Skegness Magazine

Source: Skegness Standard 1963

DISASTER AFTER REFIT
Pleasure boat sinks at moorings

A FORMER Skegness lifeboat, the Samuel Lewis, which for 30 years has been taking people on pleasure trips out to sea and to Seal Island, sank at its moorings off the Central Beach on Sunday night.

One of two boats belonging to the Grace Darling Motor Boat Company, the accident at about 10 on Saturday night occurred only a few hours after the vessels had put to sea after their winter rest, during which each had undergone a complete and costly fitting out.
The company secretary, Mr, F. Grunnill, of. Gibraltar Road, said: The boats were put to sea on Saturday in readiness for business on Whit Sunday, but that turned out to be out of the question because of the high wind.

CERTIFICATE
On the Sunday night the boat, known as the Grace Darling No. 1, was at its usual moorings. The first Mr. Grunnill and his brother, Percy, who is the engineer, knew of the emergency was a telephone call from the Skegness Coastguard informing them that the boat was shipping water.
” It must have caught one or two heavy seas,” commented Mr. Grunnill. ” It’s a bit difficult to understand because it has always been moored in that spot and has always been perfectly safe. It was 100 per cent. seaworthy because it had obtained the Board of Trade certificate.
In readiness for this test the Grace Darling had undergone a complete refit costing in the region of £150. At the present the Grunnill brothers have no plans for replacing the 42-seater boat but will continue to operate through the season with the one vessel.