Three rescued after yacht is rolled in storm force windsA Courtmacsherry Harbour trocious weather conditions greeted Courtmacsherry Harbour's Trent class lifeboat when she put to sea on Saturday 24 October, headed for a yacht which had been capsized and dismasted 20 miles from the station. The service which followed won Second Coxswain Dan O'Dwyer the RNLI's Bronze Medal and letters of thanks from the Institution's Chairman for the rest of the crew.

A deep depression passing to the north had brought Storm Force winds to the southern Irish coast, whipping up seas more than 30ft high. As they set out in total darkness at around 2000 Second Coxswain Dan O'Dwyer and his crew were well aware of the conditions they would meet, as they had been out on exercise earlier that day.

The casualty was the 42ft ketch Supertaff with three people aboard - owners Neil and Mandy Chapman and their Old Head ol Kinsale \ Nautical Miles cousin Danny - which had been the victim of a cruel chain of events.

Depression Supertaff had been five days into an extended cruise, heading for Madeira, when Danny's seasickness became so severe that the decision was taken to head towards the Irish coast and wait for quieter weather. Approaching the coast conditions had been fair, and although a depression was forecast to track through later there seemed plenty of time to reach Kinsale safely.

About 13 miles from the coast conditions had deteriorated rapidly, and the well-found Supertaff was hove-to to wait for the weather to moderate.

Despite the 80 to 90-knot winds conditions aboard were relatively comfortable and her crew spent the time playing board games and making hot drinks.

Twenty-four hours later, at around 1700 on Saturday 23 October, there was a tremendous bang and Supenaffwas rolled through 360° - both masts were carried away and the cabin windows stove-in on one side, allowing a considerable amount of water in to the boat.

All three people on board were thrown about as the yacht rolled over, and Danny suffered cuts while Mandy was thought to have broken her arm.

With the masts gone Supertaff had no main VHP aerial, although Neil put out a Mayday call on a handheld set while they bailed and tried to make the yacht as safe as possible.

Mayday Because of the limited range of the hand-held radio no-one heard the Mayday. However some three hours later lights appeared on the horizon and Supenaff's second Mayday was picked up by the approaching vessel -the Spanish oil tanker Sevantes.

Sevantes was able to relay the message to Cork radio, and although the large ship was unable to offer any direct assistance in the huge seas she stood by the yacht until help arrived.

Courtmacsherry Harbour lifeboat crew was paged at 1955 and the station's Trent Frederick Storey Cockburn put to sea shortly afterwards. Conditions were deceptive in the harbour, which was in the lee of the land, but even here the wind was touching 70 knots and strong enough to make even boarding thelifeboat difficult.

Once under way the crew, who had already been out on exercise earlier, strapped themselves in for the passage, knowing just how rough it was likely to be.

Once clear of the lee of the land the massive beam seas made holding the lifeboat's southerly course very tricky, but Dan O'Dwyer managed to maintain 21 knots despite the severe motion. The whole crew was greatly impressed by their lifeboat's performance in these extreme conditions.

By 2022 the lifeboat had 15 miles left to run, and was in radio contact with Sevantes, and by 2105 she was at the scene.

Mandy Chapman aboard Supertaff was impressed. They said the lifeboat was due at about 2105,' she said later, 'and dead on 2105 she arrived!' A helicopter from Shannon arrived at almost the same time and, while hovering in 70 knots of wind, reported that the yacht's masts and rigging were lying in the water on her port side.

Liferaft This rigging was acting as a drogue, and Supertaff was lying with her bow to the northeast, with an inflated liferaft secured to her starboard side next to the cockpit.

The lifeboat eased in from the south-east, but it soon became obvious that it would not bepossible to go alongside the casualty, which was being thrown around and buffeted by seas more than 35ft high.

Mandy Chapman's arm was believed to be broken at this time, so Coxswain O'Dwyer asked the helicopter to see whether she could be lifted directly from the yacht or the liferaft.

The helicopter hovered over Supenaff three times,but the aircrew decided that it would not be safe to try to lift anyone in the severe sea conditions.

They added that they thought it would also be too dangerous to try to put a lifeboat crew member aboard the yacht.

The only option left for the transfer of the survivors was to use their liferaft, so Coxswain O'Dwyer brought the lifeboat in towards Supertaff's starboard, downwind, quarter.

Evacuation With the Trent's bow almost touching the yacht a heaving line was thrown across to the yacht's cockpit and the Trent backed quickly away to hold station about 20m to leeward. She was held there for some ten minutes while it was attached to the liferaft and the three people readied themselves for the evacuation. Two crew members were needed on the lifeboat's foredeck, constantly tending the line to prevent it from snatching as the two vessels ranged up and down in the huge seas.

By 2149 everything was ready and the three survivors boarded the liferaft-with some difficulty- and cut the line securing it to the yacht.

The lifeboat had eased in closer, and as the painter securing the raft to the casualty was cut the liferaft blew clear of the yacht and was swiftly brought alongside the lifeboat.

Within five minutes ofthe Trent's wheelhouse and being tended by the crew.

Although two of them were suffering badly from seasickness and all three were exhausted Mandy's arm was not broken and they were declared fit enough to travel back to Courtmacsherry by lifeboat.

The helicopter, which had remained nearby, then headed home.

At 2200 the lifeboat headed for Courtmacsherry, still in heavy beam seas but with a slightly moderating wind and was safely alongside by 2326.

Supertaff continued to drift but was salvaged by a trawler 60 miles to the north-east near Helvick Head two days later. Neil and Mandy Chapman are now refitting her and hope to continue their cruise of a lifetime later this Summer.The lifeboat: Trent Class 14-07 Frederick Storey Cockburn The crew: Bronze Medal 2nd Coxn Daniel O'Dwyer Chairman's letter of thanks Asst Mech Colin Bateman Crew members Michael Cox Patrick Lawton Alan Locke Brian O'Donovan Michael O'Donovan.