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The Bosun's Watch

M.V. Boston Islander FD263



Information courtesy of Adrian Corkill (Dictionary of Shipwrecks off the Isle of Man)

 	  	

		



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Picture courtesy of John Stevenson






 	  	  

 	  	  	
 	  	  	 

 	  	  	  

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    Technical
	

	




Official Number 362625


Launched 1966


Gross Tonnage102


Length85 ft


EngineT.3-cyl by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd, Newcastle


BuiltNetherlands, 1966


OwnerBoston Deep Sea Fisheries Ltd







		

    History
	



		

    1966
Built in the Netherlands as a beam trawler ENNIE EN APPIE (H 26).


1974Registered at Fleetwood as BOSTON ISLANDER (FD263). The first beam trawler in the Boston fleet. Converted to a side fisher.


1976
To Lowestoft and renamed P.G.ISLANDER.


1978Renamed DAWN WATERS (LT377).


1986Sank off the Isle of Man.


NoteThe steel motor fishing vessel DAWN WATERS (J472), of Jersey, based at Newlyn, was built in Holland in 1967, and was equipped with a 500 hp engine. The owners were A M Seafoods Ltd, Fleetwood. On Thursday 20th March 1986, DAWN WATERS left Fleetwood bound for Douglas where the skipper Louis Ozard had arranged for her to be refuelled. However, the weather worsened with force 11 northwest winds and huge seas.

At 9.18 a.m., just 6 feet of the bow of DAWN WATERS was spotted jutting from the surface by Captain Hector Thomson of a passing diving support vessel, BRITISH ENTERPRISE V. No mayday message had been received.
Only one crewman, Gordon Coram, was seen on the surface nearby, but a desperate 15 minute battle to save him failed. The eight crewmen on the BRITISH ENTERPRISE V made four attempts to reach the man. He was seen to be very weak and, when finally a rope was passed to him, he was unable to hold it. The crewmen then saw Coram slump over and he was drowned.

Four merchant ships, two helicopters and two lifeboats, including the Douglas Lifeboat, searched unsuccessfully. Passing aircraft were also asked to reduce their height and search for any bodies.
The search for the crewmen was understood to have been hampered by no official crew list having been lodged with the owners.
Through ceaseless work by the police, Coastguards and the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen at Newlyn and Fleetwood, a list was eventually released.  It was: Louis Ozard, skipper, Newlyn; Chris Dodd, Mousehole; Gordon Coram, Penzance; Jason Ward, Plymouth; David Young, Paignton.

The wreck of the 82 foot trawler DAWN WATERS has been located on the seabed. It was found by the Trinity House search and salvage vessel WINSTON CHURCHILL, using sonar equipment. What is described as a navigational warning device now marks the position of the wreck. It is in about 78 ft of water but it is unlikely that a salvage operation will be mounted.

     	Only one body has been recovered since the sinking. It was that of 27-year old Gordon Anthony Coram, of Penzance, Cornwall. The inquest on him has been opened in Douglas by the Coroner, Mr Henry Callow, and adjourned to a date to be fixed. His body was landed in the Island by the Douglas Lifeboat.