Bembridge RNLI’s All Weather Lifeboat launched to locate and assist a 7m Virgo Voyager sailing yacht some 5 nautical miles south of St Catherine’s Point yesterday afternoon (Tuesday).
At the request of Solent Cosstguard, the Alfred Albert Williams lifeboat hit the water at around 15:30 following reports that ‘King Klip’ – with 1 person on board – had suffered engine failure and was in difficulty to the south of the Island.
The yacht had set out from Cherbourg and was en-route to Christchurch.
Having reached the casualty vessel at 16:30 and ascertaining that the skipper was an elderly man and that the engine was not going to be repairable, it was decided to transfer a member of the lifeboat crew to the King Klip using the Y boat to help secure the tow.
Sea and tidal conditions were such that initially the tow to Portsmouth was very slow with the Tamar class lifebot averaging only 3.5 knots until past Ventnor when she was able to increase to 5.5 knots.
Having berthed King Klip safely in Haslar Marina at 22:20, the Alfred Albert Williams returned to Bembridge and was recovered by 23:15 after nearly 8 hours at sea.
