LIFEBOATMAN ALONE ABOARD PILOT BOAT PLUCKS CREW TO SAFETY IN SEVERE GALE Three rescued from tug after night collision with coaster Shane Coleman, Second Coxswain/Mechanic of the Lowestoft lifeboat has been awarded the RNLI's Bronze medal for bravery for rescuing three men from a sinking tug with the Lowestoft pilot boat. In his official account of the rescue, Tom Nutman, divisional inspector of lifeboats for the east division commented: 'Mr Coleman showed excellent handling skills and put himself and his boat into danger to effect the rescue. His prompt, courageous actions no doubt saved the three survivors who would have been thrown into the winter sea soon afterwards without lifejackets or other lifesaving aids.' The incident occurred shortly after midnight on 26 January 1990, when Shane Coleman, having put a pilot aboard the 240ft Oakham, was alone aboard the Lowestoft pilot boat. It was a dark night with a severe gale Force 9 to storm Force 10 wind from the south west, seas of 6ft and driving spray and, shortly after landing the pilot, he saw the coaster collide with a 60ft tug.

Sinking The tug, Impulsion, had been struck on her port quarter by the coaster's bow and began to list heavily to port. Shane Coleman immediately took the pilot boat around the coaster's stern towards the tug, but by the time he reached her she was already sinking rapidly, with the stern under water at an angle of some 50 degrees and her wheelhouse only about 4ft above the surface.

The three crew members had climbed out of the forward wheelhouse windows and could be seen standing on the top of the wheelhouse with cordage and flotsam from the tug floating all around. Coleman realised that there was no time to spare and made a fast approach towards the starboard side of the casualty, aware that no matter how he approached her the pilot boat would be among the floating debris .

As he drew close he slowed and, when some 1 Oft away, the port engine stalled when the propeller was fouled by debris. He increased speed on the starboard engine and drove his boat up to the starboard side of the tug's wheelhouse, from where the three survivors stepped aboard.

With only the starboard engine functioning Coleman went astern to get clear, but within half a boat's length the remaining engine stalled as its propeller also fouled on a line in the water.

Pulled under All three crew were now safely off the tug, but the pilot boat was without power and, with lines from the tug firmly around both propellers, there was a distinct possibility that the pilot boat would be pulled under as the tug sank. He informed the coastguard of the situation by radio and asked for lifeboat assistance.

Asking all three survivors to put on lifejackets from the pilot boat he prepared the liferaft for immediate use and, at 0050 the tug sank.

The stern of the pilot boat was pulled down by the lines fouling her propellers and still attached to the tug, but fortunately she remained above the water.

Eleven minutes later the Lowestoft lifeboat came alongside and took the three men from the tug aboard. The youngest survivor was badly shocked and having decided to land them at Lowestoft the three survivors were ashore by 0145.

The lifeboat returned to tow the pilot boat back to Lowestoft after she had been cut free from the wreckage.

Readers will note that this issue contains reports of two RNLI awards for acts of bravery when not aboard a lifeboat.

Although there is an RNLI connection in both of these incidents this is not a pre-requisite for an award. The RNLI's charter empowers it, within certain guidelines, to confer awards'for distinguished gallantry or service' to any person using a vessel in an attempt to carry out a rescue.

Awards can also be made to RNLI personnel attempting rescue from the shore. SOS FLASHED BY TORCH FROM MAN STRANDED ABOARD YACHT Lone yachtsman saved by men from Morecambe lifeboat station The Thanks of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution inscribed on Vellum have been awarded to three men from Morecambe lifeboat station following the rescue of a yachtsman who was stranded aboard his anchored yacht in darkness and storm force winds.

Keith Willacy, the honorary secretary, and lifeboat crew members Steven Waite and Michael Mayfield carried out the rescue in the local Fisheries' inflatable Zodiac because of the need to transport a boat by road to the scene in the short time available. Keith Willacy, as Senior Helmsman of Morecambe lifeboat has previously won the RNLI's Silvermedal for bravery in 1982 and Bronze medal in 1973.

The deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats for the West Division, Captain Hugh Fogarty, said in his official report: 'The successful outcome of the service was due to the high degree of seamanship displayed by all three crew members, the instinctive boathandling ability of Keith Willacy, and the absolute discipline of the crew. The courage displayed by all three men is emphasised by the fact that they were fully aware of the conditions that they would encounter prior to launching.' Flashed The first indication that the yachtsman was in trouble came in the early hours of Monday 12 February 1990 when an 'SOS' message, flashed with a torch, was seen from a yacht anchored off Glasson Dock on the river Lune, near Lancaster. A Force 9 gale was blowing from the north west, gusting to Force 10 or 11 in hail and rain squalls.

Keith Willacy, the honorary secretary of Morecambe lifeboat station and also local Fisheries Officer decided that the quickest way to reach the yacht was to take the Sea Fisheries Committee's inflatable Zodiac by road to the scene, as it was ready for transporting by road, unlike the station's RNLI inflatable lifeboat, and time was of the essence.

At 0209 the Zodiac was launched from Glasson Dock with Keith Willacy at the helm and accompanied by RNLI crew members Steven Waite and Michael Mayfield.

The two crew members were positioned right forward to steady the small inflatable with Mayfield operating the radio and Waite handling the portable searchlight. Both men also guided the helmsman so that he could avoid objects in the water, which included small craft moorings, branches and other flotsam.

Seas 5ft to 6ft high were encountered for some quarter-of-a-mile from the slipway, and progress was slow because of the weight of water being shipped and the very poor visibility in the blown spray.

Searchlight The white hull of the yacht Phoenix showed in the searchlight when she was approximately 100 yards away, lying head to wind about 100 yards from the shore. Keith Willacy manoeuvred the Zodiac alongside intending that Michael Mayfield should jump aboard to attend to whoever was on board.

However, before he could climb aboard a man from the yacht threw himself into the Zodiac and Willacy was able to ascertain that he had been the only person aboard.

While they were alongside a hail squall struck and the yacht pitched heavily in the 4ft to 5ft waves, forcing water up between the two boats and filling the Zodiac. The yacht provided a little shelter so the crew held on until the squall passed.

The slipway from which they had launched was the only possible place to land, so once the squall had passed the Zodiac headed into " wind and sea towards the slipway. Visibility was down to two or three yards in the spray and spume and the seas constantly filled the boat.

Unlit Once abeam of some harbour docking signals there were no further lights to indicate the position of the unlit slipway at Glasson Dock and the conditions became worse with seas of 8ft to 1 Oft at thedock wall.

On three occasions one of the inflatable sponsons was lifted clear of the water and all three crew members felt that a capsize was a distinct possibility. The two crew members forward found breathing difficult due to the quantity of spray in the air.

It was only when the crew caught sight of some reflective strips on the lifejacket of a man ashore that they knew how close they were to the slipway. Willacy turned the lifeboat 120 degrees to port, but was unable to judge the best moment to land as he could not see the approaching waves.

His near approach to the slipway was virtually blind and on the first attempt the boat's bow rebounded off the slip. With great skill Willacy manoeuvred rapidly in a very confined space and drove the bow ashore a second time. This time the boat was held with the help of the man ashore and the survivor was landed over the forward canopy.

A party of coastguards and other helpers arrived shortly afterwards to take care of the survivor and to help recover the inflatable - which was back ashore at 0226. Oh dear, oh deer On 21 May Bridlineton's D class lifeboat Bridlington's was launched after two deer from a nearby park took to the water when chased by dogs.

We reproduce the station honorary secretary's report verbatim: 'The Sheriff of Nottingham (in the guise of the senior coastguard officer on watch) quoth that two of the King's Roe Deer were in the sea and swimming towards the continent, he requested assistance.

He was told to sound the hunting horn to assemble the merry men.

'Once assembled they were told of the situation, asked to leave their longbows ashore so as not to puncture the inflated goat skin of the ILB coracle, launch the coracle, and endeavour to turn the deer back to the beach where the Sheriffs men were waiting with their blue and yellow charger. They were told not to capture the deer as they would be seen and taken.

'This the men did, with great heart, turning the deer back some one furlong and four poles from the shore. The Sheriffs men drove the deer back into the forest, after dispersing an ugly mob of local peasants holding their curs in check.

'Having not taken the deer, so having no venison for supper, the merry men returned to the safety of the greenwood tree.' Valuing the animals at up to £1,000 the Hon Sec noted that he didn't think this was too dear… 28 saved from Bulgarian vessel aground in southerlv gale «/ 5 Stornoway's Arun class lifeboat Sir Max Aitken II rescued the entire crew of 28 from the Bulgarian fish factory ship Condor when she was stranded on rocks some 26 miles from the station, and subsequently sank. Stornoway Coastguard alerted the station at 0135 on 25 April 1990 and the lifeboat was under way 14 minutes later for the two-anda- half hour passage, almost directly into the increasing SW Force 5 wind, which was producing a heavy sea and swell.

The ship was found aground on Eugene Rock, settling by the bow with her stern lifting. By now the wind had increased to Force 6 and the lifeboat, having made her first approach by the ship's Low ramp, moved forward to lay alongside and began to embark the crew, using a pilot ladder lowered over Condor's starboard quarter.

At 0445 the ship's captain gave the order to abandon ship and ten minutes later,with all of her crew aboard, the lifeboat cleared the casualty which was now well down by the head with her propeller showing above the water. The wind was still increasing and had reached gale Force 8 by this point, having also backed to the south so that the Arun now had to run directly down-wind to reach her home port.

With the extra weight of 20 survivors below and another eight in the wheelhouse, plus their personal effects, the lifeboat was well laden and the coxswain could only make 13 knots in any comfort for the passage back to station.

All survivors were landed safely in Stornoway, and the lifeboat was refuelled and ready for service again an hour later. HELP FOR FISHING VESSELS IN HURRICANE AND CALM Extremes of weather at St Helier The RNLI's chief of operations has written to the St Helier lifeboat station expressing thanks for the way in which the crew of the station's new Tyne class lifeboat Alexander Coutanche handled a service during the storm of 25 January 1990.

With winds reaching hurricane Force 12 the lifeboat put to sea after receiving a report from the French rescue authorities that a fishing vessel, Antaeus, had fouled her propeller 16 miles from the station. In quite atrocious conditions the lifeboat found the casualty after more than two hours at sea in waves which were estimated to be up to 60ft high and with visibility at the search area as little as a quarter of a mile.

Antaeus was eventually able to regain power and make her way slowly towards Granville on the French coast, with the lifeboat escorting her for half-an-hour until she was released to return to her station just after 1300.

In complete contrast Alexander Coutanch was called out in a flat calm to another fishing vessel, Port du Hurel, when she struck rocks three miles SSE of the station on 17 July 1990.

Despite visibility officially descibed as 'nil' the lifeboat was alongside the casualty in less than an hour from her first call and put pumps aboard in an attempt to keep her afloat.

However, despite the efforts of three pumps it became obvious that Port du Hurel was about to sink and the crew were taken off - just five minutes before she foundered. LIFKBOAT TAKEN THROUGH 30FT GAP IN ROCKY LEDGE TO REACH CASUALTY Lifeboat and casualty swept by breakers during rescue The Director of the RNLI has written to the Cullercoats station congratulating the Helmsman, Robert Oliver, and the crew of the C class inflatable. The letter followed a service to an open, 27ft ex-ship's lifeboat, HeraldD, which was ashore in heavy weather four miles north of the station. The two occupants were saved.

It was 1308 on 9 June 1990 when the Coastguard first informed the lifeboat station of the casualty, and seven minutes later the C class launched in a NE Force 5 wind which was increasing. The wind was blowing the tops from the waves, and the boat and crew suffered severe punishment while driving into the sea and weather. In the 7ft sea the inflatable could only reach maximum speed in the troughs and the helmsman had to 'tack' the boat to windward.

Arriving on scene at Hartley Bay the casualty could be seen ashore on rocks, with waves up to 10ft high breaking over her. A little offshore a submerged ridge of rocks (locally called The Bank) was making the swell bigger still.

The crew prepared lines for an attempt to tow the casualty off and Helmsman Oliver steered for an opening in The Bank just 30ft wide. Driving the boat in through 1 Oft breakers, with continuously breaking seas outside and inside, he avoided numerous crab pot lines and went in past the casualty to turn into the breakers and come alongside her.

Herald D had swung round, with her stern fast on rocks, and the lifeboat was driven on to her weather side with great skill as she lifted and ranged in the force of breakers. A tow line was passed and, with waves breaking over both lifeboat andcasualty, the helmsman held the inflatable in position with the throttle until the line was secured.

Nursing the lifeboat over the incoming breakers until the tow line was taut an attempt was made to drag the casualty clear of the rocks, but being an open boat she was almost filled and began to broach as the tow tightened. The lifeboat's helmsman, realising what was happening, allowed the breakers to drive the boat back towards the casualty.

With the line retrieved Helmsman Oliver waited for a chance to turn and took the lifeboat down past the casualty again. Judging it perfectly, he swung the lifeboat head to sea and drove her alongside the casualty.

Herald D was almost down when the lifeboat came alongside, and one man jumped aboard while the other had to be helped .

The lifeboat then headed out through the breakers to slightly quieter waters going ahead through 9ft to 1 Oft breakers until it was safe to set course for Seaton Sluice, the nearest harbour.

Because of the state of the tide Seaton Sluice harbour entrance was dry and the lifeboat swung away to the north until the breaking seas could be brought astern and she could be driven straight onto the beach.

The crew pulled the lifeboat clear of the water, with help from the breakers, and the two rescued men were delivered into the care of a Coastguard MRU Land Rover.

The C class was then relaunched through the heavy surf and returned to station, beaching there at 1405 and being ready for service again at 1415. Two lifeboats in night search for disabled yacht in heavy seas The Institution's chief of operations has written to Stephen Vince, the Coxswain/Mechanic of Poole lifeboat, to congratulate him on his leadership and boat handling skill during an arduous night service to a yacht in difficulties, a call which also involved the Swanage lifeboat. At 2040 on 18 May 1990 the Coastguard informed the deputy launching authority at Poole that the yacht La Mouette with three people on board was overdue. Earlier the yacht had reported steering failure near Old Harry Rocks, in the vicinity of Swanage, but that she was progressing under power.

In fine weather, but with a strong easterly wind making the sea very rough, the 33ft Brede class lifeboat Inner Wheel left her moorings at 2100 to search the entrance channel and then proceeded to Old Harry Rocks, where she spotted two yachts, neither of which was the casualty.

The Swanage lifeboat Horace Clarkson was also launched, at 2112, to join the search.

Inner Wheel was searching along the west of Swanage Bay when the Coastguard lookout at St Aldhelm 's Head, further to the west, saw a yacht steering a confused course and, in fading daylight, directed a rescue helicopter to the yacht's position - five-and-a-half miles south west of the headland. The helicopter lowered a diver onto the yacht where it was learnt that this was the casualty, with a badly damaged rudder.

The Poole lifeboat arrived on the scene at 2200 and, in gale force winds and very rough seas with a swell of about 15ft, transferred the diver on board the lifeboat and put a lifeboat crew member onto the yacht.

Manoeuvring away from the casualty to enable the helicopter to lift off the diver the crew prepared a tow line, passing it to La Mouette with the assistance of Swanage lifeboat which had arrived at the scene some 20 minutes after Inner Wheel.

The lifeboat took the casualty in tow to Poole, up-wind and up-sea in winds which were reaching gale Force 8. The tow was a slow one, due to the sea conditions and the small size of the yacht, and the line chafed through and parted three times at the yacht's bow fairlead. The tow was successfully reconnected each time, despite the darkness and the wind and sea conditions, and at 0325 the yacht was berthed safely at Poole Quay.

The onshore wind at Swanage prevented Horace Clarkson from being safely re-housed and she also made for Poole, arriving at 0230 and returning to station later that day.

The yacht's crew were given hot drinks at the boathouse until they were taken home by their families, and the lifeboat was back on her moorings ready for service at 0340. January storm services Four of the stations involved in services during the hurricane force winds of 25 January 1990 (Barry Dock, Plymouth, St Helier and St Ives) have received letters of thanks and congratulation from the RNLI's chief of operations.

The conditions were particularly severe in the southern region which is reflected in the location of the stations. Barry Dock's Arun class lifeboat Arun went to the aid of a large pipe laying barge which had parted three of her four anchor cables in winds exceeding lOOmph. She stood by for more than two hours in winds of Force 11 and 30ft seas before tugs established a tow and she was able to escort them to port.

Plymouth's Arun class City of Plymouth was in operation within the crowded confines of Plymouth harbour where, in the 'sheltered waters', winds touched Force 15 and seas reached 15ft high. She escorted one yacht to safety from an exposed mooring, towed another to safety and landed a man stranded on a houseboat.

St Ive's relief Oakley Fair/ight was launched to the aid of a cargo vessel whose anchors were dragging in a Force 12 wind and high seas. After standing by for three hours in appalling conditions the wind eased enough for the vessel to move into deeper water, escorted by the lifeboat.

St Helier's service to the fishing vessel Antaeus is covered on page 304 of this issue..