Torbay lifeboat go to the aid of fishing trawler

At 03:23am Solent Coastguard requested we launch to assist a 100-ton beam trawler who had got into some difficulties 15 miles southeast of Berry Head. She had suffered a complete loss of power.

Pagers went off and our volunteer crew duly assembled at the station, changed into wet-weather gear, made ready the All-weather Lifeboat (ALB) and launched at 03:45am.

Weather and sea conditions early this morning, especially 15 miles into the Channel, were challenging. Force 7 gusting 8/9, north westerly winds, and choppy seas.

Loss of both engine and generator power in these conditions meant the trawler and all her associated gear, would be unwieldly and vulnerable to the turbulent and freshening conditions. She was very much what is termed a ‘dark ship’. This also meant that the casualty’s crew were having to operate by torchlight in heavy seas. Critically, her derricks were ¾ way up on either side, with nets still in the water. We couldn’t come up alongside to assist, and nor could she pull in her nets.

The only option was to jettison her gear, which meant releasing large winch breaks manually in the dark on rolling waves. This is weighty and expensive equipment, and to add to the challenge, we needed a controlled drop whilst under tow, to allow the chain warps, beams and nets an extended release with a Dan Buoy attached at the end, to facilitate later recovery.

It took five attempts, coming in to 5 metres each time, before a ‘heaving’ line could be thrown successfully across. This lighter rope attaches to a sturdy towline. Once this had been secured, the ALB began to tow, and the casualty’s crew managed to successfully jettison the nets. We were underway. However, the trawler’s steering was stuck at 30 degrees to port with no power to turn the rudder back, making towing an ordeal of continuous directional readjustment with re-slanting lines causing wear to the towline.

The journey back to Brixham was straight into opposing wind and sea, at a bumpy 5 knot speed. Upon reaching the relative protection of Brixham’s harbour, our room to adjust for the misangled steering was going to be constricted by the fairway.

Fortunately, we were met at the mouth of the harbour by the sea-farm’s jet boat, which helped keep the aberrant trawler in line whilst we came in to moor her safely alongside the end of the fish market’s jetty pier.

Andrew Medley, Torbay RNLI’s Coxswain said: “It was a challenging job in very difficult weather conditions, which exemplified the brilliant teamwork between all agencies involved, including the trawler’s crew working in less-than-ideal conditions, the local coastguard who helped with the Brixham Harbour team to coordinate a safe berthing of the boat alongside. And a special thanks to Brixham’s sea farm, whose staff came away from their day jobs and used their working boat ‘Jet Star’ to help manage a tricky tow into the harbour.

“This is how it goes. People just respond to help at sea from all quarters really. It was a fantastic team effort. A few testing moments but we all got home safely. And that’s what counts.”

Our own crew returned the ALB to station at 10:30am and made her ready for service by 11:00am.