Hastings' 37ft Oakley class lifeboat Fairlight, with Coxswain Frederick White at the helm, tows the Dutch yacht Octopus towards Rye Harbour during a force 6 south-south-easterly gale and in rough seas on July 19, 1987. Rye Harbour's C class inflatable lifeboat is pictured standing by the yacht, which suffered engine failure during the adverse weather conditions. A woman and her three children were transferred to Hastings lifeboat by the C class, leaving the yacht's skipper and three lifeboat crew to bring the vessel safely into harbour at 1458..