Licencing for sailors? is interesting to speculate on what would happen if we were ever to lose our traditional freedom to go to sea.

Many lifeboat callouts are for seafarers in small craft powered by unreliable outboard motors, so any restrictions would have to apply to them, as well as to larger yachts and motorhoats. This would mean that one could no longer even fake a dingy round the hay without official sanction.

/Am would any such legal requirement for training be enforced? It would m/H/'/x' an army of contrt)! freaks constantly stopping boats to ensure that the skipper was properly qualified. Would we then see boat owners up before the local magistrates because their paperwork was not in order' Who would pay for such a .scheme'.' There are no marks for guessing.

Boat owners would he subject to an annual fee or levy for the privilege of going to sea. Soon there would grow up a yachtsmen's harassment industry, on similar linen to the well-established motorists' harassment industry. The entire exercise would be an unmitigated disaster for boating.

It is. in principle, quite wrong that the many should he punished for the actions of the /ew people who act irresponsibly. The waste of money which came from donations is regrettable, but spread over the many supporters of the RNIJ. if that is the price of our continued freedom, it is a price well worth paying.

Lionel C Waring Bv o in ail By the hand of Blogg As a small child my family holidays were always spent in North Norfolk and a visit to the Cromer lifeboat station was always a highlight. On one occasion I was fortunate enough to meet the famous Coxswain Henry Blogg (pictured) and obtained his autograph.

Somehow over the years 1 have managed to retain it and it occurs to me that it might be of interest or even value to an individual or organisation associated with the history of the Cromer lifeboat.

Possibly it might have value in conjunction with a fundraising event.

I would be very happy to pass it on to anyone who feels that it could be used in this way and will pass on any funds received to the RNLl.

Alternatively 1 will give it to anyone who has a particularly good reason to want it. 1 can be contacted on (01279) 771409 or by email to [email protected].

John Mellows Bishops Stortford, HertsA special kind of courage I am writing today of a special kind of courage that has been faced by the men and women who man our lifeboats. We are all aware of the courage and dedication of our crews who never hesitate to face the worst conditions that wind and weather can generate, knowing when they launch that they risk their own lives. The number of medals and vellums awarded each year are a testimony to that courage.

However, there is another kind of courage for which there can be no award: the courage needed to launch the lifeboat to recover the body of someone who has drowned at sea, sometimes a child. The strain shown on the laces of the crew on their return tells its ow:n story - for they are young men.

many with young families.

I am sure that this is something which has been faced by many of our lifeboat crews in the past and will no doubt have to be faced again in the future.

So I ask the readers to remember this special kind of courage shown by the men and women of our lifeboats, which for the main goes unnoticed.

Michael Softley Hunstanton, Norfolk Win a bottle of Old Pulteney As from the next issue of The Lifeboat, Inver House Distillers, the makers of Old Pulteney whisky, have kindly agreed to give away a bottle of the genuine maritime malt to our 'Letter of the quarter*. So if you've got any burning issues to get off your chest about lifeboats or a related subject, put your pen to paper and send your letter to: Your Letters, The Lifeboat, RNLI, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1HZ or email us at [email protected] All letters intended for consideration should be clearly marked 'For Publication'.

See 'The Fundraisers' section for further news about Old Pulteney..