Trent saves five in gale force winds and very heavy seas When a northerly gale is blowing against a spring tide conditions in the English Channel near the island of Alderney can be very unpleasant indeed. It was in just these conditions that the 33ft racing yacht Parthia suffered a knock-down in the early hours of 27 June 1 997 injuring members of her five-man crew and damaged some of her gear and equipment. The resulting service by Alderney's Trent Roy Barker I led to her coxswain, Steve Shaw, and second coxswain Martin Harwood being awarded the RNLI's Thanks on Vellum.

The lifeboat launched at 0227, The lifeboat launched at 0227, heading out into a northerly Force 8 to9 which was blowing against a strong spring tide and creating a nasty sea 10ft to 12ft high at the harbour entrance. In anticipation of a rough trip all of her crew were strapped into their seats.

The yacht had given her position as two miles west of the Casquets - a rocky, lowlying reef - so Coxswain Shaw headed down the Swinge, the channel to the west of Alderney, until he could swing round to starboard, clear the tiny island of Ortac and head 6311 Alongside PaMhlga* for the Casquets. Here the wind-over-tide seas were steep, breaking and more than 20ft high and Roy Barker I had to be slowed to around 12 knots so that she would not fly off the tops of the waves and slam excessively.

At 0244 the lifeboat made radio contact with Parthia. which gave her position as six miles to the north-west of the Casquets, acknowledging that earlier damage to her satellite navigation system may have made have affected its accuracy.

Fault Between 0300 and 0315 two sightings of navigation lights were investigated, but each turned out to be other yachts competing in the same race.

Knowing that he was in the right area but unable to identify the casualty with the VHP radio direction finder Steve Shaw asked Parthia to fire a flare - which was spotted dead ahead at 0322. It was later discovered that a fault had developed in the lifeboat's VHP DF unit.

Five minutes later the lifeboat sighted the yacht, making a north to north-westerly course under sail on starboard tack with her guardrails bent and steering damaged. Her skipper asked if the injured men couldbe taken off, but in view of the very poor conditions Coxswain Shaw decided it would be far safer to tow the yacht to Alderney with them aboard.

With only two able members aboard the yacht her skipper doubted their ability to manage her during the difficult tow so the Trent prepared to go alongside to transfer second coxswain Martin Harwood.

Throttles With more than 15ft of rise and fall between the vessels the transfer would be difficult. The problems were compounded by the fact that the yacht's sail was out to port, meaning that the lifeboat would have to put her port side to the yacht's starboard side. The Trent's throttles are on the starboard side of the upper steering position so Sieve Shaw's view of the delicate operation would be less than ideal.

Nevertheless he succeeded in putting the two vessels close together in a trough - minimising the relative motion-and Martin Harwood threw himself across the gap, landing in the rigging and crashing, bruised to the deck.

Transfer Martin Harwood checked the crew of the casualty while the lifeboat stood off to prepare for the tow, asking for thermal and survival suits to be passed over for them.

Steve Shaw brought the lifeboat in again to transfer the suits, and then once more to pass the tow line.

By 0411 Roy Barker /was on her way back in very uncomfortable conditions, although the seas had moderated slightly with the change of a tide.

There was more drama in store however, for as lifeboat and tow passed through some heavy seas to the north of some shallows known as the Pommier Bank the cleat ripped out of the yacht's deck and the tow was lost at 0605.

The heavy seas and gale force wind quickly blew Parthia downwind towards the jagged shore of Burhou, but Steve Shaw was able to put the lifeboat back alongside within 15 minutes and re-establish the tow before any harm befell her.

Decision The coxswain now faced a difficult decision.

Should he take the safer, but rougher and slower route through the Swinge, or stay north of Burhou and take the quicker and shorter route back to Alderney ? The risk here was that should the tow part again Parthia would be swept down onto Burhou and quickly break up.

With Partia's crew injured and suffering from hyperthermia Steve Shaw opted for the quicker route, bringing both boats into Alderney at 0716.

With an onshore wind the entrance to Braye Harbour, Alderney is very rough indeed and it was not possible to shorten up the tow in the usual way.

As a result the casualty swept round the end of the breakwater into more sheltered water and over-ran the tow line, beginning to blow down on to the rocky shoreline.

Martin Harwood and Steve Shaw reacted quickly - Martin cut the tow and Steve swung the lifeboat around for an alongside tow up to a safe berth.The Lifeboat Treni class 14-04 Roy Barker I Thanks on Vellum Coxswain Stephen Shaw 2nd Coxn Martin Harwood Vellum Service certificates Deputy 2nd Coxn Declan Gaudion Mechanic Michael O'Gorman Crew members Steven Wright Brian Talbol Francois Jean.