Selsey Lifeboat Station - Launches
11th July 2015
Selsey RNLI Responds to Emergency Call from the Yacht 'Arabella'
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On Saturday 11th July 2015 Solent Coastguard received an emergency call from the 9-metre yacht 'Arabella' reporting that they were having difficulties in a position 3.5 nm south of Selsey Lifeboat station.
The yacht had two crew on board, one who was seasick and the skipper who was suffering fatigue after being on the tiller for eight hours. The Selsey all-weather Lifeboat, 'Voluntary Worker', with seven volunteer crew launched at 8.08 p.m. and located the vessel at 8.25 p.m. The weather on scene was wind westerly force 4-5 sea state moderate in sunshine.
The skipper of the 'Arabella' requested a Lifeboat crewman be transferred to his vessel to assist and at 8.31 p.m. two crewmen from the Lifeboat were successfully transferred on to the yacht. One of the Lifeboat crew relieved the skipper on the tiller whilst the other checked the condition of the sick man. The first plan was to escort the yacht to Chichester Harbour but, because of the condition of the crew, it was decided to go to Selsey and put the yacht on the Lifeboat moorings.
At 9.21 p.m. the Selsey inshore Lifeboat, 'Betty and Thomas Moore', was launched to assist with the mooring and at 9.31 p.m. the 'Arabella' was safely moored at Selsey. The crew of the yacht decided to stay onboard overnight and so when they were happy both Lifeboats rehoused; 'Voluntary Worker' at 9.53pm and 'Betty and Thomas Moore' at 10.25pm.
AWL CREW: Willy Pledger (Coxswain), Dave Lamdin (2nd Coxswain), Phil Pitham (Mechanic), Max Gilligan, Will Moir, Carol Tipping and Dan Langford.
ILB CREW: Gary Pearce (Helmsman), Colin Pullenger and Kristina Dolan.