Boat launched : Atlantic 85
Date: Thursday 12th July
Launched at : 19:45
Returned at : 20:30
Weather : SW wind F6.
A member of the public contacted the Solent Coastguard as they had seen a motor vessel apparently drifting with no-one on board, just off Creek Road in Hayling Bay. The coastguard requested we launch and the Atlantic 85 went to the reported position but could not find any motor boat.
The Deputy Launch Authority had seen a motor boat passing HISC and possibly heading for Sparkes Marina, so he asked the coastguard to go to Sparkes and the Atlantic 85 to come back into Chichester Harbour and investigate the motor boat. The coastguard agreed and the lifeboat found the motor boat making an erratic course in the moorings off HISC. After the motor boat had made contact with one of the moored yachts, the lifeboat helm put a crew member on board to investigate the situation.
It transpired that the two people on board had only recently bought the boat in Devon and had little experience of boating. They had made their way from Plymouth to Weymouth, then south of the Isle of Wight and thence to Chichester Harbour. One of the boats two diesel engines had broken down and the other was filling the boat with fumes. The crew member suggested they go into Sparkes and the lifeboat escorted them in and helped them to moor alongside the pontoon to await the arrival of the coastguard.
When all was well the lifeboat returned to the station and was made ready for further service.
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