4Extreme weather in the fi rst weeks of 2008 meant a busy time for several lifeboat stations. Stornoway’s Severn class lifeboat Tom Sanderson was out in force 11 winds, classed a violent storm, on 1 February. The trawler Spinningdale had run aground at the remote St Kilda islands, 40 miles west of the Hebrides. She was taking on water and as the situation worsened the lifeboat increased her speed to 12 knots in very high seas. In the end, a Coastguard helicopter succeeded in winching off the 14 crew, and the lifeboat returned to station, more than 6 hours after launching.