Tony Purnell talks to David Cowper following his two circumnavigations in an ex-RNLI lifeboat At the London Boat Show in January 1991, David Cowper was named Yachtsman of the Year. The award recognised a number of sailing achievements, including four circumnavigations - two of which were in a 41ft yacht and two in an ex-RNLI Watson class lifeboat Mabel E. Holland. After the sailing efforts David thought it 'might be a good idea' to do a similar project in a motor cruiser! He would have liked to have afforded a purpose-built vessel, but had to finance his efforts himself and work on a fairly tight budget.

After careful consideration he bought Mabel E. Holland for £10,500, and with very little structural alterations, apart from additional fuel tanks, galley and chart table, he prepared for his first effort.

The lifeboat had been built at Osbornes in 1956 as a 42ft beach boat and was stationed at Dungeness until 1979 and as a relief boat at Aldeburgh.

Tribute The first circumnavigation, westabout, was completed in 1985, and Mabel E. Holland proved herself an excellent sea boat with an easy motion - a great tribute to her designers and builders.

David then decided that she would be the right boat for his next venture - a further circumnavigation but this time attempting to sail the notorious North West Passage.

Various modifications were carried out by Whisstocks Yard at Woodbridge, a builder with strong RNLI connections, and David worked hard alongside the professionals. The boat was completely overhauled and her wood hull was given an extra outer skin, giving a total thickness of lin, to stand up to the ice. Her props were changed for larger and stronger ones and her decks and cabin insulated against the cold.

She was re-launched in June 1986, and soon she was at Aberdeen, then on to Thurso through the Pentland Firth and to Cape Farewell in Greenland. The recitation of the 'stopovers' and description of the passages sound prosaic as recounted by David, but his determination, courage and trust in Mabel, as he calls her, are obvious.

Compass As the voyage continued he came somewhere near 76°N, and due to the proximity of the Pole David's magnetic compass became almost useless. The weather grew extremely cold, with fog and pack ice, and when eventually he made Resolute Bay he became iced in - with temperatures in the region of - 20°. There were times when he thought he might not be able to continue, and even a Canadian icebreaker was unable to help.

Eventually he decided to leave Mabel in the ice until conditions became suitable for another effort and returned home. But he was determined to return and conquer the Passage as soon as conditions allowed.

In August 1987 he took a twomile trek across ice and snow from the nearest base to visit her by land, and found she had taken a great deal of water and was partly submerged.

To 'make things easier' David lived in a tent near the boat and worked on her in extreme conditions. Temperatures were down to -50°, with frequent gales.

Beach The engines were started, having cleared some water from a fuel tank, but unfortunately the ice did not clear as expected, with even the Canadian ice-breaker having difficulties.

David was forced to beach Mabel at Fort Ross, and leave her until he had another opportunity.

In June 1988 Davjd returned again, this time accompanied by his wife Caroline. Again it was a question of very hard work for both of them, with Caroline making a close acquaintance with a curious Polar bear. Caroline returned home and there was further delay caused by the non-arrival of important spares. The re-launch was also difficult and a persistent leak continued.

Despite these set-backs David sailed on, making 1,500 miles in just over three weeks, in spite of ice and often thick fog. Finally he reached Inuvik where Mabel was laid up ashore, ironically just 500 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and David came back to the UK once again.

In June 1989, after five weeks of repairs and re-painting below the waterline, he was ready to go - with the good news that Newcastle house builders Barratt had agreed to assist him.

First He sailed through the Behring Strait and in so doing became the first ever Englishman to transit the North West Passage on a solo voyage. Mabel sailed on to Darwin via Midway Island, the scorching temperatures contrasting sharply with the Arctic.

There was another 'lay-up' at Port Darwin and in May 1990 David returned to the UK, with stops at Christmas Island, Mombasa, Dubai and St Helena, among others.

Finally, on 24 September 1990, Mabel motored into St Peter's Yacht Basin on the Tyne.

David is now looking for a home for Mabel E. Holland and hopes that she will go into a museum, preferably on the East coast, as a permanent reminder not just of his voyages but of a class of lifeboat that is now out of service.

Adventure David has bought another ex- RNLI lifeboat Three Sisters, a steel 48ft 6in Solent class, formerly at Aith. She also lies in St Peter's Yacht Basin and David is to use her to study Arctic conditions before embarking on another adventure.

That an ex-lifeboat, although strengthened, has withstood two circumnavigations and is still capable of coastal cruising, and for David to buy another must surely speak for itself..