St Agnes lifeboat called after concerns for inflatable paddle boards under sail

The man and woman had decided to try ‘down winding’ from St. Agnes to Perranporth. The practice involves using a small sail to power an inflatable stand-up paddle board (SUP). Lifeguards at Trevaunance Cove yesterday advised against the trip due to strong winds and big surf conditions at Perran. The couple set out and appeared to be struggling, with concerns mounting HM Coastguard requested the St Agnes RNLI Lifeboat crew be assembled at 12.56pm. 12 minutes later the D-Class lifeboat was launched and arrived on scene at 1.12pm.

The crew advised them to return to Trevaunance Cove with the lifeboat but they decided to continue. On instructions from HM Coastguard, the lifeboat stayed on scene to monitor their safety. Having made their way to Perranporth Beach, the two appeared to lose control of their boards in the 2.5 metre surf and entered the red and yellow flagged area, which is for swimmers and bodyboarders only.

St Agnes Lifeboat returned to Trevaunance Cove at 2:02pm where she was cleaned, disinfected and refuelled. The lifeboat was back on service at 2:23pm.

A spokesperson for St Agnes lifeboat said:

'Fortunately, no one was hurt in this incident, but these were challenging conditions and we always urge people to listen to the advice of lifeguards who seek to prevent people getting into danger, and the lifeboat crews who come to their aid.

'It is incredibly important that if you are going paddle boarding, particularly in challenging conditions, to make sure you wear a lifejacket and take a phone in a waterproof pouch, so that you can use it to call for help in an emergency.'

For more information on safe use of SUPs visit the RNLI website at:

https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/stand-up-paddle-boarding

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