Seventeen saved from 75ft yacht aground in gale and 20ft breakersTwo Hayling Island lifeboatmen, Roderick James and Frank Dunster, have been awarded the RNLI's Silver Medal for their part in the rescue of 17 people from a 75ft yacht aground in gale force winds and 20ft seas at the entrance to Chichester Harbour last October.Roderick James becomes the first inshore lifeboat helmsman to win a second Silver Medal, his first being in 1981.

Crew member Frank Dunster has already won the RNLI Bronze Medal twice (in 1980 and 1981) and braved the same conditions in his own rigid inflatable rescue boat when he realised that the lifeboat was already engaged in a separate rescue and could not give immediate assistance.

In his official report, the deputy divisional inspector of lifeboats for the south east, Colin Williams, wrote of helmsman Roderick James: The fact that the Atlantic 21 did not founder in the steep breaking seas was doubtless due to his considerable skill and boat handling.' He added: 'Frank Dunster showed great initiative and courage by launching his own boat in conditions where he knew he would be at great risk.'The RNLI's Thanks Inscribed on Vellum has been awarded to the crews of both the Hayling Island lifeboat - Christopher Reed and Warren Hayles - and of the rescue boat - Evan Lamperd and Damien Taylor.

At 1150 on Sunday 25 October 1992 Solent Coastguard received a Mayday from the 75ft ketch Donald Searle which had anchored at the eastern end of Chichester Bar after her sails had been blown out in a 50-knot westerly gale and her engines had failed. There were 17 people aboard and the yacht was dragging her anchor slowly eastward as she was hurled about in 15ft to 20ft breaking seas.

At the time of the Mayday, Hayling Island's Atlantic 21 lifeboat Aldershot was on service to a boardsailor inside Chichester Harbour, but other crew members at the station were monitoring the transmission from the stricken yacht. Without hesitation helmsman Frank Dunster decided to launch his own 28ft rigid inflatable Hayling Rescue which was kept at the nearby marina. By 1212 the single-engined rescue craft was under way, with Dunster at the helm and two further lifeboat station volunteers, Evan Lamperd and Damien Taylor as crew.

Breaking As they headed south towards the Bar they began to feel the effects of the westerly wind and could see 20ft waves breaking on the bar. Frank Dunster intended to stand by the yacht, as he knew that the 47ft Tyne class lifeboat from Bembridge was on her way. However, he could not tell the ketch's crew as VHP Channel 16 - the main calling and distress frequency - was jammed by an unknown transmission.

As soon as Hayling Rescue reached the bar Dunster knew his plan would have to change. The ketch was in water so shallow and so perilously close to the Target Wreck that the larger Bembridge lifeboat would have great difficulty in getting alongside. Dunster radioed for urgent helicopter assistance but in the violent conditions could not tell whether the request had been received.Picking his way through the seas, Dunster approached Donald Searle. The ketch was being picked up and thrown to leeward, then returned to her original heading by the strong tidal stream. As she edged inexorably eastward towards the sunken wreck, Dunster moved in to the rescue.

Approaching from the north he headed for the casualty's starboard quarter and, on the second attempt, came alongside and took off the first of the yachf s crew - but not before Hayling Rescue's bow had been thrown high in the air by a huge breaking sea.

Jumped Helmsman Dunster tried once again to push the bow against the ketch's quarter, but had to go astern rapidly as the casualty surged upwards on the crest of another great sea and threatened to crush Hayling Rescue on her descent. In spite of this Dunster edged towards the ketch and a female crew member jumped just as the two vessels were forced apart by the seas. She fell into the water, but was quickly pulled aboard by Damien Taylor and Evan Lamperd.

By now Frank Dunster was becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of his own boat, as only intense concentration on his part was avoiding a capsize.

Knowing that Bembridge lifeboat and, he hoped, the Coastguard helicopter would soon be on the scene, he headed for the calmer waters of Chichester Harbour.

With five people aboard his boat was difficult to handle in the following seas and, at one point, she was caught diagonally across a breaking sea and surfed down it at a dangerous angle. Dunster landed his two survivors at Hayling Island lifeboat station at 1235 .

Meanwhile, Hayling Island's Atlantic 21 lifeboat was making her way towards Donald Searle. Her helmsman, Roderick James, picked his way deliberately through the steep 20ft seas, occasionallyoccasionally using full throttle to power the lifeboat through the biggest crests. One sea was so steep that it stood the lifeboat on end and helmsman James was convinced she was about to capsize bow over stern.One of his crew, Warren Hayles, was thrown backwards from his seat but remained on board. The other crew member, Christopher Reed, realised that both engines had stalled and rushed forward to start the port one, while James hurriedly pressed the starboard starter button.

Control was regained just in time and those on the shore were amazed, and relieved, to see the lifeboat upright and continuing southward.

The Atlantic reached the casualty at the same time as the rescue helicopter arrived. Helmsman James began a series of approaches with crew member Christopher Reed in the bow, ready to help survivors. Five times helmsman James put the lifeboat's port inflatable sponson alongside the ketch's starboard side, breaking away each time to avoid being crushed by the casualty as she rose and fell in the heavy swell. After the five approaches five people had been taken off Donald Searle.

Meanwhile the helicopter was attempting to pass a line to the yacht's crew so that winching could begin, but their efforts were being hampered by the mizzen mast and the violent motion. Thedecision was taken to place crew member Christopher Reed aboard the casualty to help, and on the sixth approach Reed boarded the ketch as two more survivors jumped into the lifeboat.

Wedging himself between the aft cabin and the guard rail Christopher Reed was able to grasp the line and the helicopter winchman was soon being hauled towards the ketch. Helmsman James was now able to head for Hayling lifeboat station with his seven survivors, knowing that the helicopter should be able to winch the remaining eight survivors to safety. On the 15-minute return journey the lifeboat passed Frank Dunster's Hayling Rescue, which was returning to the casualty.

Contact By 12.42 Bembridge lifeboat was on scene and she too moved in to help in the evacuation. However, during a very difficult approach by her coxswain Archibald Henley the two vessels made heavy contact as the yacht was thrown 20ft to leeward by a sea. Although one survivor had been pulled aboard both vessels had been damaged and the coxswain decided it would be safer to stand off and allow the helicopter winching to continue on its own.

By 1252 the mission was accomplished, with all seven remaining yacht crew, lifeboat crew member Christopher Reed and the winchman safely aboard the helicopter.

Hayling Rescue and Hayling Island lifeboat, which had also returned to the casualty after landing the survivors could now return to their base. The survivors taken off by the helicopter were landed close to the lifeboat station and the one survivor taken off by Bembridge lifeboat was landed at her lifeboat station.

The empty yacht was recovered next day, two cables west of the Target Wreck and severely damaged from the pounding she had received on the sand..