Stranded yacht AS DUSK FELL ON Tuesday, October 6, 1987, Liverpool Coastguard MRSC advised New Brighton's station honorary secretary, Captain John Billington, that a small yacht, believed to be the 24ft Samsal, had been observed possibly in trouble outside the main channel of the entrance to Liverpool, some five miles north west of the lifeboat station.

The SHS agreed to an immediate launch, activating the crew's pagers at 1732. New Brighton's Atlantic 21 rigid inflatable lifeboat Blenwatch launched at 1745 and proceeded on service.

At the launch site there was a westerly wind blowing, force 4 to 5, with a moderate sea and westerly swell of 4ft.

Occasional squally showers reduced visibility as Blenwatch launched 20minutes before low water (spring tides), in virtually slack water.

Heading on a course of 350° Magnetic down the Crosby Channel, Helmsman Anthony Clare, accompanied by Crew Members Geoffrey Prince and Anthony Jones, took the lifeboat towards C17 Buoy.

Once clear of the shelter of land, weather conditions worsened. The wind had increased to force 6 and was accompanied by a short, steep sea and 4ft swell.

Helmsman Clare proceeded at best speed in the conditions, hampered by the stalling on three or four occasions of the starboard engine. However, after renewing the plugs it ran satisfactorily, although attempts to re-start it had seriously reduced the available battery power, causing the echo sounder to stop working.

C17 buoy was reached with no sign of the casualty and so Helmsman Clare landed Crew Member Prince at a point two cables south, where the sand had encroached over the training wall.

He walked about 1A of a mile southwestwards to the highest point of the bank, but could see nothing. Helmsman Clare, meanwhile, continued to search the channel area between C15 and C17 buoys.

Liverpool Coastguard MRSC reported another sighting of the yacht, south west of the Burbo Bank, apparently under reefed jib or engine. Helmsman Clare recovered his crew member at 1830 and proceeded on a course of 150° Magnetic up the Crosby Channel to attempt the Rock Channel and get to the southward of the Burbo Bank.

Making full speed to the Rock Channel the lifeboat arrived there at 1840.

The wind was now force 7, gusting to force 8 in squalls which again limited visibility. It was also getting dark.The funnel effect of the channel, together with the flooding tide, caused the tide to run at about 3'/2 knots. The seas were 8-10ft and breaking.

Hoylake's 37ft 6in Rother class lifeboat Mary Gabriel, which had been on standby, launched shortly after 1835 at the request of the New Brighton helmsman, who was aware of the limitations of his own craft as a search vehicle in the prevailing conditions.

Battery problems severely restricted his use of the searchlight and once clear of the Rock Channel, Helmsman Clare knew that his course would be virtually beam on to the seas. Bearing in mind the fading light and slow progress to the north west, he decided to return to the main channel, which the lifeboat reentered at 1855.

His decision, made in the belief that Samsal would be driven back across the Burbo Bank towards the main channel, was vindicated when, after a half hour search in the dark, the yacht was discovered aground on the sandbank, lying bow to north and being pounded by the breaking seas.

The Crosby West Training bank— lying between the casualty and the lifeboat—could be seen in the deepest troughs. Samsal's crew appeared to be trying to inflate a liferaft and Helmsman Clare considered that they were in imminent danger as, once the yacht was driven on to the training wall, she would break up.

After watching the wave patterns on the wall, he drove Blenwatch across and on to the Burbo Bank at 1935. Once over the wall, the seas were very short and confused, 4-5 feet and breaking.

Samsal was rolling heavily, her boom swinging freely. Helmsman Clare decided to tow the yacht over the training wall into the main channel before attempting to take off her three crew, as the water alongside Samsal was shallow and very rough. The yacht's mast and boom also posed a threat to the safety of the lifeboat and her crew.

Helmsman Clare closed the yacht from the south east and shouted his instructions to her crew. He then made a dummy run to assess the situation close to the casualty, again from the south east, while his crew prepared the tow.

The lifeboat's port engine kept stalling at slow speed and so the final approach was made with the port engine on high revs (3,000) and the starboard engine on low revs. A tow line was eventually secured and Samsal was pulled round to the east north east, over the training wall and into the main channel at 1950.

The three yachtsmen were wet and tired but bailing furiously to keep pace with the leaks in Samsal's hull. They wanted to beach the boat but in the absence of a safe beach in the prevailing weather conditions it was decided to tow them to Liverpool Marina.

The tow up to the Crosby Channel was slow, with the yacht yawing con-siderably. The quarterly seas were increasing with the rising tide as the Burbo Bank covered.

Blenwatch and the casualty arrived off the entrance to the Albert Dock complex at 2045. Liverpool Coastguard informed Helmsman Clare that no lock would be available until the following morning. After consulting the three yachtsmen, the Port Authority and the coastguard it was agreed to leave Samsal moored alongside the dock wall, close to where the yachtsmen had left their car, containing food and other provisions.

Blenwatch left the casualty at 2120 but en route to Egremont Slipway the starboard engine failed and would not re-start. The lifeboat proceeded without lights, to conserve battery power for the radio, the beach party were advised and the trolley was rigged for a net recovery.

Beach conditions were not good, with a confused wave pattern caused byreflected waves from the dock walls on the north east side of the river.

The net carried away as Blenwatch made her first approach and recovery had to be aborted while the trolley was re-rigged. The second attempt was successful, thanks to the excellent coordination of Tractor Driver Francis Brereton. The lifeboat was recovered at 2145, repaired, rehoused, refuelled and ready for service at 2230.

Following this service, Helmsman Anthony Clare has been awarded the thanks of the Institution inscribed on vellum. Framed letters of thanks signed by the Institution's chairman the Duke of Atholl have been awarded to Crew Members Geoffrey Prince and Anthony Jones and a letter of thanks from Captain George Cooper, chief of operations, has gone to Tractor Driver Francis Brereton..