Displaying items by tag: Newquay

9th March 2024

Major Rescue in Irish Sea as Lifeboats Respond to Fishing Vessel Mayday

RNLI lifeboats from Ireland and the UK launched to a Mayday distress call from a fishing vessel taking on water on Friday (8 March).

The 24-metre Irish trawler had five crew onboard and was some 21 nautical miles northwest of Strumble Head near Fishguard in south Wales when HM Coastguard tasked the charity's Welsh lifeboats just before midday.

The all-weather lifeboats and volunteer crew from St Davids, Fishguard, Newquay made best speed to the scene.

HM Coastguard’s search and rescue helicopter R936 from Caernarfon also tasked to assist and was first to arrive on scene, lowering a water pump to the vessel.

With no casualties reported, Newquay lifeboat was stood down en route. St Davids’ Tamar class lifeboat Norah Wortley arrived at 1.10pm with sea conditions rough in a Force 5-7 easterly wind. Fishguard RNLI’s Trent class lifeboat Blue Peter VII arrived at 1.35pm.

With no engine damage and the coastguard pump sufficiently reducing the water level, it was decided the fishing vessel would be escorted the 35 nautical miles west to Ireland.

St Davids RNLI escorting the trawler as Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrives | Credit: RNLI/St Davids

Kilmore Quay RNLI’s Tamar class lifeboat Victor Freeman was tasked by the Irish Coast Guard to complete the escort and launched at 2.10pm. At this point, the Fishguard lifeboat was stood down and returned to Wales.

St Davids RNLI escorted the trawler a further 20 nautical miles west-southwest towards Tuskar Rock until the Kilmore Quay lifeboat arrived at 3.20pm and took over the escort, getting the vessel safely into port around 6pm.

Will Chant, RNLI coxswain for St Davids RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat said: “This rescue was a good, fast response from all crews, which with an incident of this nature was exactly what was required.

“Fortunately the salvage pump from the helicopter was all that was required in order to quell the problems on board the trawler, and after that it was a straightforward but long job of escorting the vessel to safety.

“Our crew even received ‘welcome to Ireland’ messages on their mobile phones, such was the distance from home.”

Published in RNLI Lifeboats

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil