West Bay's shipwreck sailor is now penniless (From Dorset Echo)

West Bay's shipwreck sailor is now penniless

8:57am Thursday 2nd July 2009 in

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A LONE sailor who was lucky to survive after being shipwrecked off Golden Cap says he has been left penniless – and is living off the generosity of West Bay residents.

Jon Orme-Dawson, 61, has been forced to rely on handouts of food and drink since his dramatic rescue three weeks ago.

He lost his life savings and all his possessions when the 24ft wooden-hulled boat, The Hanser, hit rocks and sank in thick fog and rough seas en route from Lyme Regis to West Bay.

The veteran skipper watched in horror as his entire £6,000 cash reserves floated away in an airtight tin as the vessel went down – along with his passport and all his personal items.

Now the retired teacher, who gave up everything to restore his dream 1950s yacht and sail around Britain, is launching an £8,000 fund raising appeal to restore the vessel, recently salvaged from the seabed.

He says if locals back his Save Our Ship (SOS) campaign he will permanently moor her at West Bay and make her available for community use.

In the meantime he says he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of local people.

“I lost around £25,000 when the yacht went down – I was wiped out,” he said. “Looking back it was stupid putting my only cash in an airtight tin – it was one of the first things to float away.

“But people here have been so generous to me.”

Mr Orme-Dawson told how: Chris and Les Evans took him into their West Walks home when he first arrived in the Bay – providing him with food, lodging and clothes.

Chris Deacon and Vicki Morency of the Quarter-deck guest house gave him a bed for several nights at what they now call their special ‘shipwreck rate’.

Local businessman Graham Dobney has given him use of his Jeep every day, even paying for the petrol and insurance.

Fast food kiosk operator Steph Curtis at the Snack Shack has been providing him with food and drink and set up a fighting fund to get him afloat again.

West Bay couple Tony Cook and Tricia Miller have been feeding him at weekends.

National coverage of his dramatic rescue involving lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter has even brought an offer from an Iranian millionaire to join him on an all expenses-paid world cruise on his private yacht. Isak Gold was so impressed by the adventurer’s seafaring exploits he travelled to West Bay to meet him and invite him on the trip.

But Mr Orme-Dawson insisted this week that staying at West Bay and restoring his boat was now his main ambition.

He said: “I am so overwhelmed by the generosity of the people here. In 47 years of sailing I have never found anywhere where the people are so friendly and nice. And you have one of the best harbourmasters in the country in Jamie Radcliff who salvaged the yacht with his two assistants, dragging it five miles under the water on flotation buoys.”

“I need to raise £2,000 to pay for that and the crane that got her out of the water and another £6,000 to make her seaworthy again.”

Mr Orme-Dawson said since the boat was brought ashore he has been sleeping on the deck “If I can raise the money to repair the boat I will base it permanently in West Bay and get a job here,” he said.

“I will make her available for community use – taking people like those from the Fisherman’s Arms day centre on trips. I won’t be sailing near Golden Cap though!”

Talking about his rescue on June 12 he said the main reason he sank was the fact that his new winch handle had broken and he was unable to raise the keel as he headed for the shore.

“Every bunch of rocks along the coast has a marker on the charts but there is nothing for Golden Cap and it is one of the most dangerous.”

LEAFLETS urging people to support the SOS campaign are being printed free by Mandy Wood-gate and Mike Walden of Print ‘n’ Press on the St Michael’s Trading estate at Bridport where they will also have a collection box. People can also donate money to the restoration fund at the Snack Shack in West Bay.