Difficult launch A REPORT FROM LIVERPOOL COASTGUARD that a small fishing vessel was in trouble in the Dee estuary was received by Hoylake lifeboat station at 1050 on the morning of Monday March 24, 1986. A north-north-westerly force 8 gale, gusting to force 9 and 10 was blowing and the tide had been on the ebb for an hour.

Hoylake's 37ft 6in Rother class lifeboat, Mary Gabriel, was towed on her carriage towards the sea. To reach the position of the fishing vessel Coxswain John McDermott realised that he could avoid the one hour passage around East Bank by towing the lifeboat by tractorin about 2Vi feet of water across the bank's flat top towards Hilbre Swash.

The launching falls were taken aboard the tractor to prevent them from being washed off the lifeboat's carriage and from going under the tracks. Then, about half a mile from the boathouse, approaching the surf on the edge of the deeper water, the tractor was turned and the lifeboat's bows pointed head to wind ready for the launch. Stan Bird, the head launcher, managed to wade to the bows to release the bow chain and then back aft again to help the coxswain who was coupling up the launching falls and trying to get the locking pins into the steering on the carriage. By the time they had succeeded both the coxswain and head launcher were up to their necks in the heavy surf which was bursting around the carriage.

When he was satisfied that all was well Coxswain McDermott asked his crew to pull him aboard and the tractor then began pushing the lifeboat and carriage seaward. All went well until a particularly large sea hit the lifeboat, followed immediately by a second one.

Suddenly the lifeboat and carriage became detached from the tractor and only the fast reactions of tractor driver Eric Eccles stopped the tractor from continuing on and causing severe damage to the lifeboat.

In the confusion the lifeboat and tractor did come into momentary contact causing slight damage to the lifeboat's rudder and tractor's hand-rails.

However, before any more damage could be done, Coxswain MacDermott, immediately he realised what had happened, ordered the tractor to reverse taking the weight on the launching falls.

The slips were released and the lifeboat catapulted off her carriage.

Although she was not in quite deep enough water, the lifeboat managed to claw her way off the bank, through the broken water and, bottoming several times she eventually reached deeper water. The coxswain then steered the lifeboat round Hilbre Island and ontowards Welshman Buoy. A few minutes later Liverpool coastguard reported that the fishing vessel in distress had managed to reach safety in an inlet on the Welsh side of the Dee estuary.

The lifeboat headed back, but because East Hoyle Bank was still covered by surf, she had to be kept afloat for a further hour until the bank was uncovered enough to beach the lifeboat safely. By 1355 she had been recovered, towed back to station, washed down, refuelled and was ready again for service.

A letter signed by Cdr Bruce Cairns, chief of operations, was sent to the station honorary secretary of Hoylake following this service passing on the Institution's warm appreciation to the coxswain, crew and shore helpers for their efforts..