Combined March 26 jw v2 - Flipbook - Page 39
Community update Hayling Herald
RNLI: 25 hours aground
By Cat Dawtrey
THIS year began busier than
2025 for the crew at Hayling Lifeboat Station.
The first launch came on January, 2nd when pagers sounded
to reports of a 24ft sailing vessel
drifting into shallow water following mechanical failure. The Atlantic lifeboat launched and, once on
scene, established a tow to deeper
water before placing the yacht in
an alongside tow and recovering it
safely to the pontoon at Itchenor.
On January 12th the D Class
launched to a report of an empty
kayak floating at Northney. After a search, it was confirmed the
kayak had fallen from a boat in the
marina and no further action was
required.
On January 17th the Atlantic
launched to assist a lone sailor whose 24ft yacht had gone
aground at the top of Emsworth
Harbour.
On arrival he confirmed he was
safe and planned to wait for the
11pm high tide to refloat. The
crew were stood down, but just
before midnight the Coastguard
requested a relaunch when contact
could not be made with the sailor.
The D Class returned to check
on the casualty and found him safe
and well, but he had been unable
to refloat. The crew provided him
with blankets and he chose to
remain onboard overnight and try
again at the next high tide.
The following day, while out
training, the lifeboats revisited the
yacht shortly before high water,
taking hot tea and food and checking whether the vessel would float
clear. Although she did refloat, the
engine failed to start. The crew
switched from training to service,
set up an alongside tow and returned the yacht to her berth at
Emsworth Yacht Harbour before
resuming their exercise.
Adam Capla, right, was very grateful to the lifeboat crew for helping him get
The sailor, Adam Caplan from
safely back to Emsworth Yacht Harbour
Berkshire, bought the boat last
July and has only recently begun
sailing in Chichester Harbour.
‘I had planned a short shakedown trip before giving her a
clean,’ he said. ‘The engine failed
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while I was raising the mainsail
and the wind pushed me aground.
‘I expected to float again at high
water but realised I needed to call
the Coastguard. What was meant
to be a couple of hours at sea
turned into 26.
‘I had food, water and warm
clothes, but my phone battery ran
low, so I had an enforced digital
detox — not always a bad thing.
I had plenty of time to give the
cabin a deep clean!’
Reflecting on the experience,
he added: ‘In the end I actually
enjoyed it. I had planned to spend
a night on the boat this year – I
just hadn’t expected it to be in
mid-January! In future I’ll ensure
I can charge my phone, I’ll get the
outboard checked and book onto a
Day Skipper course to improve my
skills.
‘The RNLI were a fantastic help
– I’m grateful for their advice and
assistance, as well as the blankets,
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food and hot drinks!’
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