the lifeboat while the dinghy was trapped under the port bow.

Brian Pearson climbed aboard the yacht and went forward to secure a line from the lifeboat as Crew Member Robert Kennedy jumped on to the yacht and was passed an axe. Robert Kennedy made his way aft, cut the fouled lifeline, releasing the dinghy, and, helped by the movement of the waves, pulled the man into the cockpit. The man was helped on to the cabin top where he could hang on to the mast as the yacht had parted from the lifeboat. Brian Pearson had been trying to secure a line to the mast but had been ordered back on board the lifeboat by Coxswain Wignall because the boats were slamming into each other causing damage, particularly to the yacht. As Brian Pearson tried to get back, the yacht's pulpit carried away and he was trapped by the anchor rope.

He was pulled aboard the lifeboat by Crew Member Harry Bamber.

All this action took place in appalling conditions, in very shallow water, with the casualty being rapidly blown on to a lee shore.

As Coxswain Wignall was manoeuvring the lifeboat astern clear of the yacht the port engine suddenly stopped and it was found that the port propeller had become fouled by a line from the casualty. As there was little time left before the yacht went ashore and there would probably only be one chance to close Morag, Coxswain Wignall headed the lifeboat south, on the starboard engine, and then turned to starboard until he had the yacht right ahead port side on.

Manoeuvring with great difficulty, stern to sea, he drove the lifeboat straight on to the port side of the yacht amidships between the man holding on to the mast and Crew Member Kennedy. The man grabbed the starboard guardrails and was pulled aboard, and Robert Kennedy, having seen the survivor aboard, grabbed the port guardrails and was helped into the lifeboat. As the lifeboat cleared. Morag began to sink. It was 1620.

Coxswain Wignall tried to manoeuvre his lifeboat astern into the wind and sea to find deeper water but it could not be done with only one engine. With great apprehension, therefore, he went ahead and hard to port. The lifeboat, touching bottom, came slowly round into the sea and headed westwards into deeper water.

At about 1625 the port propeller scuttle was lifted in an attempt to clear the fouled propeller, but water flooded into the after cabin to a depth of a foot putting the radar out of action. The scuttle was quickly replaced. The yacht's skipper was treated for hypothermia and shock during the return passage which followed the outward track. The north training wall was rounded at about 1640 and the lifeboat was secured to the reserve mooring at1715 to dry out. The survivor was transferred to the station's D class inflatable lifeboat and landed ashore where he was taken by ambulance to hospital; he was discharged on the following day.

The lifeboat dried out at low water when the port propeller was cleared.

The starboard propeller was also found to have a small length of line round it but not enough to stop the engine. The lifeboat was placed on her main mooring at 1400 on the following day.

Morag had been on passage from the Isle of Man to Birkenhead and had been driven too far to the east in the gales.

Her skipper had been thrown out of the cockpit during the knockdown.

For this service the bronze medal was awarded to Coxswain Arthur R.

Wignall and Assistant Mechanic Brian Pearson and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Member Robert B. K.

Kennedy. Medal service certificates were presented to Motor Mechanic Tony West, and Crew Members Harry Bamber, David Topping, Russel Wignail, Gary Miller, Daniel I. Chester and Paul Francis..