BRONZE MEDAL AT 0100 ON OCTOBER 16, 1987 Portland Coastguard contacted Lt Cdr B F Morris, honorary secretary of Weymouth lifeboat station, to inform him that a 40ft catamaran, 12 miles south of Portland Bill, was stationary under bare poles. She was experiencing engine and steering problems but the owner/ skipper said he did not want lifeboat assistance.

In view of the weather, south south westerly storm force 10, with rain reducing visibility and the forecast of increasing wind strength, Lt Cdr Morris decided to assemble the lifeboat crew.

While he was doing this the catamaran.

Sunbeam Chaser, requested lifeboat assistance. Her mast was being severely shaken and one engine was faltering.

The lack of engine power meant that the skipper could not keep the vessel's head to sea so he turned and started running with the sea on his starboard quarter.

At 0120 Weymouth lifeboat, the 54ft Arun class Tony Vandervell, slipped her moorings and proceeded under the command of Coxswain/Mechanic Derek Sargent. The normal track to the casualty would be between the Shambles and Portland Bill. However, weather conditions that night prevented such action and a course was set to go outside the Shambles.

During this passage the VHP aerial was washed away and a windscreen motor became jammed. Nine foot of starboard spray rail was damaged, the Decca Navigator lost lock, the plastic clips securing the inflatable Y boat carried on board were torn loose and two crew members went on top to lash the boat down.

Two perry buoys and a boathook were also washed overboard. To further distract the coxswain, the small amount of water in the bilges was thrown up and constantly set off the bilge alarm.

The coxswain set a VHF/DF course for the casualty's area, where HMS Birmingham and RFA Black Rover were standing by. Radar contact was made with the warship at a range of nine miles and as the lifeboat closed the casualty's lights could be seen. HMS Birmingham had laid oil in an attempt to minimise the breaking sea and RFA Black Rover attempted to form a lee for the casualty.

The lifeboat arrived on the scene at 0420 and the catamaran could be seen running east with a jib roller reefing and reefed nearly home. The lifeboat radio operator spoke with the casualty and a request was made from Sunbeam Chaser that the crew be taken off.This request was seemingly made without the consent of the skipper. He sat in the conning seat on the starboard side, looking fixedly ahead, apparently not acknowledging the presence of the lifeboat.

The crew of the catamaran, three men, a youth and a woman asked to be taken on board the lifeboat. RFA Black Rover could not get close enough to provide an effective lee and the catamaran skipper continued running with the sea on his starboard quarter, which caused the craft to corkscrew wildly.

On board the lifeboat Coxswain Sargent went to the upper steering position and the crew ranged fenders down the lifeboat's starboard side. Four crew members clipped themselves to the safety wire in the starboard waist, one to the starboard quarter and one stood ready by the after door to transfer the casualties into the main cabin.

The coxswain then approached the casualty's port quarter and started easing the lifeboat up to the catamaran, which was still corkscrewing wildly and veering away whenever the lifeboat came close. The coxswain was very conscious that if the casualty veered to port the lifeboat could have driven over the top of her. * After 15 minutes the coxswain got alongside and one man was grabbed before the catamaran once again veered away. After another five minutes the three men and the woman were transferred to the lifeboat.

During the whole time the lifeboatmen were constantly up to their waists in water, swamped by the following sea.Throughout the operation the skipper ignored the lifeboat despite appeals through the coxswain's loud hailer. It was, therefore, a skilful display of seamanship by the coxswain that not only resulted in the rescue of five people but ensured that no damage was done to either boat.

The skipper, by his silence, made his intention to stay with the catamaran very clear. The five survivors were wet and cold, one suffering from shock and the coxswain wished to get them ashore as quickly as possible.

However, he could not leave the owner/ skipper, so remained to escort him into Weymouth.

The skipper did not follow the lifeboat nor did he acknowledge radio instructions that he was getting too close to the Shambles. The catamaran took the route between the Shambles and Portland Bill and passed east of West Shambles buoy. The coxswainreported that if the casualty had been 100 yards further east he would have broken up on the Shambles.

When the shelter of Weymouth Bay was reached seamen from HMS Birmingham transferred to the casualty to assist as crew for entry into Weymouth.

At 0930 Weymouth lifeboat secured alongside to land the five survivors.

Following this service the bronze medal for bravery was awarded to Coxswain Derek Sargent. Medal service certificates went to Second Coxswain Christopher Tett, Assistant Mechanic Colin Pavey and Crew Members David Pitman, Robert Gray, Robin Blues and Graham Keates.

Letters of thanks signed by the director, Lt Cmdr Brian Miles, were sent to the Commanding Officer, HMS Birmingham and the Master, RFA Black Rover..