Five days into a passage Madeira aboard their 42ft ketch Neil and Mandy Chapman were forced by foul weather and a seasick third crew member to turn back for the south coast of Ireland. Hove to in worsening conditions 25 miles from Kinsale, Supertaff rolled 360 degrees and survival became the issue.

It was October 1998, they had set off with a good three day forecast, but with 50 and 60 knots of wind their cousin was sea sick the whole time. He actually lived in the cockpit for three days until it was decided they should head back for Ireland. With the wind behind them they were making good ground, on day six, reports of storm force 10 were coming through on the shipping forecast. Seventy miles from Ireland the wind whipped up from flat calm to fifty knots in half and hour, within two hours seventy knots, gusting up to ninety-six were recorded, battened down below the crew played drafts and sat in the storm for twenty-four hours when at 17.15 there was a tremendous bang and Supertaff had rolled 360 degrees. The windows were knocked out on the starboard side and the boat was full of water to knee level. Mandy was hurled across the cabin and remembers coming up through salt water towards the light without her eyes stinging, then air was felt on her face and she could breath again. There was a nasty gash on their cousins face, and the boat was swinging wildly without the masts to stabilise and all aerials were down. The liferaft which had inflated itself during the capsize had been flying like a kite until Neil had hauled it down and retied it to the boat just in case she sank. Two hours later a light was sighted on the horizon when Supertaff was perched on top of a large crest, a flare was released, followed by another and the ship was hailed on the VHF, she turned out to be a six thousand ton gas ship. For two hours she stood by, only when another ship is seen do you realise how rough it actually is. Cerventes the gas supply ship decided to do her own rescue mission, grab nets were made ready and as she scraped her way down Supertaffs hull her crew were shouting jump!, she opened up her throttle and sent Supertaff swinging wildly from side to side. That episode left every one feeling fairly shaken. The lifeboat arrived about an hour later along with the helicopter, which reported that the swell was between 8 and 11 meters and the wind speed was 70 knots. It was difficult for the lifeboat to get close so they threw a heaving line which was attached to the lifeboat, Supertaff crew got into the liferaft and the lifeboat hauled them aboard. Neil says "I must praise the lifeboat men in the highest degree for their professionalism and certainly the way they calmly looked after us in which was a really awful situation."

CourtMacsherry lifeboat crew later received a bronze Medal award for the rescue.
Congratulations to the team and thank you.

More related links
RNLI rescue
RNLI Chairmans speech
CourtMacsherry lifeboat
Training with the CourtMacsherry lifeboat crew