B558 was provided
by the people of Ramsgate and named "Ramsgate Enterprise"
on the 6th June 1985. She operated out of Ramsgate until
2000 when she was replaced by B765 named "Bob Turnbull".
B558 was involved in many services over the 16 years,
a prominent one being the rescue of the yacht Rasmus on
the ninth of september 1999.
Where by the 18.9m yacht was aground on North Sand Head
in strong northerly winds and very rough seas, both the
All-weather and inshore boats went to aid the stricken yacht.
The inshore lifeboat launched despite the conditions being
in excess of its operating limits, because its shallow draught
would be needed to reach the yacht on the Sands.
The mast of the yacht had broken and lay partly across
the deck and in the water, along with all its rigging. After
firing flares the crew of the Rasmus took shelter in the
cabin, where they became trapped by the falling mast which
blocked the hatchway.
A crew member from both Lifeboats were put aboard the
Rasmus, and struggled to clear the hatch and extricated
the three people trapped. Due to the boats being amongst
the sands, heavy seas and northerly swell putting them in
danger. The Cox’n therefore decided to take the survivors
off the yacht, and took the AWB stern on to the casualty,
clear of overside wreckage, and held her in position.
Suffering from minor bruises, hypothermia and shock they
were passed over to the lifeboat. Which then recovered the
two lifeboat crew.
The boats then made full speed for Ramsgate, landing the
three survivors to waiting ambulances at the habour.
It was then decided that the Lifeboats would return to
sea to search for the yacht as, if it were still afloat
and adrift, it would constitute a major hazard to navigation.
After a short search found the yacht adrift. The yacht was
towed back in to Ramsgate by the AWB with the ILB in attendance
and once in the harbour the lifeboat crew made secure the
mast and rigging on deck and moored the yacht in the inner
marina.
Coxswain Ronald Cannon was awarded the Royal National
Lifeboat Institutions Silver Medal for bravery and Emergency
Mechanic Timothy Hurst and crew member Lance Oram awarded
the Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum, for the
rescue of three crew from a dismasted yacht aground on the
treacherous Goodwin Sands in atrocious weather conditions.
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