We launch from Porlock Weir

That was the decision of Coxswain Jack Crocombe on the night of 12th Jan 1899. The Lynmouth Lifeboat Station had received a telegram to say that the Forrest Hall, a 1,900 ton full rigged sailing ship was rudderless in the Bristol Channel and had just broken her tow-line. The crew, 20 horses, and 80 volunteers hauled the 10 tonne, 10m long Louisa [pictured below] for 20 km across the fringe of Exmoor. Commentary on MetaFilter which casts doubt on the 10 tonnes, which is widely reported - including from the RNLI.  BBC news at the 1999 re-enactment claims 3½ tons. Sources are fuzzy about whether the weight includes carriage. Thames tonnage measurement is a volume to carrying capacity estimate used for yachts and other small boats:

TT = ((len - beam) x beam x beam/2)/94
((34 - 8) x 8 x 4)/94  = 8.9 tons

The journey (along today's A39) included a 300m-vertical climb up Countisbury Hill and a complementary 1-in-4 descent down Porlock Hill. It required the demolition of the corner of a cottage in Porlock as well as sundry temporary road-widening along the highway. And one of the carriage-wheels fell off. They arrived 11 hours later.

The Louisa launched immediately upon arrival and was rowed through the storm for an hour to the, now anchored, vessel; then stood by until two steam tugs arrived and towed the Forrest Hall to safety across the Channel at Barry Dock in Wales.

Mr. Fry, owner of the Forrest Hall, donated £75 towards the costs of presenting silver watches&chains and £5 cash to each crew member of the Louisa Lifeboat. Coxswain Jack Crocombe and Second-Coxswain George Richards got gold watches with gold chains. The costs for repairing the Exmoor stone walls, and the corner of Porlock cottage, plus flood damage caused to the Lynmouth lifeboat station totalled £27-5s-6d.

In 1999, there was a re-enactment - with tractor [2 min news item]. Another re-enactment this morning "A welcome party will be held at Porlock Weir in conjunction with The Bottom Ship Pub, featuring shanty punk group Skinny Lister [2½ min ♬ ♪ ♫], Bridgwater Sea Cadet band and Lynmouth Shanty Crew"

Full crew that night: Jack Crocombe (coxswain), George Richards (second coxswain), Richard Ridler (bowman), Richard Moore (signalman), Richard Burgess, Charles Crick, David Crocombe, William Jarvis, Bertram Pennicott, Thomas Pugsley, George Rawle, John Ridler, John Ward, William Richards (age 16). Sou'westers Off!

Bicentennial alert. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution RNLI was founded on 4th March 1824 by Sir William Hillary and others in a London pub.After Hillary uttered a pamphlet: An Appeal To The British Navy On The Humanity And Policy Of Forming A National Institution For The Preservation Of Lives And Property From Shipwreck.