The single-handed sailor had taken on quite a lot of water in bad weather through the night and his yacht's engine had failed - he needed a tow to safety.
RNLI
Storm-struck solo sailor thanks RNLI rescuers for saving his life
Castletownbere lifeboat volunteers spent 12 hours battling storm-force conditions to rescue a single-handed yachtsman 45 miles south of Mizen head in West Cork.
Casualty rescued from yacht near Sovereign Harbour
A call-out to assist a yacht with engine failure quickly escalated to a medical emergency for the Eastbourne’s all-weather lifeboat crew.
Stricken yacht rescued from Shingles Bank
A 30ft Dutch yacht with a broken rudder was rescued in treacherous conditions just west of the notorious Shingles Bank off the Needles Rocks, Isle of Wight.
Seven rescued from sinking catamaran in the Solent
Seven people were 'hurriedly evacuated' from a sinking catamaran - the Island Sailing Club’s J/111 class World Championships committee boat
‘Fire on yacht’ alert was hot water pipe steam
A fire scare aboard a yacht turned out to be steam caused by burst hot water pipes.
Sunken boat with keys on board sparks search off Devon coast
An extensive search for a suspected missing boat owner was carried out after a submerged speed boat was spotted off the coast of Torquay, Devon.
Dispute takes New Brighton lifeboat station temporarily off service
A dispute with volunteers over a new training programme and the station’s management has resulted in the RNLI taking New Brighton lifeboat station temporarily off service for several weeks.
Yacht ablaze at the entrance to Poole Harbour
Two sailors abandoned their blazing yacht after an engine fire broke out near the entrance to Poole Harbour.
French yacht runs aground on Brehon Tower rocks
A French yacht grounded on Brehon Tower rocks between Guernsey and Herm.
Yacht rescue prompts reminder to carry VHF radio at sea
Don't rely on a mobile phone, says RNLI coxswain Mark Kenyon: Without a radio bearing 'a small vessel in rough seas can be a challenging target.'
Two people rescued from sinking yacht off Dorset coast
Two people were rescued and a sinking yacht saved off the Jurassic Coast of Dorset this morning.
Royal Navy warship assists squall-battered yacht
HMS Echo and RNLI lifeboat volunteers assisted a 28ft yacht that was battered by 40 knot squalls whilst attempting to cross Lyme Bay, eight miles off the Devon coast
‘Don’t Panic’ yacht rescue sparks safety warning
A small yacht without lights, VHF radio, GPS or flares was located by radar and mobile phone light after suffering engine failure at night.
Sniffy the dog yacht rescue
Sniffy the dog and his owner were rescued by the RNLI after their yacht's steering failed off the North East coast of Scotland.
Lifeboat crew assist grounded yacht in Plockton
A yacht ran aground in Plockton bay, Wester Ross, in the Scottish Highlands after breaking free from its mooring - with two people on board.
Two suspected people smugglers arrested after rescue
Two people rescued off the Kent coast after making a Mayday call have been arrested on suspicion of people smuggling.
Lone sailor rescued after distress call
A single-handed French sailor was rescued six miles off the Wicklow coast after making a distress call.
Double callout to same yacht for Yarmouth RNLI
The solo sailor managed to pull his yacht clear of the rocks but then a damaged propeller left him drifting helplessly towards Yarmouth Pier.
Four rescued from burning boat
The 25ft Bayliner burnt itself out and sank into shallow waters close to the shoreline on Upper Lough Erne, County Fermanagh