Plymouth sailor, who was rescued off the French coast, appeals for help in getting his boat home

Katy Stickland

Plymouth sailor Paul Easby, who was rescued off the coast of France, is now trying to recover his boat and is appealing for help

TAGS:

Plymouth sailor Paul Easby spent days drifting in his yacht, St Elena after both his outboards wouldn’t start and the forestay failed on the boat’s headsail furling system.

He also had problems raising anyone on his VHF DSC radio; he was unable to get a signal on his mobile phone and eventually, the battery died.

“When the furling system went wrong I was worried that the mast would have no support so I was too scared to put up the mainsail. I had regularly serviced both my Yamaha and Mercury 4hp outboard engines but I struggled to get them to start. I was around 50 miles from Land’s End and I tried to raise the Coastguard but couldn’t get through to anyone on my VHF or get a signal on my mobile. I was just drifting. On reflection, I made mistakes,” said Paul.

The 47-year-old Plymouth sailor left Devonport, where he moors St Elena, on 22 June. He has told his partner, Sheryl Beer, that he was going fishing. In fact, he was planning on sailing down the south west coast; he has provisioned accordingly.

“I didn’t share my plans with her because I know she gets really nervous about me going out on the water, so I told her I was just going fishing,” he said.

A photo of Plymouth sailor Paul Easby

Paul Easby is appealing for help to be reunited with his Hurley 22. Credit: Paul Easby

Paul had sailed Toppers as a child. He bought St Elena last year and had only sailed her close to the coast around Plymouth before deciding to sail an extended voyage.

Unable to get hold of Paul, Sheryl Beer reported him missing, and Devon and Cornwall police launched a missing person’s appeal. The Coastguard also issued regular bulletins to try and track the boat.

In an interview with PBO at the time, Sheryl shared that Paul did have mental health issues, wanting the information to be made public to help in the initial search for him.

Speaking from his home, Paul said he was caught between two storms in the Celtic Sea as the St Elena continued to drift towards France, describing the waves “as massive; the size of a house.”

The Plymouth sailor continued to try to raise help via his VHF radio and eventually contacted a container ship which then relayed his Mayday to the French authorities.

Paul was airlifted from St Elena by helicopter and taken to Brest where he was taken to hospital, later discharging himself.

St Elena was eventually picked up by the French military and taken to Brest, where it remains in a military compound.

Paul is now appealing for help in bringing his boat to Plymouth, either via a trailer or sailing the boat back once repairs have been made to the broken forestay.

“The boat has all of my possessions on it; it means so much to me and I really need to bring her home,” he said.

Anyone who can help is asked to contact Paul Easby on 07368 966616

He has given permission for his number to be shared publicly.

Want to read more sailing and boating news articles?

A subscription to Practical Boat Owner magazine costs around 40% less than the cover price.

Print and digital editions are available through Magazines Direct – where you can also find the latest deals.

PBO is packed with information to help you get the most from boat ownership – whether sail or power.

        • Take your DIY skills to the next level with trusted advice on boat maintenance and repairs
        • Impartial in-depth gear reviews
        • Practical cruising tips for making the most of your time afloat

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter