Family rescued AT 2125 ON SATURDAY, JULY 11, 1987, Hartland Coastguard informed Clovelly lifeboat's Staff Coxswain Roger Smith that the 29ft yacht Moon Dragon required immediate assistance two miles west of Hartland Point.

At 2129 the 70ft Clyde class lifeboat City of Bristol slipped her moorings and proceeded at full speed. A Wessex helicopter from RAF Chivenor was also alerted, joining the search at 2145.

The casualty was located 4'/2 miles west of Hartland Point, the helicopter arriving there first and putting a winchman on board to enable the youngest person on the yacht, a five-year-old girl, to be lifted into the helicopter.

The pilot decided that it would be unsafe to winch any further personnel from Moon Dragon because of the violent movement of the boat and the danger of the yacht's rigging causing injury.

The casualty was lying bare poles, beam to the sea, bow west in the Hartland Race. Weather at the scene was hazy visibility, with dusk falling.

The wind was west south west force 5.

There was a moderate sea but with a swell of 25-30ft in the race. Waves were breaking on top of the swell and the tide was on the ebb, causing a wind-againsttide situation.

The lifeboat arrived on scene at 2207 and Coxswain Smith decided to use the D class inflatable lifeboat to evacuate the wife and remaining two children from the yacht, leaving the husband on board.

While the D class was being launched the coxswain lay to the south of the casualty to create a slight lee for the inflatable.

Helmsman Robert Carswell, accompanied by Crew Member Laurence Conibear, took the D class clear of thelifeboat and alongside the starboard side of the casualty. The woman and two children were taken aboard and the D class returned to City of Bristol.

The survivors, in a state of distress and suffering from seasickness, were taken down below to keep warm and were made as comfortable as possible.

The coxswain decided that it would be better if the yacht could be moored out of the race, rather than towed, in view of the prevailing sea conditions.

The D class returned for the casualty with Helmsman Carswell and Crew Members Conibear and Michael Bowden on board. On arrival alongside Moon Dragon Crew Member Bowden jumped aboard and the inflatable returned to the lifeboat.

The D class was then hoisted on board the City of Bristol and lashed down. Some damage was caused to the inflatable as she was recovered from the race.

On board the casualty Crew Member Bowden started the inboard diesel and helmed the yacht north-easterly, clear of the race. A course was then set to skirt the race to the north and then head for Clovelly. The lifeboat followed astern until the yacht was clear of the race. Then she headed for Clovelly, radioing ahead for an ambulance.

On arrival at Clovelly the three survivors were landed ashore to the waiting ambulance crew. The lifeboat then returned to the yacht to escort her to moorings at Clovelly, where Crew Member Bowden and the husband transferred from the casualty.

City of Bristol arrived back at her mooring at 0125 after a four hour service.

Following this difficult service a framed letter of thanks, signed by the chairman, the Duke of Atholl, has been awarded to Coxswain Roger Smith, Motor Mechanic John Spillane and Crew Members Michael Bowden, Laurence Conibear and Robert Carswell..