Yarmouth RNLI’s All Weather Lifeboat has assisted a 34ft motor yacht suffering with a loss of all power off the coast of the Isle of Wight this evening (Friday).
The Severn class ALB, Eric and Susan Hiscock (Wanderer), was tasked to launch by Solent Coastguard at 17:41 following reports received from the casualty vessel.
Yarmouth’s volunteer crew headed west out of the Solent on their first shout of 2021 to locate the motor cruiser, located 1 mile south of The Needles with 1 person on board.
The loss of all battery power meant the vessel had no navigation lights in the dark and with the temperature dropping the situation was becoming an increasingly dangerous one for the yacht and it’s lone sailor.
As the conditions were calm, the RNLI crew were able to secure a tow line without having to go on board the cruiser. A tow was conducted back to the safety of Yarmouth Harbour.
On arrival back in Yarmouth, the lifeboat brought the vessel alongside where officers from the Needles Coastguard Rescue Team were waiting to offer safety advice.
The incident was brought to a close just 2 hours after it began.
Shouldn’t have been offering safety advice the police should have been writing a ticket for a clear breach of lockdown rules.
Sorry , but what judgement have you all made , leisure boating is still allowed under lockdown rules! There is explicit guidance on this so please don’t jump to conclusions ! Agreed it is sensible to take extra precautions, but you can’t plan for every eventuality such as defective battery or charging system ! Looking at the vessel , it’s quite obvious the individual likely had the funds to properly maintain his/her vessel , so it’s just one of those things . Big thank you to the lifeboat team for their support !
Exercising the boat I expect…. Ass holes
Was the sailors journey essential then?
Why did they not just leave him as he was travelling illegally.
Why weren’t they fined or at least the police there to speak to them Or is it because a member of the same yacht club as the Chief constable. These rich entitled people think they can do as they please.
Stupid idiots shouldn’t have been out on their boat let alone in the cold and dark. Being out on the water isn’t an essential journey, another waste of tax payers money.
Current guidance is this, take care out there !:
”British Marine have had it confirmed by the UK Government that boating is a form of exercise and therefore is an accepted excuse to leave home in England. There are several important caveats to this, primarily that members of the public cannot travel out of their local area to reach their vessel and that all exercise must be done in line with government guidance i.e. can only be done with members of 1 household/bubble or one other and social distancing is maintained. Members of the public are urged to check with the local navigation authority, harbour authorities and the Marinas for local rules before travelling to their vessels.
DfT released the following statement:
“We have received clarification on guidance relating to boating and leisure activities from CO/DCMS.
Therefore, we can confirm that boating is allowed as exercise (in England). This covers all sailing boats/yachts as long as they abide by the gathering limits, social distance rules and stay local rules.”
British Marine would like to remind all boaters of their responsibility to stay safe, abide by the guidance and laws (including local restrictions) and keep others around them safe when participating on any on water exercise.”
It was after dark, he was just checking his eyesight out.