Mr West had been lent the money for his boat by Charlotte Upcher who, along with her husband had always had shown interest in the lives and welfare of the local fishermen and their families.

During one particularly severe gale along the East coast on 29 November 1826,[2] seven Sheringham fishermen lost their lives when their two boats overturned just offshore.

[2] She was equipped with a dipping lug mainsail, mizzen sail and had fittings for a rudder at either end to avoid turning her in heavy seas.

The Dygden, which was carrying a cargo of timber, had been struggling in the stormy seas of the North Sea for fourteen days and had become so completely lost that the barques captain had mistaken St Nicholas Church in Blakeney for Dover Castle and so had thought his ship had reached the English Channel.

The Augusta was launched in raging seas with waves crashing over her to go to the assistance of the Dygden which had now got into difficulties of west of Blakeney.

[2] During the 56 years of Augusta's service, not one lifeboatman was lost, this may well be attributed to the skill of the Coxswain and crews and their local knowledge of this part of the coast and not least of all because they always wore their lifejackets.