The Courtmacsherry All-Weather Trent Class RNLI Lifeboat was called out this morning Tuesday at 9.10 am, to go to the aid of a 32-foot yacht with a lone sailor on board that got into difficulties 15 miles south-west of Courtmacsherry Bay in West Cork. The Courtmacsherry All Weather Lifeboat, Frederick Storey Cockburn under volunteer Coxswain Kevin Young and a crew of four were away quickly from their moorings, as a pan pan alert was issued by the Coastguard, that the yacht had suffered a broken mast, disabled steering plus engine failure and required immediate assistance. The yacht was at sea for the past 14 days while on passage from the Azores to Ireland when the incidents occurred in poor conditions over the past few days.
Once the Lifeboat reached the causality at 10.10 am, Lifeboat Coxswain Kevin Young assessed the situation and as the causality was completely disabled, a decision was taken to put the Lifeboat towline on board the yacht and proceed under tow to the nearest port of Courtmacsherry. The weather at sea had improved overnight and the Lifeboat proceeded at a safe towing speed back to safe surrounds of the Courtmacsherry pontoon, while also putting one crewperson on board the yacht to help a very tired skipper as they took the yacht alongside while traversing the Harbour Channel and final arrival to the Village Pontoon at 1.15 pm. The skipper of the yacht suffered the mast break four days ago and without any sleep since in gusting weather, was mighty glad to be on safe grounds of Courtmacsherry after being completely disabled at sea earlier this morning.
Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat crewmembers under Coxswain Kevin Young after they arrived back to base
The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat voluntary Lifeboat Operations Manager Brian O Dwyer said “We are all so relieved that the crewmen was rescued so quickly this morning and praised the great response of all the crew and officers who left their workplaces and rushed to the station, in order to help a fellow seaman in distress at sea this morning”.
The Courtmacsherry RNLI Lifeboat Crew involved in this morning’s callout were Coxswain Kevin Young, Mechanic Pat Lawton and crewmembers Tadgh McCarthy, Evin O Sullivan and Conor Tyndall.
This was the 17th callout of 2021 for the All Weather Lifeboat Station in Courtmacsherry.
Of note today is that the crew and officers that responded to the callout included Station officer Martin McCarthy who recently received a Silver Medal from the RNLI for over 50 years of service at the station and current Crewman Conor Dullea who recently received his 30 year long service award as a crewperson at the station.
Members of the Courtmacsherry maritime community are assisting the sailor. Irish Cruising Club member and local Norman Kean adds:
The yacht involved, Marie, is a Contessa 32. On passage from Terceira in the Azores to Dingle, a cap shroud chainplate failed in fairly brisk weather and the mast folded up at the spreaders. The sailor then motored for a number of days, with the wreckage of the rig still standing, and both main and jib unusable but apparently undamaged (and of course irretrievable). His main VHF aerial was of course disabled and his backup handhelds had short range. He had plenty of diesel. About 15 miles south of the Seven Heads this morning, having run the tank dry, put a can of diesel in it and bled the engine, he was unable to restart it and contacted the Coast Guard. Courtmacsherry lifeboat towed him in and we are giving him every possible assistance here. I think he has exhibited exemplary self-reliance and seamanship in difficult conditions and made the call when he had no other option.
