A yacht aground and taking on water in Newtown Creek prompted the tasking of Yarmouth RNLI this evening (Monday).
Yarmouth RNLI’s All Weather Lifeboat was tasked to launch by HM Coastguard at 20:34 to reports of a sailing vessel aground and taking on water in Newtown Creek.
The volunteer crew assembled whilst awaiting further information from Solent Coastguard with the decision then taken to launch the lifeboat in order to assess whether there was any potential threat to life.
Having arrived on scene at Newtown, the Seven-class lifeboat deployed the onboard ‘Y’ boat in order to put 2 crew members on board the 30ft gaff-rigged casualty vessel.
The volunteer RNLI crew members assessed the situation and established that all 3 of the yacht’s crew were safe and well.
In calm conditions, the water ingress was being managed effectively by the bilge pump but there was some visible damage to the yacht around the keel footing.
The skipper took the decision to remain in Newtown Creek overnight and return to their homeport of Cowes at first light.
Before standing down and returning to Yarmouth, the RNLI crew ensured that the situation was under control, that the yacht was safely moored and her crew were not in any danger.
Coxswain Howard Lester has said:
“We are currently experiencing very low spring tides so it is important to carefully check tidal heights when entering harbours and anchorages.”
Yarmouth lifeboat returned to her berth and was ready for service at 22.20.
Luckily it was a calm night, the skipper might want to invest in an almanac, chart and tidal atlas and learn about tidal heights at secondary ports. It would have saved the LB crew being called out.