SCENARIO 3: From an inshore lifeboat

If the casualty is being recovered from an IRB (inshore rescue boat) driven by a trained coxswain, the procedure is normally very different. The boat will typically make between 5 and 15 knots directly into the wind, the speed chosen to take into account the strength of the wind and the sea state. The helicopter will be ahead (upwind) of the boat, which will move off to starboard of the helicopter to the 4 o’clock position before closing in, maintaining a constant angle and thereby keeping ahead of the downdraught. Once the boat is in position, the winchman can be lowered.

This is the preferred method when a trained helmsman is in charge of the boat. It’s generally the quickest and most efficient way to lift a casualty off because it keeps the helicopter moving fast enough to use minimal power, on a consistent heading and at a constant speed. In stronger winds the helicopter can go more slowly because plenty of air will be passing through the rotors, and the boat will probably have to go more slowly because of the sea state.

This approach is by far the most demanding for the boat’s helmsman and would not normally be practised except with an experienced lifeboat coxswain. Will’s skill and experience meant he was more than up to the job, however, and he positioned the boat in exactly the right spot.

The challenges, he explained afterwards, were manyfold. It’s vital to watch the seas and react accordingly, or the boat might bounce up underneath the winchman and injure him. And although you want to position the boat underneath the winchman, bear in mind that he’s swinging around and so you won’t be steering a steady course if you’re aiming for him the whole time. It can be best to tilt your head to keep the helicopter in your peripheral vision and, if you have someone with you, get him or her to watch the winch operator and check for hand signals.

Then there’s the need to avoid the downdraught or the bow gets blown off as well as being knocked off by the waves. With the deafening noise thrown into the mix, it makes for a seriously challenging experience that tested Will’s helming skills to the limit. Don’t expect to be asked to do this, but it’s useful to be aware of what’s involved.

1 The helicopter makes upwind at around 12 knots over the ground. Will moves the boat on to its starboard quarter.

2 As the winchman comes down he’s inevitably swinging around, so Will doesn’t want to risk over-steering by constantly aiming for him.

3 When the boat meets a wave, there’s a risk it could bounce up underneath the winchman and cause injury – one reason why he didn’t land on the boat on this occasion.

6 …but the intention was to practise the positioning rather than to land him, so it’s time for him to be winched back up and for the boat to peel away to starboard.

5 The boat is now perfectly positioned beneath the winchman…

Keeping the boat in the 4 o’clock position in relation to the helicopter is vital to being seen while avoiding the downdraught. 4