A tangled spinnaker turned out to be the least of the problems for 5 people crewing a Cowes Week yacht, in an incident which saw several craft, including Cowes RNLI lifeboat, rushing to its aid this afternoon (Thursday).
The spinnaker-tangling occurred aboard a quarter tonner in brisk winds, in the area of Ryde Middle bank. It appeared the yacht had tipped flat onto the sea and when a crew member climbed the mast to try to free the recalcitrant sail, he crashed into the water.
Cowes Lifeboat was tasked by Solent Coastguard to assist the independent Gosport Lifeboat, which was already on the scene, at around 14:00.
With one of a crew member needing medical attention, the now re-righted yacht was eventually towed to Shepards Marina, Cowes by a Cowes Week committee boat; there the yacht was met by paramedics and Coastguard Officers from The Needles and Ventnor.
The same yacht also needed help in last year’s Cowes Week, when it lost its rudder.
