At 12:28pm on Friday, a call for assistance was put out on radio, Ch65, by a yacht who had become stuck on the Torbay Weather Buoy.
It was picked up by the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) who relayed the message on to HM Coastguard, who in sequence, passed the request straight on to our Deputy Launch Authority (DLA) on duty.
With two people on board the 12 metre yacht and given its difficulties a mile outside Torquay Marina in the Bay, our DLA instructed the launch of the All Weather Lifeboat (ALB) to support Torquay Harbour authority’s beach patrol boat ‘Oscar 4,’ as they too went to the yacht’s assistance.
The yacht was taken under tow by ‘Oscar 4’, who headed upwind to help bring the buoy rope and floats to the surface. Our ALB followed close behind ready to release the rope from around the keel and rudder of the yacht, but fortunately it came free as the vessel was towed. The yacht then got underway and continued their passage.