Sunday 28 October
In gale force south westerly winds, gusting up to 48 mph, several
large yachts were racing in Poole Bay on the first Sunday after
the end of British Summer time. A report had come through that a
12m yacht, with seven people onboard, had been dismasted and was
struggling against the choppy seas. An accompanying safety boat
managed to get a line onboard but, due to the strength of the wind,
the size of the yacht and the fact that part of the mast had gone
under the hull, it was struggling to hold them off the notorious
Hook Sands. The all-weather lifeboat (ALB) launched with seven crew
and made its way through the harbour in the worsening conditions
as a cold weather front approached. The coxswain requested the launch
of the inshore lifeboat (ILB) to assist if necessary in the shallower
area of Hook Sands in the heavy swell and surf conditions that the
wind and tide created.
Once on scene the lifeboat crew quickly threw a tow rope to the
yacht and towed them clear of a buoy and out of the danger area.
With part of the mast still in the water and the sails still flaying
in the wind, the ILB came alongside the yacht to allow two lifeboat
crew members to go onboard to help lash the sails and the boom down.
All members of the yacht crew were uninjured and five of them stayed
below in the cabin to keep out of the weather while the skipper
and another crew member stayed in the cockpit to help steer the
yacht behind the ALB.
The ALB towed the yacht astern until it was in the shelter of the
harbour and then the lifeboat continued with an alongside tow up
the harbour towards Poole Yacht Club. As they passed the ferry terminal
the tug Herbert Ballam was towing the Barfleur ferry off its berth
in the gale force winds so it was important to keep clear of this
manoeuvre.
Coxswain Andy Elton was then able to turn the lifeboat 180º
in the confines of the marina to bring the yacht alongside a pontoon
at Poole Yacht Club. Fortunately everyone onboard the yacht was
safe and well although a little shocked by the experience.
After a very quiet month for Poole lifeboat crews, the end of British
Summer time certainly brought Autumn in with a vengeance.
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