Falmouth Inshore Lifeboat was alongside at St Mawes attending the annual Lifeboat Quayside Service when at 17:51 Falmouth Coastguard requested that the Inshore Lifeboat proceed to assist in the search for the overdue 26ft Sunbeam Yacht Clary which was returning from the Fowey Regatta.

At 17:54 the Inshore Lifeboat left St Mawes Harbour and headed around Zone Point to search Gerrans and Veryan Bays. The search was commenced at 18:02 working up to the east, and at 18:17 further information was obtained from one of the Falmouth Working Boats which was being towed back to Falmouth that they had sighted the Sunbeam between Dodman Point and Gull Rock. At 18:23 the Sunbeam was located off Portloe and once it had been confirmed that its two occupants were safe and well, if a little cold and wet, a lifeboat crewman was placed onboard the yacht and the tow back to Falmouth commenced.

The Sunbeam was placed on its mooring in Falmouth Harbour at 20:45 and the Inshore Lifeboat dropped one of the occupants ashore before returning to its station, while the other occupant headed back to St Mawes in his Rigid Inflatable.

The Inshore Lifeboat was back on its slipway by 20:55 where it was refuelled, rehoused and was ready for service by 21:16.

The Sunbeam Clary (V8) had been racing at Fowey Regatta and along with a number of other boats had left Fowey at 10am to sail back to Falmouth. Concern had been raised for the boat and its occupants in the late afternoon when they had not arrived back in Falmouth, especially considering the forecast of torrential rain and gale force winds. The Sunbeams are a traditional sailing boat, this particular boat being built in 1924 and still seen racing on a regular basis.

An Inshore Lifeboat Service

 

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