Yacht towed to Holy Island in tricky late night task for Seahouses RNLI

UK Coastguard requested the launch of Seahouses lifeboats just after 7.30pm on Tuesday, August 31.

The 14m vessel had been on passage from South Queensferry to Hartlepool, with three crew aboard.

It was some two miles north of Holy Island when it got stuck and put out a distress call.

Lifeboat crew were unable to dislodge the rope, which included some lobster pot marker floats, so decided to tow the yacht to Holy Island Haven, where it could be moored at the jetty until low tide, when the ropes could then be cut free.

However, with a freshening wind and lack of water depth, the first attempt to bring the yacht alongside was abandoned. Other moored vessels, mooring buoys and ropes, made this a tricky job in the dark, despite the inshore lifeboat exploring a safe route to the jetty.

The yacht was then placed on a safe mooring at the Haven, while the lifeboat crew used boat hooks to try and release the ropes from the yacht’s propeller, rudder and keel.

This was successful, and the yacht’s engine was started and gearbox checked for possible damage. It was established that all was well, so the yacht was left on the mooring and the lifeboats returned to station at Seahouses, arriving back at midnight.

Seahouses Lifeboat operations manager Ian Clayton said: “This was a tricky operation, working in the dark at Holy Island, with a large yacht, and I must compliment our coxswain and his crew for his skilful handling of a difficult situation.”

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