Largs Lifeboat completes 3 back-to-back call outs in one evening.
Largs volunteer lifeboat crew were paged at approximately 8:33pm yesterday (Saturday 6th September), initially to assist a yacht with 5 people on board to the Southwest of Largs Yacht Haven suffering issues with their propulsion.
As it was the final night of the Largs Viking Parade some of the crew were already at the station to watch the torchlit parade and firework display, this also meant that outside the boathouse was extremely busy with members of the public. As crew were arriving members of the shore crew were clearing a way across the prom to our local launch slipway, they also got local police involved.
After completing the standard SMEAC briefing the volunteer crew boarded the Lifeboat and made best speed to the last position of the casualty vessel. Onboard the lifeboat were 3 experienced Helms and our latest crew member Ryden, who some of you may have read on a previous article had just completed his CEP course at Poole which allowed him to go afloat on service calls.
On arrival at the yacht, it was found that they had no forward drive and only reverse, due to the wind conditions in the area the yacht had deployed its anchor to stop it drifting further into the shipping channel.
After a discussion and due to the increasing wind speed and where the yacht was it was decided that the safest option was to take the yacht under tow into Largs Yacht Haven.
With an alongside tow rigged the yachts anchor was recovered and the Lifeboat headed for the Yacht Haven.
After a short time, the yacht was brought alongside and made secure by members of Largs Coastguard Rescue Team.
Now that the yacht and its occupants were safe the Lifeboat crew contacted the UK coastguard to advise them that all were safe and if they had any further need of the crew.
It was at this time the UK Coastguard asked the Lifeboat crew to head out of the Yacht Haven and contact another yacht suffering similar issues as the first.
With this the Lifeboat departed and once in open water made contact with they yacht who, advised that they were currently being towed by another vessel.
The other vessel then made contact with the Lifeboat advising that they did have concerns about safely getting the yacht into the Yacht Haven.
With this the Helm of Largs Lifeboat decided that he would place one of his crew onto the vessel performing the tow and the Lifeboat would then escort both vessels to the hoist bay within the Yacht Haven and would be ready to assist in berthing the yacht if any issues occurred.
A short time later the yacht was secured safely alongside, and the crew member rejoined the Lifeboat.
Again, contact was made with the UK Coastguard advising them that all was now safe.
Once more the Lifeboat was advised that they were being re-tasked, this time after a member of the public had dialled 999 advising they thought that a boat to the North of Largs pier was on fire.
Once clear of the Yacht haven the Lifeboat made best speed to the area and once on scene place a crew member onto the pier to meet with the first informant to get more details on where the vessel may be, whilst this was happening the Helm of the Lifeboat decided that they would approach vessels to the North and ask if any of them had had a fire onboard.
As the Lifeboat approach a vessel at anchor it did look like they had what appeared to be a fire pit alight on their flybridge, after talking to the skipper it was found that it was a fake fire pit made from metal a fan and material that as a light was shone from underneath did look like an actual fire.
With this information p[assed to the UK Coastguard and there was no fire the Lifeboat was released from Service and allowed to return to station.
After the boat had been recovered and made ready for the next service call we caught up with Ryden as we wanted to hear from him how he felt.
Ryden commented ‘Being on the boat on a shout for the first time was completely different to what I have found whilst on exercise.
At the start of an exercise the crew are briefed on what we will be doing, but on a shout although we had a SMEAC briefing I was a little bit uncertain, and this kept my adrenaline pumping.
Leaving the slipway on the boat in the dark came with a mix of excitement, pride, and uncertainty but I found that I learned a lot on my first call out and I was glad it all went well.
I must admit I was not expecting to attend my first call out so soon after completing my training at Poole and certainly wasn’t expecting to have 3 call outs one after the other.
I am glad that all involved was safe and well and that I have now reached such a significant point in my journey within the RNLI.
RNLI media contacts
Brian Rankin, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07810862468, [email protected]
Claire McRae, Lifeboat Press Officer, 07738681546, [email protected]
Natasha Bennett, RNLI Regional Media Officer for Scotland, 07826 900639, [email protected]
Martin McNamara, RNLI Regional Media Manager for Scotland, 07920 365929, [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI please visit rnli.org. News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI News Centre rnli.org/news-and-media.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates over 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,200 lives.
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, X, TikTok and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.