Rowing dinghy WHILE SAILING his lift 6in Laser dinghy off Thorpe Bay Yacht Club at 1555 on Friday February 27. 1981, 16-year-old Carl Palmby saw someone on the beach waving to alert him to a casualty. He immediately headed for the position indicated to try to help.It was an overcast but clear afternoon with a fresh to strong breeze, force 5 to 6, blowing from the south east. The seas were short and rough and it was two hours before high water.

Seeing an overturned 8ft rowing dinghy with someone clinging to it. Carl Palmby gybed and made for the capsizedcapsized boat. As he approached he shouted to the man in the icy water, a fisherman, to let go of the dinghy and come aboard the Laser on her starboard side. The man was too cold and exhausted, however, to help himself so Carl tried to lift him on board. Before he could pull the fisherman in, the Laser capsized throwing both of them into the water.

Carl immediately righted the boat, grabbed the fisherman again and pulled him aboard over the stern. He then tried to tack in to the beach but, with the survivor on board, there was not enough room in the little single-handed racing dinghy for the helmsman to be able to sail his boat effectively and no ground could be made. He therefore waved his lifejacket to people on the beach to indicate that further help was needed, then sat with the survivor, taking care of him.

At 1615 Southend-on-Sea lifeboat station was alerted; the station's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat launched at 1619 under the command of Helmsman Glyn Gilson. The Laser was quickly reached and the fisherman transferred to the lifeboat but, because of his condition, helicopter assistance was requested.

He was lifted off at 1622 by a helicopter from RAF Mansion and taken to Southend Hospital. Carl Palmby sailed back to Thorpe Bay Yacht Club and the Atlantic 21 returned to station, arriving at 1648.

For this service Carl J. Palmby was awarded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum together with an inscribed wristwatch..