'Dismasted5 yacht found sailing after long search Crew member Alan Channell of the Poole lifeboat Inner Wheel has been sent a letter of thanks signed by the Chief of Operations following a service in which he was put aboard a yacht off Hengistbury Head in difficult conditions.The 33ft Brede had been at sea for some time on 2 June 1988 trying to locate the casualty, after inaccurate reports of both the nature of her trouble and her position.

First news of the casualty came during a crew meeting, when a message was received from Portland Coastguard that a yacht had been reported by another yacht 'dismasted, making for Poole and in no need of assistance' four miles south of Hengistbury Head.

Assistance It was decided that in view of the southwesterly Force 5 to 6 and the sea state the yacht would be in need of assistance, whether she realised it or not. So at 2030 the lifeboat launched, taking extra hands in view of the probability of putting crew aboard the yacht.

When she arrived at the reported position nothing could be seen, but a subsequent message then gave the position as on a bearing 141 degrees from the Head - some 40 degrees east of the original bearing.

The lifeboat moved to the east, but could still see nothing untoward. Reasoning that if the casualty was heading for Poole she would be inshore the crew began to search closer to the headland, and spotted a yacht at 2135 as the light began to fade.

Sailing At first she appeared to be in no need of assistance, but it was decided to close with her, as another message had said that the 'dismasted' yacht was in fact sailing under main and jib.The yacht turned out to be the 88-yearold, 44ft Greyling, which had lost the top few feet of her mast, jamming the sails aloft. She had been in difficulties since 1400 in mid Channel, and carried neither radio nor flares.

It was necessary to get the sails off her before she could be towed, but the four crew on board were unable to follow the coxswain's suggestion to remove the sail from the boom and brail it to the mast.

Coxswain Frank Ide decided to put someone aboard the yacht, despite the rough sea state and the pitching and rolling of both vessels, and so the Brede was brought in to the casualty.

The boats did not touch and crew member Alan Channell jumped aboard at the first attempt.

Smothered Crew member Channell is an experienced sailor and soon had the canvas smothered. A tow line was passed at the first attempt, and with grass fenders in the bight to act as a spring the lifeboat began to tow Greyling to Poole, slowly at first due to the sea state, but increasing speed slightly as she came into the lee of the land and the seas decreased.

The yacht was berthed at the town quay at 0030 and the lifeboat was back on her mooring at 0130..