Yacht on rocks A RADIO MESSAGE at 0924 on Thursday July 15, 1982, reported that a yacht was aground in the area of the Western Carracks, three miles west of St Ives. The honorary secretary of St Ives lifeboat station immediately assembled crew for the D class inflatable lifeboat and put the 37ft Oakley lifeboat on standby.

The morning was overcast with a light to gentle breeze, force 2 to 3, blowing from the north west. It was 2V2 hours before high water neaps.

The D class lifeboat launched on service at 0927, manned by Helmsman Eric Ward and Crew Members Thomas Cocking, Jnr, and John Stevens, and course was set close inshore so that the casualty would be reached as quickly as possible. While on passage Helmsman Ward spoke by radio with St Ives fishing vessels in the area and was told that a liferaft, which appeared to be occupied, could be seen inshore of the yacht.Arriving at 0952, the inflatable lifeboat found the yacht Ladybird just west of Whicker Point; she was broadside to the shore and aground, bows westward, with only her foresail still hoisted. Her liferaft was lying close by to the south east, hard into the steep, rocky shoreline and being pounded by rough seas. The low ground swell, hardly noticeable in deeper water, was accentuated over the shallow rock-strewn area around the yacht; there was a ten foot rise and fall and constant white water.

At just about the same time that the D class inflatable lifeboat arrived on the scene, St Ives 37ft Oakley lifeboat Frank Penfold Marshall was launched on service. She was under command of Coxswain Thomas Cocking.

The yacht's hull was only visible between crests. She appeared to be empty but, from movement of its canopy, it looked as though there could be someone inside the liferaft. An attempted approach between the shore and the stern of the yacht had to be abandoned because it was too dangerous.

Helmsman Ward immediately decided that the only safe method of reaching the liferaft would be to anchor and veer down. The anchor was dropped at the edge of the surf line and the anchor line was paid out as the inflatable lifeboat came astern under her outboard engine. As each crest approached, the anchor line was held secure so that the lifeboat remained stationary, head to sea. Each time the boat took heavy water aboard, but she quickly cleared herself.

Twice the lifeboat was lifted on to a rock, but the helmsman put the engine out of gear, waited for the boat to be carried clear and then re-engaged the engine to continue the astern approach to the yacht. On the second occasion Helmsman Ward was knocked from his controls and almost overboard by a heavy sea and the boat heeled right over. However, he quickly regained control and then brought the boat stern first to the yacht. While the lifeboat lay alongside Ladybird''-, deckhouse, which was awash, it was established that there was no one on board.

The liferaft was about 25 feet further inshore. As the inflatable lifeboat left the yacht, she was again lifted on to a rock by a huge crest. The backwash did not carry her clear and she was left high and dry for about two minutes. The engine was out of gear but it could not be tilted because its skeg was jammed into a rock crevice. Crew Member Hocking hung over the bow and heaved on the anchor line as a crest approached. The boat came clear and once again approached the yacht. Another attempt was made to reach the liferaft but the boat would not manoeuvre because the propeller blades were badly damaged.

At this time a Wessex helicopter from RNAS Culdrose arrived and hovered a little to the west while the inflatable lifeboat was heaved seaward on her anchorline so that her propeller could be changed. The anchor had dragged inside the surf line but was holding.

Although the boat was swamped three times during the propeller change, the task was successfully completed. With her new propeller, the inflatable lifeboat could only attain about three knots, so she was driven seaward, the anchor was recovered and she cleared the surf line.

The helicopter used her downdraft to blow the liferaft clear of the rocks before a diver was lowered into it; he found it was empty. The diver was then lowered into the inflatable lifeboat to make sure that all was well with the crew.

Until St Ives 37ft Oakley lifeboat Frank Penfold Marshall arrived, at 1010, the inflatable lifeboat searched to west and east of the casualty, outside the surf line. With the arrival of Frank Penfold Marshall to take up the search, the D class lifeboat accepted a tow to St Ives from FV Josephine. The tow started at 1035 and St Ives was reached at 1110.

A spare engine was fitted to the lifeboat, the crew put on dry clothing anddry suits and re-launched at 1142. From 1201 to 1235 the inflatable lifeboat renewed her search along the coastline in company with the Oakley lifeboat, fishing vessels and a Sea King helicopter which had taken over from the Wessex.

Nothing was found, however, and the search was called off. Both lifeboats returned to St Ives, arriving at 1315.

The body of the yachtsman was washed up a fortnight later.

For this service a bar to his bronze medal was awarded to Helmsman Eric T. Ward and the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum were accorded to Crew Members Thomas Cocking, Jnr, and John Stevens..