Lifeboat aids disabled yacht and sinking trawler in southerly galeA service which started as a short call to search for an overdue sailing dinghy, and which was cancelled almost immediately when the dinghy was located, eventually turned into a long night afloat for Howth's relief Arun Margaret Russell Fraser.

Two further calls took her south-east, and then north-east of the station helping a disabled yacht and a sinking trawler.

Alert The alert for the dinghy, which was overdue at Balbriggan some nine miles north of the station, had been raised at 2003 on Saturday 9 July by the Skerries Light.

The lifeboat had left her moorings in poor weather at 2012, with a southerly gale and rough seas, but the dinghy was soon found and the call cancelled Difficulties As the Arun was reluming to her station a radio message was received from a yacht, indicating that a second yacht appeared to be in difficulties off Baily Lighthouse, two miles south-east of the station.

Changing course towards the new casualty the lifeboat found the yacht Birgitz with four people aboard anchored near the lighthouse, having lost her rudder. Conditions were poor, with a southerly Force 6 to 8 kicking up an 8ft to 10ft sea.The yacht and her crew were taken in tow, and secured alongside in Howth at 2055.

No sooner had the crew made the yacht fast than another call was received, this time from the trawler Christmas Tide, reporting that she had the trawler Riki Pia in tow some 16 miles to the north-east of the station.

There was a crew of five aboard the casualty, which was taking water, and Christmas Tide's crew were afraid that Riki Pia might sink before reaching port.

Pump Margaret Russell Fraser left Howth again immediately, and came up with the two trawlers within an hour, in the same poor conditions, gale force winds and heavy seas.

By putting a pump aboard, and starting it immediately the trawler was kept afloat while the Arun escorted the two boats as far as the Skerries, where, at 0130, she took over the tow and put Riki Pia alongside the pier The fire brigade took over the task of pumping to keep the trawler afloat, and the Arun was able to return to her moorings and be readied for service again by 0340..