Selsey Lifeboat Station - Launches
10th May 2013
Launch to Assist 60-Foot Ocean Racing Yacht 'Etoile Australe'
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Selsey All Weather Lifeboat 'Voluntary Worker' was launched at 07:20, shortly followed by the inshore lifeboat 'Betty and Thomas Moore' at 07:25 to go to the assistance of the French Yacht 'Etoile Australe' reported to have gone aground close to the Looe Channel buoys.
Nothing had been heard from the yacht since issuing their initial May Day call and concern was growing for the two male crew members on board.
Approximately 10 minutes after launching, contact was established with the casualty by Solent Coastguards. The casualty crew confirmed that they weren’t aground and were unharmed but the yacht had sustained damage. They gave an updated position which put them a lot further out to sea. At 07:40 the inshore lifeboat was returned to station whilst 'Voluntary Worker' carried on and eventually, at 07:52, rendezvoused with the casualty approximately 6.5 miles southeast of the lifeboat station.
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It transpired that the 'Etoile Australe' was a sixty-foot ocean racing yacht and she hadn’t run aground but had encountered a large sea in the Looe Channel which had swept the deck, tearing away her sails and ripping fittings out of the deck, disabling her and making her impossible to steer.
A towline was passed and at 08:01 a course was set for Portsmouth Harbour. Slow progress at a speed of about 3 knots was made into a rough sea. At 12:12 'Voluntary Worker' and 'Etoile Australe' entered Portsmouth Harbour and by 12:51 the casualty was safely berthed in Haslar Marina. At 13:08 'Voluntary Worker' departed Portsmouth Harbour to return to station, arriving back at 14:26, rehousing straight away and made ready for service at 15:00.
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ILB CREW: C.Pullenger (Helmsman), W.Moir, S.Troughton-Smith, C.Harvey.
ALB CREW: M.Rudwick (Coxswain), D.Lamdin (2nd Coxswain), M.Pledger (Mechanic), M.Gilligan, C.Sergeant, J.Reeves, A.Lee.
WIND: Southwest 7. SEA: Moderate to rough. WEATHER: Cloudy/squally.