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Boat: All Weather Lifeboat
Crew: Mark Pollard (Coxswain), John Blakeston, Snowy Angove, Alan Rowe, Nick Lewis, Andy Jenkin, John Jeeves
Location: 5 miles South East of Falmouth
Shout Date: 31/07/2009 - 21:20
Weather:S 6, Rough Sea & Moderate Swell, Moderate Visibility, Overcast with Showers

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At 21:19 Falmouth Coastguard requested that Falmouth All Weather Lifeboat divert from its previous tasking and proceed out into Falmouth Bay where the 249m Norwegian VLCC Solviken had reported observing a small yacht with its sails torn drifting down its side.

The All Weather Lifeboat departed the harbour at 21:20 and arrived on scene 5 miles South East of Falmouth at 21:35. They soon located the 20ft yacht Listen and found that its sails were blown out, its engine did not work and its single occupant was totally exhausted. The Lifeboat’s small inflatable Y-Boat was launched to transfer two lifeboat crew to the yacht and bring the skipper back to the Lifeboat. Once the crew were onboard a towline was passed and the yacht was towed into Falmouth where it was safely moored alongside the Port Pendennis Marina at 23:52.

The All Weather Lifeboat was back alongside its pontoon berth by 23:59. The lifeboat was then refuelled, and was ready for service by 00:20.

The 20ft Hurley Yacht Listen had left Falmouth the previous day on passage to France. It had encountered adverse weather conditions resulting in the yacht being unable to make way and its single-handed skipper became totally exhausted. The skipper was very lucky to be spotted by the crew of the Norwegian Tanker who in turn alerted the Coastguard and without the assistance of the All Weather Lifeboat it is likely that the yacht would have eventually gone ashore to the East of Falmouth putting the skippers life in real danger.