21st Sept: Sunk Yacht

For around 3 weeks the Local Navigation Warnings in the Coastguard Marine Safety Information Broadcasts had warned of an unmanned and unlit 54′ yacht which had dragged its anchor in the western Solent. The yacht ended up a few cables northwest of West Lepe buoy.  It could be seen from NCI Stone Point and on 3rd September we were keeping “eyes on” because, with strong winds blowing, it was directly upwind of Lepe.

However on the weekend of 14th September we had gale force winds and the yacht sank. On the 19th Sept the Trinity House Vessel Alert could be seen at the wreck on the NCI Stone Point CCTV camera. They were putting  marker buoys around it.

At the boat show I learnt more about the incident from a Coastguard.  I was told the owner had rowed ashore leaving someone on board who had to be taken off by lifeboat.  He was then unable to deal with the yacht as it dragged its anchor.  Solent Coastguard could not task a lifeboat  to tow the yacht to a harbour because in the past, where an owner was absent, there have been claims about alleged damage to a rescued vessel.  It will now be up to the insurers to arrange salvage of the yacht.