Broken rudder THE YACHT Concerto, in difficulties ten miles north of Round Island, was reported to the honorary secretary of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, lifeboat station by Falmouth Coastguard at 1618 on Tuesday June 22, 1982. Maroons were fired and at 1635 St Mary's 52ft Arun lifeboat Robert Edgar slipped her moorings and, under the command of Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge, set out on service.

In St Mary's harbour a fresh breeze, force 5, was blowing from south south west. It was three hours before high water, some two days after spring tides.

The sky was overcast with visibility three to four miles between rain squalls.

Tresco Channel, navigable by the lifeboat from 2'/2 hours' flood on a spring tide, was negotiated at full speed and at 1650, with Round Island abeam, a course of 025°M was set. From information received from the Coastguard, from DF bearings and from vessels in the area, it was established that the position of the yacht was 50°19'N, 06°11.5'w. Once clear of the land, the wind was near gale, force 7, to gale, force 8 and the passage north in high following seas demanded great concentration and a high standard of boat handling from Coxswain Matt Lethbridge to prevent the lifeboat broaching. The engines were kept at full ahead throughout.

At 1800 the lifeboat arrived at the position given for Concerto, adjusted for tidal set and the yacht's drift. HMS Pollington was also on the scene and it was agreed that the lifeboat and warship should search downwind in company.

At a speed of 10 knots, Coxswain Lethbridge kept station on the starboardbeam of the warship, maintaining visual contact at a quarter of a mile to half a mile depending on visibility in the very heavy rain squalls.

At about 1845 the warship obtained a VHP DF bearing of the casualty; she was lying to the south west. Course was altered to that heading and the lifeboat, increasing her speed to 12 knots, drew ahead of the warship. After 15 minutes the lifeboat fired a white flare. Concerto reported by radio that she could see the flare on bearing 030°. Coxswain Lethbridge increased to full speed and found the yacht at 1915.

Concerto was heading south south east, wallowing in the high seas and shipping heavy spray. Her sails were stowed and she appeared in good order apart from her rudder, which was hanging askew. Two men could be seen in her cockpit.

The wind was still from the south south west but by now it had risen to storm force 10. The tide flowing across the wind was creating a sea estimated at 20 feet high, 100 feet between crests, reminiscent of that experienced during the Fastnet Race storm of 1979. The lifeboat was shipping green water as the approach was made.

At 1930, while a large Finnish tanker, ss Tervi, steamed into a position a quarter of a mile away to create a lee, Coxswain Lethbridge rigged a towline, heavily fendered the lifeboat's port side and then manoeuvred alongside the yacht. His intention was to secure a tow line and then take off the two crew, but he was forced to drive clear of the casualty to avoid damage while the tow line was secured. With the two men still aboard their yacht, therefore, the tow was taken up at 1935 on a course of 212°M.

On 100 fathoms of towline, suitably weighted, a towing speed of 3 to 4 knots was achieved. However, with the onset of darkness and the continuing severe weather, Coxswain Lethbridge decided to take off the yachtsmen. It was a difficult operation. While trying to bring the yacht alongside, her stern was carried into the lifeboat's port quarter by a large sea; narrowly avoiding two crew members, it struck the deckhouse above their heads, bent a stanchion and marked the belting. Despite this incident, by waiting for instructions from Second Coxswain Roy Guy, the transfer was made without further damage or injury.

The tow was resumed at 2110 at a speed of 4 knots, but about 20 minutes later the towline parted.

HMS Pollington had already departed to help search for a yacht reported in difficulties off Seven Stones, north east of the Isles of Scilly. Coxswain Lethbridge immediately informed the yachtsmen and Falmouth Coastguard of his intention to abandon his tow to go to the aid of this second casualty, the French yacht Martez. A course was set at 185°M and full speed was then maintained with only brief reductions to meet particularly heavy seas.At about 2230 St Mary's Arun lifeboat, four miles north on Seven Stones Lightvessel, began a downwind search in company with HMS Pollington, Sennen Cove's 37ft 6in Rother Diana White and a Sea King helicopter from RNAS Culdrose. Diana White had launched on service at 1914 under the command of Coxswain/Mechanic Maurice Hutchens.

When, however, a yacht answering the description of Martez was found close ashore near Penzance Harbour, the search was called off and the 46ft 9in Watson relief lifeboat Guy and Clare Hunter, on temporary station duty at Penlee, was launched at 2353 to go to the French yacht's help. Soon after Guy and Clare Hunter had launched, under the command of Coxswain Kenneth Thomas, Martez was reported to have come ashore and her crew of two to be safely on the beach in the care of the Police.

St Mary's lifeboat arrived back at station at 0055 on Wednesday June 23; the crew of Concerto were landed at 0110 and the lifeboat was refuelled and back on her moorings ready for service at 0230. The abandoned yacht was found later that day by the Dutch coaster Inga, off the North Cornwall coast, and towed to St Ives.

Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge later received letters of thanks from Concerto's skipper, who wrote: ' . . . / am writing to express my appreciation for the skill and dedication of the St Mary's lifeboat crew. . . Words, particularly on paper, are always inadequate vehicles to express these feelings. . . ' and his crew: " . . . Having felt guilty in the first place that we had got into the difficulties we did and that we had to ask for help, I found all that followed a most exciting experience and I feel privileged to have been able to see at first hand both the caring and the professionalism of you and your lifeboat crew and I thank you all very much indeed for it all. . . ' For this service the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Coxswain Matthew Lethbridge, BEM, of St Mary's lifeboat and vellum service certificates were presented to Second Coxswain Ernest Roy Guy, Motor Mechanic William R. Burrow, Emergency Mechanic Ritchie Christopher and Crew Members Rodney J. Terry, Roy Duncan, Brian Jenkins and Stuart J. Thomas. A letter, signed by Rear Admiral W. J. Graham, director, expressing the appreciation of the Institution to the master of the Finnish tanker Tervi, was sent to the ship's owners, Neste O/Y..