Crew airlifted from yacht off Padstow

[Duffer]

Two crew were airlifted from their yacht yesterday while on passage from the Scillies to Padstow according to a BBC report. It was apparently too rough for the lifeboat to get back into Padstow (northerly gale). Sorry but what were these yachtsman thinking? The day before was fine, today would probably be OK so why go yesterday with a clearly forecast northerly gale to the very exposed north Cornwall coast? They were not only risking their own lives but those of the lifeboat and helicopter too... Thankfully no one was hurt but it could have ended very differently (and I don't know what happened to their boat).

 

[bilbobaggins]

The intriguingly-named 'Doom Bar' ( no, not another Cornish pub ) would be a death trap in a persistent northerly gale such as yesterday's.

The BBC's 'Video and AudioNews' on this page gives an interesting account.

Perhaps 'Cornishman' and/or 'fisherman' might care to give us their takes on harbours which become 'no-go' in certain weather conditions....


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[Csail]

Must admit we went into Padstow a few years ago in NW F8. Extremly scary. As we came off the waves it was pounding so hard the solder connections on the main fuse panel broke.
Maybe we should have headed into deeper water?

 

[cliffordpope]

It is not very clear from the BBC report just what the RNLI men were doing there. At first it reads as if the elderly couple in the boat had two crew members with them who just happened to be lifeboatmen. Then reading on, it suggests that they arrived with the lifeboat, which then had to give up. Does that mean the two lifeboatmen had transferred to the yacht, but had now had to give up in whatever they were doing. So they too ended up being airlifted - from the yacht, or does it mean the lifeboat itself was in difficulties and the crew rescued?
So what happened to the yacht and the lifeboat?

 

[TiggerToo]

[ QUOTE ]
So what happened to the yacht and the lifeboat?

[/ QUOTE ]

towed into Padstow

 

[bilbobaggins]

This is what I took from the BBC Video report ( I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the reply I gave a few minutes ago )

Following an appropriate VHF message, the Padstow lifeboat launched and approached the yacht some 4-5 miles NW of Trevose Head, putting 2 crew members aboard. They found two elderly crew members ( 'a couple', but perhaps not 'an item' ) who were concerned for their mortality. The yacht's pump(s) were failing to cope with the ingress of water.

The lifeboat crew having polished off the yacht's supply of chockie biscs - as is their wont - said yot was taken in tow towards Padstow.

SF, SG

Approaching the entrance to Padstow - the charmingly-named Doom Bar - the lifeboat cox'n decided that the risk to life in event of the yacht being overwhelmed by breaking seas over (in?) the bar was too great, and the 4 personnel were winched off by SAR helo from RNAS Culdrose, who also wanted in on the chockie bikkies scam.

The lifeboat continued the tow successfully into safety, and AFAIK the yot is now in Padstow Harbour, where it is rumored that the local Receiver of Wreck is searching the waterfront for signs of illegal chockie-bikkie salvage.

A happy ending.

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[Channel Ribs]

Have you ever thought of writing for the MCA website? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Twister_Ken]

Thank you Malthouse. Half of my Ovaltine is now spluttered all over the screen.

 

[Duffer]

The impression I had from the BBC is that it was not possible to enter Padstow so all concerned were airlifted to safety including all lifeboat crew after mooring/anchoring the lifeboat off. I stand to be corrected however.

 

[Sixpence]

From BBs link

The yacht was close to capsizing in the rough seas and it was decided the lifeboat crew and the couple should be airlifted to land.

The boat was towed to Padstow.

 

[PIGLETSDREAM]

Hoping that the crew are all safe, what sort of yacht is it, apart from being a horrible colour, can't make it out from the overhead shot.

 

[HoratioHB]

'4 personnel were winched off by SAR helo from RNAS Culdrose, who also wanted in on the chockie bikkies scam.'

Nah your wrong on this one - speaking from experience they were after the contents of the cocktail cabinet!!

 

[Csail]

What size yacht was it cuz the sea wasn't too stupid yesterday. or was it lack of knowledge

 

[bilbobaggins]

I'm thinking maybe 'Malthouse' should be re-named 'Malt-teaser'....

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[bilbobaggins]

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experience they were after the contents of the cocktail cabinet!!

[/ QUOTE ]

From what I remember about RN helo crews, it is very much a case of "...eat all, sup all, pay nowt! ( Yorkshireman's Creed )"

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[HoratioHB]

Sorry Bilbo it was drink all, s**g all and then 8 hours kip (and what you got at night was a bonus). Unlike the light blue who did it all going sideways.

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[boomerangben]

As usual the BBC seems to be spouting bollix. Never ceases to amaze me how stories of this sort get twisted. Be on rescues myself and seen the subsequent reports and wondered if I was really there. What is true would be the fate of the choccy biccies. There would be hell on if the lifeboatmen had eaten the helo crew's share.

 

[bilbobaggins]

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[fisherman]

[ QUOTE ]



Perhaps 'Cornishman' and/or 'fisherman' might care to give us their takes on harbours which become 'no-go' in certain weather conditions....


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[/ QUOTE ]
I worked out of Hayle for nine years. We lost our wheelhouse windows twice going out over the bar in ground seas. We were lucky-the Gillian Claire, a 42ft 'St Ives gig', full in the bilge for'd, with a wine glass transom and designed to run true in breaking seas was rolled over coming in on Hayle bar with the loss of two lives in 1988.

Personally I think that anyone undertaking a trip along the north Cornwall coast in a well found 42 ft yacht, and keeping a healthy berth off should be OK at this time of year. Evidently someone decided that the situation had become untenable for one reason or another.

Whatever the weather, remember that the wind will almost inevitably veer from SW to NW, and the shelter you sought off St Ives might become less than attractive. If you have to get into Hayle or Padstow make sure to do it on the flood, and in the case of Hayle make sure you can take the ground, and enquire about the current location of the channel if you are deep drafted.


'From Hartland point to Pendeen light is a watery grave by day or night'.

 

[jon]

The fuller story from the Cornish Guardian:
Treacherous weather conditions on Monday left Padstow lifeboat unable to return to its base for 11 hours during which time its crew helped to rescue two yachts.The lifeboat was launched shortly before midday in heavy seas and force eight winds to help a 40ft yacht with two people on board that had got into difficulties four miles off Trevose Head.

Two RNLI crew members got on board to help the couple in their early 60s pump out water from the boat that was in danger of capsizing.

Sue Norfolk from Padstow RNLI said: "When the pumps packed up a decision was made to transfer the female casualty to the lifeboat but it soon became apparent that it was too dangerous and the coxswain Alan Tarby made the decision to call for a helicopter from RNAS Culdrose to airlift the two RNLI crew members and the couple off."

A tow was established and the yacht was held to sea while the helicopter airlifted the RNLI crew and the couple to safety. They were later landed in the playing field of the local primary school in Padstow. RNLI crew volunteer Luke Chown went to hospital with a suspected broken finger.

Chris Murphy, one of the RNLI crew who was airlifted to safety, said: "Conditions were serious with force eight winds and big seas. The top speed on the yacht's wind gauge was 60mph, and with a following sea the yacht could have surged forward and then been in danger of turning over."

On returning to Trevose Head the lifeboat went to help another yacht, sheltering under Stepper Point. The single-handed yachtsman was having difficulties with the anchor rope. The decision was made to transfer him to the lifeboat as he had swallowed sea water.

The lifeboat coxswain requested another helicopter and the man was airlifted in a stretcher and taken to a waiting land ambulance.

At 5pm a crew of six Polzeath coastguards were called to Greenaway Rocks at Trebetherick Point to find the second yacht had broken anchor and drifted to the location where it got stuck in rocks.

Coastguard Michael Wonnacott said: "We managed to get on board the boat and spent a number of hours removing the gentleman's personal belongings and as many ropes and equipment as possible as we feared that the boat would break up in the bad conditions.

"Surprisingly when we returned the next day the boat was in one piece and is expected to be towed back to Padstow harbour."

The lifeboat was forced to remain at sea to wait for low water as sea conditions made it too dangerous to get back onto the slipway.