NSRI Simons Town assists grounded sailing vessel

NSRI Simons Town duty crew were alerted Monday following reports of a local sailing vessel broken her moorings and adrift, unmanned, and at risk of grounding on rocks, at Simons Town.

NSRI established communications with FBYC (False Bay Yacht Club) management and with the casualty sailing yacht manager, in cooperation with NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre), while NSRI duty commanders and duty controllers responded to the scene to investigate.

As a precaution NSRI Simons Town duty crew were activated to respond to NSRI Simons Town station 10 rescue base to prepare rescue craft to be launched.

It was established that no lives were in any danger, with the sailing yacht being unmanned, at the time that she had broke her moorings unexpectedly in the 35 knot winds, gusting to in excess of 40 knots.

On arrival on the scene the 50 foot sailing vessel had gently grounded on the shoreline at Long Beach, Simons Town.

A decision was agreed with the yacht manager for NSRI to assist in an attempt to re-float the sailing vessel - making best opportunity with the imminent approaching Spring high tide that was about an hour away.

The NSRI rescue craft Donna Nicholas was launched while NSRI rescue swimmers were dispatched to Long Beach.

On the NSRI rescue craft arriving on the scene, assisted by NSRI rescue swimmers on the shore side, the NSRI rescue craft put to anchor offshore.

Our NSRI rescue swimmers established a towline from the NSRI rescue craft to the casualty sailing vessel and with NSRI rescue swimmers on the casualty sailing yacht, as the Spring high tide peaked, the towline was gradually taken up by the our rescue craft while her anchor was raised.

With the towline extended to the length our coxswain onboard our rescue craft Donna Nicholas gradually shifted the towline weight until the sailing yacht nudged off a shallow ledge and she was safely re-floated without damage to her hull.

NSRI rescue swimmers remained on the casualty sailing yacht while she was towed to deeper water where at the FBYC emergency moorings - assisted by our NSRI rescue swimmers - the sailing yacht was moored safely without incident.

Our NSRI Simons Town deputy station commanders private craft Torah, a RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat), assisted on the scene with NSRI crew transfer from the sailing vessel to the NSRI rescue craft during the operation.
The operation, despite the strong winds, was successful.

The sailing yachts owner and management team will reassess in the morning, when winds subside, to berth the sailing yacht back to her own moorings.

NSRI commend the swift response that was necessary to make best use of the incoming Spring high tide.

NSRI’s Simon McDonnell is commended for his assistance on his private craft Torah during the operation.

The operation was completed at 19h34.