This in from Cowes RNLI, in their own words. Ed
Cowes RNLI lifeboat operated at full stretch throughout today, playing a full part in responding to a growing number of emergencies amongst the huge fleet battling through strong winds and choppy seas to compete in the annual 65 mile Round the Island Race.
“There was a Force 6 south-westerly blowing, gusting to Force 7, and at the Needles the swells were eight foot high,” said helmsman Simon Hawkins. “It was no surprise that when confronted with these conditions quite a few retired rather than continue round the back of the Island.”
On duty for 12 hours
The Atlantic 85 lifeboat, Tabby Cat, was on duty for over 12 hours, initially going on the Solent as the first batch of competitors were sent westwards from Cowes at6 am. Within two miles of the start-line the four crew was dealing with their first ‘shout’, when the catamaran Cats Eye was in violent collision with a Mystery 35 class yacht, resulting in the yacht’s mast and rigging crashing down on to the stern.
Lifeboat crewman Richard O’Callaghan, went aboard to help secure the debris, after which the yacht limped back to Cowes under its own power.
Broken rudder
Next ‘shout’ involved the yacht Sea Jay, which had broken its rudder. This time Steve Price went aboard to check things out, before the yacht proceeded under emergency steering to Beaulieu.
A small RIB with a Frenchman on board added to the lifeboat’s tally, when it suffered engine trouble off Thorness. Initially the lifeboat took the RIB in tow, but then the tow was taken over by the RNLI RIB from Calshot.
Boat hit underwater wreck
Another casualty among the fleet was the yacht Scallywag, whose three crew were kept busy baling out water after the boat hit an old underwater wreck off The Needles. After the lifeboat escorted the yacht to Yarmouth for temporary repairs the yacht headed back to Cowes.
In the afternoon, as yachts still in the race streamed back to Cowes from Bembridge the lifeboat was tasked by Solent Coastguards to go to the aid of a catamaran reported to be in trouble off East Cowes. But despite a search there was no sign of the craft, leading to the conclusion it had managed to struggle to safety on its own.
Collision within sight of finishing line
Then, just as the lifeboat was returning to its base at Shepards Wharf Marina came the last shout of the day. The yacht Showtime reported to have been holed in a collision with another competitor within sight of the finishing line, and was fast taking on water as a result of a split on the hull’s port-side.
Steve Price and Max Rimington rushed aboard with the lifeboat’s portable pump, and then escorted the leaking yacht up the River Medina where it was craned on to Kingston Yard for repairs.
Help required from Hampshire
Of the lifeboat crew, Simon Hawkins and Steve Price were on duty throughout the day. “It was very tiring out there in those conditions,” said Simon. “I understand the number of incidents was so high in the area of the Needles that there were not enough lifeboats from the Island and Hampshire to immediately respond to them all. As a result the shouts apparently had to be prioritized.”
By 7pm Solent Coastguards reported they had logged no fewer than 75 incidents – ‘and were still counting’. Most, though not all, involved Round the Island competitors. Altogether the race, run by the Island Sailing Club, attracted a record entry of 1,903 yachts.
Image: The dis-masted Mystery Class yacht, with Cowes lifeboat crewman Richard O’Callaghan on board, gripping the lower section of the destroyed mast
