Unusual hazard Sir - I was skipper of the yacht Dalriada when she sank in the small hours of 2 July 1988 (Lifeboat Services, Winter issue), and was eventually transferred to the shore from HMS Battleaxe by Coxswain Billy Lennon and the Donaghadee lifeboat.

As your report says, in my distress call to the Belfast Coastguard I said I thought I had hit rocks, but your account seems to imply that we were incompetent.

Please try to put yourself in my position.

We were heading just north of west, close hauled in very light airs, making about 3 knots (our engine had failed six hours earlier). I had four major lights in view, visibility was very clear, though the night was very dark. The mate was on the helm and I was at the chart table when he saw something about a second before we were struck.

I dashed to the cockpit and could just make out two poles sticking out of the water. In that brief glimpse they looked like the kind of poles one sometimes sees on unlit rocks.

By this time the crew below told me there was a lot of water coming in, and my reaction was that I must have made a catastrophic navigational error.

I could think of no other explanation.

Water was coming in quickly enough to send the yacht down in about five minutes, so there was not the time to spend philosophising as to what we had hit. In my mind I was certain we were well north of any hazards but when you are in extremis, as we were, you react to what you see (the two poles) and assume the fault is yours.

1 think that the headline 'Deep water "rocks" sink yacht' gives a wrong impression. When things happen drastically and catastrophically at sea, one's reaction is very different from what is possible with the benefit of hindsight.

Your report also says we were picked up from our life raft. Would that we were.

The yacht's six-man raft failed to open, and the attempts by two crew members in a sinking yacht must have been very strenuous indeed.

My daughter, one of the crew, reckons that I would have survived no more than a few more minutes when Battleaxe's boat found us. It was her captain who told us we had been holed by a submarine periscope housing. We received no medical attention on Battleaxe.

We are very grateful to Mr Lennon and his crew, and to the Belfast Coastguard, and HMS Battleaxe. When I am next in Northern Ireland I shall visit both Donaghadee and Orlockhead.

The Reverend E. Peter Mosley Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Editor's Note: No reflection on the Reverend Mosley's competence was intended. We are pleased to publish his letter to highlight the variety of problems encountered at sea.

Kitted out Sir- Can anyone help, please? I am one kit short in the set of the diecast model lifeboats which used to be listed in the RNLI gift catalogue. The missing kit is No. 11R, Oakley class.

The kit manufacturer has ceased to trade and neither my own or surrounding branches have any in stock.

H.V. Hanson 53 Chawn Hill, Stowhridge. West MidlandsTroon lifeboat service to TS Mountbatten Sir - With reference to the report in the Winter issue of THE LIFEBOAT concerning the service to TS Mountbatten by Troon lifeboat, I have to point out one inaccuracy therein.

It was stated that, prior to the lifeboat's arrival, four children had swum ashore from the casualty and I now understand that was not the case. In fact, they were put ashore in a rubber dinghy carried aboard the casualty.

I point this out so that no one will think our good friends in the Sea Cadet Corps were neglectful of the safety of their youthful charges.

This does not detract from a fine service carried out by the coxswain and crew of the City of Glasgow, but I would not like it thought that those in command of the stricken vessel acted in anything other than a proper seamanlike manner.

James Manson Station honorary secretary Troon.

Would tests save trouble? Sir - Just a few thoughts concerning general safety at sea.

Would it be worthwhile to have a test, on the lines of the MoT for cars and airworthiness for aircraft, to be enforced for boats of, say, two berth and larger? ' It seems that as lives are at stake a short simple test of competence may also be useful.

The minimum standards would be flares, spare engine (outboard), radio (even CB or BT radio telephone).

I don't think I am a killjoy or a person trying to encourage red tape but if common sense could be used to help cut the amount of call-outs for crews, I believe this is to the good.

Being employed in the medical field, I also hope to save myself work! Stephen C. Dean Aylesford, Kent.Lifeboats at Dunkirk Sir - With the co-operation of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, we are researching a book about the small craft which took part in 'Operation Dynamo' and which are still in existence. The emphasis is very much on the vessels themselves, particularly those which remain, rather than the military aspect of the operation.

Publication of this book will coincide with the 50th anniversary of Dunkirk in May 1990.

We do, however, need to research the Dunkirk involvement of those little ships which are still in use, as well as their subsequent history.

At this early stage in the research, I do not know how many of the lifeboats which took part are still in existence - Guide of Dunkirk certainly is, now at Mevagissey. But while we are finding them we also need personal anecdotes and photographs relating to the vessels themselves.

I would like to bring this project to the attention both of the lifeboatmen themselves and of your Shoreline members, any of whom might have a long standing interest in the service and stories and photographs of individual boats.

Mark Child, Head of Research, Collectors' Books, Bradley Lodge, Kemble, Cirencester, Glos. GL7 6ADWorking at publicity Sir - At the Eastern Region conference the Director mentioned the need for publicity to promote the RNLI. How true his words were.

As a result of a recent article in one of the many free papers that circulate in this area, a lady made contact and said that the article had prompted her to make a donation. She had always meant to make a donation in memory of her late husband but had never got round to it. The article reminded her, and she donated £500.

Getting publicity at local level principally depends upon the whim of the editor.

It can be quite depressing when you go to so much trouble and find you do not get coverage.

In this particular case I knew the copy deadline was Tuesday morning. A photograph of the event was due back from developing on Monday afternoon, which meant picking up the photograph, enclosing details of the event and getting the package posted first class by 1730.

With Monday being a busy day at work, it would be so easy to say 'forget it', but this time the effort had come up trumps.

Please don't think we are blowing the Harwich trumpet. I record this as an example, not just to confirm the Director's words of wisdom but as proof to depressed branch and guild secretaries that our charitable efforts can pay hidden dividends.

We are in the era that, if we want press coverage, we have no option but to present our news into the laps of the editors.

Those who do not have little chance of getting their efforts publicised.

Captain R.W. Shaw Honorary secretary Harwich & Dovercourt branch Congratulations Sir - Many of us at the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Headquarters were amused to read the account in the Winter 1988/89 issue about the rescue of a bull from Kirkwall Harbour.

In a more serious vein, would you please pass on our congratulations to George Dadson, James Mitchell and Dupre Strutt for their initiative in rescuing the bull. They did a great job.

Sir Cameron Rusby KCB LVO, Chief Executive, SSPCA, Edinburgh.Holiday help Sir -1 enclose an account of events my daughter and myself had the misfortune to encounter.

'It all began on our journey back from Weymouth. We had just finished racing a Westerly round Old Harry Rocks when we took down the spinnaker ready to sail into Studland.

'The sun was lovely and hot so I decided to put on my swimming costume. I could see everyone was busy down in the galley making lunch so I walked up the bow to use the forehatch. As I went to jump down the hatch my knee struck the metal rim.

'Thinking I had just scraped my shin I sat on the deck holding my leg. Dad, seeing what happened called my sister to help me into the cockpit and down the hatch.

'A small trace of blood started running out of my trouser leg and my Nan helped me off with my jeans. When she saw my knee she turned white, quickly putting a pad of tissue over it and said 'It's not as bad as it looks'.

'Dad realised it needed medical attention, so as we passed a boat at anchor that had a sturdy tender he asked if we could use it to get me ashore. It then occurred to Dad that it would be a long journey to the hospital, so he used the radio and called the Coastguard who told us he would call out the lifeboat.

'In no time at all a small orange speck could be seen coming towards us, and before we knew it two of the lifeboatmen were releasing the guard rails and the other two men attended to me. I was amazed at the great care and ease with which the two lifeboatmen lifted me through the hatch and down into the lifeboat.

'Within minutes I was speeding into Poole harbour with one of the crew shielding me from the spray. I was in shock so I was glad of the coats they had wrapped round me. Dad was relieved to see the ambulance waiting for us at Sandbanks and, watched by many holidaymakers, I was wheeled into the ambulance. With the Coastguard following, the ambulance made its way to Poole Hospital where I was treated with ten stitches in my knee.

'All of my family were very pleased to have the lifeboat service that day, with all the crew leaving their jobs, families and even a funeral to attend our call.

'I would like to point out the importance of the RNLI to many other yachtsmen as they depend on our support. Thank you Poole RNLI - Marline Agent (aged 14)' The thanks my daughter expresses are from us both, and every sailor afloat.

J. Argent Abingdon, Oxon.Sir - Noting the report of John Brunnings's discovery of an ex-Kirkcudbright lifeboat at Kippford, and Mr Demon's further information in the Winter issue of THE LIFEBOAT, it may be of interest to report that for the past 32 years I have owned that lifeboat's predecessor at Kirkcudbright (1928-1930), the ex-ON655 Priscilla McBean.

She is a 35ft x 8ft 6in self-righter (motor), built by J. Samuel White & Co Ltd., Cowesin 1921 at a cost of £6,622 13s lOd-through the legacy of Mr E. McBean of Helensburgh.

She was at Eastbourne from 1921 to 1926 and at Maryport from 1931 to 1934, when she was sold out of service. During her service she was launched 21 times and saved 25 lives (18 at Maryport). During her retirement on Windermere she has saved two further lives.

During the 1939-45 war she was at Ulverston and was taken to Lake Windermere in 1947, having been renamed Laurita. I purchased her in 1956 and she is now powered by a Ford 4D diesel. She is still on Windermere, moored near Ambleside, and has given my family immense pleasure over the years.

John Hepper, Leeds..