A dismasted yacht that was being swept along by a spring tide sparked an RNLI rescue.

Both
the Lymington inshore RNLI lifeboat and the all weather RNLI Yarmouth
lifeboat were called to assist the stricken 40ft yacht, Sea Jay IV, in
high winds off Hurst Castle on 20 March.

Sea Jay crew called for help when the yacht’s mast collapsed as a result of ‘catastrophic gear failure’ and went
overboard. The yacht had left Lymington earlier in 25 knots of wind
with five people on board.

After the cruiser dismasted, the crew members were unable to get
their anchor to hold and were drifting to the west
in the fast ebbing spring tide, towards the notorious Shingle Bank on the North Eastern side of
the Needles Channel.

The Lymington inshore lifeboat went to
their aid at first; Two RNLI volunteers went aboard to release the anchorline and
secure the tow before taking the boat into calmer waters out of the main
tide and into the lee of the Island shore.

But the tide and wind prevented them from completing
the rescue.

The more powerful Yarmouth lifeboat, The Eric and Susan
Hiscock (Wanderer) was then called to the scene at 4.30pm and, after
giving further assistance, took the yacht in tow through the strong tide to Yarmouth. No one
was hurt.

Once safely berthed RNLI crews assisted in recovery of the fallen rig onto a pontoon before returning to station.

RNLI
Lymington would like to thank their Yarmouth colleagues for their
assistance and the crews of Wightlink ferries ‘Wight Sun and Wight Sky
for helping to establish the yachts location.

Picture credits: RNLI/Peter Mills and RNLI/Rob Scott