George shares this latest news on behalf of Cowes RNLI. Ed
The crew of Cowes RNLI lifeboat had the rare experience of responding to not one but three emergencies when on Cowes Week safety patrol yesterday (Wednesday).
Broken rudder
The first alert involved the Spider Pig high performance sports yacht which had suffered a broken rudder off Gurnard, and was drifting towards Cowes Green.
The boat, with five people aboard, was towed to Medina Yard, Cowes where it was craned ashore.
Entangled spinnaker
Next task for the lifeboat was to go to the aid of a small yacht, Josh, which had entangled its spinnaker.
However, before the lifeboat arrived a passing boat came to Josh’s assistance, after which it was towed to safety by a race committee boat.
Aground on the Bramble Bank
This released the lifeboat to be diverted to a 40 foot yacht, Jet, which had gone aground on the Bramble Bank at the mouth of Southampton Water.
The yacht was duly dragged stern-first off the sand and towed by the lifeboat to East Cowes.
As a precaution, the lifeboat and yacht were accompanied across the Solent, as far as Prince Consort Buoy, by the RNLI’s Calshot lifeboat.
