Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat in 'double' three peaks yacht race rescue
Two yachts with five crew members each competing in The Three Peaks Yacht Race from Barmouth to Fort William were rescued by Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat early on Sunday morning.
At 2.40am, on Sunday, 26 June 2011, Holyhead Coastguard requested that Porthdinllaen RNLI Lifeboat, the Hetty Rampton launch to the assistance of the the 34 foot yacht Moonlight who were in difficulties near the Caernarfon Bar with rudder problems.
On arrival on scene at approx 3.45am, the lifeboat crew found that the rudder on the Moonlight was completely jammed and that she was unable to steer herself towards Caernarfon.
A towline was passed over to the Moonlight along with a steering drogue to stabilise her maneuvering under tow. With the Moonlight now under tow by the lifeboat, another yacht competing in the race got into difficulties on the notorious Mussel Bank on Caernarfon Bar.
The 39ft yacht Tigh Solius with five crew members on board had grounded and immediate action was required to prevent the yacht from being wrecked in the heavy surrounding surf.
The Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat volunteer crew decided to place the Moonlight on a safe mooring off Belan Fort and returned to Caernarfon Bar to assist the Tigh Solius.
With only, approximately, 6 feet of water beneath the RNLI lifeboat, a tow line and bridle was passed to the crew of Tigh Solius. As soon as the yacht crew had secured the tow, the lifeboat towed her off the Sandbank into calmer water.
With no apparent damage to the Tigh Solius, the tow line was detached and she was able to make her own way to the Victoria Dock in Caernarfon.
The volunteer crew of the Porthdinllaen RNLI lifeboat then returned to Belan Fort to re-attach the tow to the Moonlight, she was then towed with assistance from Beaumaris RNLI inshore lifeboat, to the safety of Victoria Dock, Caernarfon.
The Porthdinllaen volunteers returned to station and the lifeboat was made ready for service by 7.40am.
RNLI media contacts
For more information please contact Dylan Thomas Porthdinllaen LPO on 07747600019 or by e-mail 'dylan@thomas77.plus.com' also Danielle Rush, Divisional Media Relations Manager (Wales) on 01745 585162 or 07786 668829, email danielle_rush@rnli.org.uk or contact RNLI Public Relations on 01202 336789. or pressoffice@rnli.org.uk.