Sail board in trouble AT 1553 on Wednesday, November 21, 1984, the honorary secretary of Aberystwyth lifeboat station was informed by Milford Haven coastguard that a board sailor was in trouble just outside the mouth of Aberystwyth harbour.

The honorary secretary replied that the lifeboat would launch immediately and gave instructions for the maroons to be fired. At 1540 Aberystwyth's 17ft 6in C class inflatable lifeboat launched, manned by Helmsman Thomas Ridgway and Crew Members Alan Blair and Martin Porter.

The weather was cloudy with a south west wind of force 5. It was two and a half hours after low water springs and the flood tide was against a fast flowing river, swollen by flood water. The lifeboat was launched into the harbour and headed for the entrance. On passing through the entrance the helmsman went partly over the bar before turning to starboard towards the board sailor.

He was seen to be sitting on his sailboard which had been dismasted.

He was facing out to sea and drifting approximately 30 yards from the jetty.

By his movements he appeared to be physically fit and he was wearing a full wet suit and buoyancy aid.

The wind was still south west force 5.

The incoming tide was against the flood water coming out of the river, causing the sea to break across the harbour entrance. There was a heavy, regular ground swell approaching the coast from the south west which was striking the concrete apron and wooden jettyand then returning back out to sea. It created a good deal of breaking water, making waves of about 8 feet and causing the sea to be confused.

The helmsman approached to seaward of the casualty with the idea of one crewman swimming in to bring the man back. He reached a point just seaward of the casualty, but realised the difficulty of his situation and had to steer some 50 yards out to sea to get clear of the breaking water and make further preparations. When this had been done, he took the lifeboat back towards the casualty.

On arrival at their earlier position, the lifeboat crew found that the casualty was now closer to the concrete wall and being swept to and fro in its wash. It was immediately obvious that with the depth of water and the large wave troughs, it was too dangerous to go in any further. The crew shouted to the man that he should leave his sailboardand swim out from the wall. The sailboarder signalled his agreement and began to swim. The helmsman again considered it too dangerous to remain in the area and headed back out to sea into clearer water. The man was then carefully watched until Helmsman Ridgway considered it safe to return (the man had swum about 20 yards).

The helmsman told his crew that he would take the lifeboat in to the man and manoeuvre so that they could pull him in over the port sponson. With the crew positioned, the lifeboat made itsthird approach to the south of the man in the water. When abreast of him, the helmsman turned the boat to port and immediately the man came alongside the port sponson. He was then quickly pulled inboard by the crew. In amongst the broken water, the lifeboat was continually taking on water and spray.

Once the crew had the man on board, the helmsman took the lifeboat back out of the breaking water and then steered south, round the bar and back into the harbour. The survivor was none the worse for his experience and he was landed at the launching slip at 1547 where he was met by friends. The lifeboat was then recovered and was ready for service again at 1605.

Following this service, a letter, signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, was sent to Helmsman Thomas Ridgway expressing the Institution's thanks to him and his crew for their quick and efficient rescue..