your shout Dear Editor i’ve always enjoyed reading the Lifeboat. this time i read it over breakfast when the washing machine – a noisy one – was on. the new eye-catching arrangement held me riveted until fi nally the silence drew my attention away.

the machine had been off for 15 minutes and i had not even heard the last spin. a tribute to your new format, i think! Yours sincerely miss L le Cheminant Bembridge, isle of Wight [This letter is representative of the overwhelmingly positive response to our relaunch of the Lifeboat and introduction of RNLI Compass. Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to write in or phone with their comments.

However, some readers felt our Coastal Life feature ‘Not in my backyard?’ was biased towards windfarms and/or part of a global warming bandwagon. Our aim was to [This letter is representative of the overwhelmingly positive response to our relaunch of of who took the trouble to write in or phone with their comments.

our Coastal Life feature ‘Not in my backyard?’ was biased towards address the impact on the coastal community in general and the RNLI in particular, accepting the fact that offshore windfarms are to become more widespread. Our sources included the British Wind Energy Association, but also the RYA, MoD, DTI and RSPB and even planning committee papers with local objections, plus RNLI volunteers local to windfarms and RNLI operational staff. We made every attempt to be balanced and factual and apologise if any other relevant voices were unrepresented.

In our Spirit feature on Gold Medal awardee William Roberts, the anniversary service contact telephone number quoted was wrong. The correct number is: 07811 906404. Apologies for any confusion. Ed] Dear Editor During the Winter of 1940–41, i was serving aboard Hms Saltarelo, an anti-submarine trawler, escorting convoys between the Clyde and the Forth, from our base in Belfast. this entailed a passage through the notorious Pentland Firth, where i really gained my ‘sea legs’.

i could therefore visualise the rescue described in ‘Baptism of fi re and water’ in the summer issue.

Dr Christine Bradshaw is a very brave lady and well deserving of her Bronze medal – i think she deserved a Gold! God bless you all norman ‘nick’ Carter Hinkley, Leicestershire Dear Editor When i was a teenager, my school offered sailing at the local reservoir as part of our Pe. We mostly sailed a small wooden dinghy.

the school insisted on lifejackets all round.

One cold, wet afternoon my friend David decided it would be fun to gybe without telling the crew. He thought with a bit of luck he could get me in the water. actually the boat capsized and we both went in. i still remember the feeling of the water as it grabbed hold of my already wet jumper.

it was stunningly cold. i can still see the sky turning a strange green colour as the murky water closed over my face. at that moment, i knew that i had no chance of getting out unaided.

and i can still remember, a couple of seconds later, my lifejacket popping me back to the surface, and of coughing out the fi lthy water as i tried to tell David just what i thought of his prank. it was a great feeling to have survived.

now, i’m a strong swimmer, and if the conditions are right i’ll happily go in for the fun of it. But if i’m working on deck, helming, or rowing in the dinghy, you won’t be surprised to hear that i will always wear a lifejacket, no matter what the conditions.When i was a teenager, my school offered sailing at the local reservoir as part of our Pe. We mostly sailed a small wooden dinghy.

the school insisted on lifejackets all round.

One cold, wet afternoon my friend David decided it would be fun to gybe without telling the crew. He thought with a bit of luck he could get me in the water. actually the boat capsized and we both went in. i still remember the feeling of the water as it grabbed hold of my already wet jumper.

it was stunningly cold. i can still see the sky turning a strange green colour as the murky water closed over my face. at that moment, i knew that i had no chance of getting out unaided.

and i can still remember, a couple of seconds later, my lifejacket popping me back to the surface, and of coughing out the fi lthy water as i tried to tell David just what i thought of his prank. it was a great feeling to have survived.

now, i’m a strong swimmer, and if the conditions are right i’ll happily go in for the fun of it. But if i’m working on deck, helming, or rowing in the dinghy, you won’t be surprised to hear that i will always wear a lifejacket, no matter what the conditions. Kind regards, Ged Haywood [Offshore members can read more lifejacket stories like Ged’s in their specialist supplement to the Lifeboat. Ed] Dear Editor Further to two letters in the last issue of the Lifeboat.

First, do people donate after rescue? I once met a fellow boater, a professional type, who told me he goes sailing off Wales. Twice, he capsized his catamaran and twice the Pwllheli crew rescued him. When asked for a donation for the fuel used, he told them to get lost. He found this amusing.Second, Mr Skinner’s quest for Governor types who have his car sticker. Perhaps he might give me an accusing look, with my shaven head, tattoos, van and Liverpool accent – a stereotypical kleptomaniac! But Pwllheli’s crew would not have to ask me for diesel after deliverance. The tanks would be ? lled in mute gratitude.

Yours sincerely Derek Pugh Governor, Litherland, Liverpool to add your shout, write to the editor at [email protected] or RnLi Headquarters, West Quay Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 1HZ.