Brave seaman Edwin (JR) Whitfield is the toast of his good friend after he chose to stay on board her boat during Hurricane Fabian and managed to save it from almost certain destruction.

Mr. Whitfield looks after the Andrea Christine luxury pleasure yacht for owner Elizabeth Wainwright and decided to go on board the vessel and batten down when the hurricane was due to hit.

He said he was originally supposed to go on board with one of his friends, but found himself alone when it came to the day, and so went ahead as planned.

However, Mr. Whitfield said he was glad he did as the boat broke its moorings off White's Island and it took all his skill and muscle to keep the boat under control and to stop it from being thrown across the ocean.

"When ever a storm comes up, I go out in a boat and weather the storm to make sure the vessel is okay," said Mr. Whitfield, who is also a full-time ferry operator.

"I usually go out with a friend, but he backed out at the last minute because this storm was going to be so bad.

"I was glad I was there, though, because the weather this time was so bad that the boat broke its moorings, but I was able to make sure it was okay."

The seaman said he was out on the ocean from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. through the worst of the weather. But he said he kept the engine of the boat running to help him keep it under control, and eventually managed to steer it into the Salt Kettle area until the seas began to calm down.

"I have to be honest," he added, "I didn't expect it to be that bad. It was very rough and windy - at one point the winds were at 140 mph, gusting at 160 mph.

"I wasn't really scared because I have been out so many times in storms, and I went out through Hurricane Emily, but it was tough. I had enough fuel, so I had the boat running and I just rode it out. I had it under control and I was fine."

Mr. Whitfield said he had no regrets, and he said despite the boat suffering some damage, it could easily be fixed.

The boat is now docked at Marine and Ports awaiting repairs.

"I would do it all over again. I have been in every storm and I will be in future," he added. Ms Wainwright, who hires out the Andrea Christine for charters, said she would be forever grateful to Mr. Whitfield for looking after the $370,000, 60-foot vessel.

"I was told there was going to be another person on board, but apparently the other person was never going to be there," she said.

"I was worried about him. I didn't think he was mad for doing it ..., but if it was not for him I would not have a boat today. It's a big boat and I'm very grateful to him for saving it for me.

"It must have been a scary experience. What he did was quite a feat and I don't think many other people would have done that. I'm very grateful to him."

And as a way of saying thank you to Mr. Whitfield, Ms Wainwright said she was getting a gold chain and pendant made for the seaman with the boat's name and the date of the hurricane inscribed on it.

She added: "Of course, I have thanked him but I want to thank him properly, however, the gold thing is not ready yet."