(Pictured left: Geoff Holt with Raymarine international marketing communications manager, Fiona Pankhurst, in Hamble before departure)

Disabled sailor Geoff Holt, now stuck for more than a week in Abersoch on the Lleyn peninsula, north Wales, has teamed up with Meteorological Services Company WeatherOnline Limited to try and make the most of any favourable conditions.

Geoff’s attempt to become the first disabled sailor to circumnavigate the UK single-handed, depends on good weather conditions at a number of key ‘corners’ en route.

Meanwhile, winds blowing up to Gale Force 8 in the Irish Sea yesterday resulted in two yachts requiring assistance from Liverpool Coastguard.

The 33ft yachtSirius, en route to Holyhead from the Mull of Galloway, called for assistance after the crew became excessively fatigued. The yacht was taken in tow to Peel from about 4 miles north-west of the harbour.

In a second incident, a 50-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital from a position 15 miles south-west of the Isle of Man. She was knocked unconscious when the yacht she was aboard took a large wave at 17.50 pm. The casualty was transferred to the lifeboat and then winched aboard the helicopter and taken to hospital on the Isle of Man. Port St Mary lifeboat put a crewman aboard the yacht to help the remaining crewmember bring the vessel into port.