Shoreham RNLI rescues four outriggers overwhelmed by sea conditions

The vessel was first seen in difficulty by the volunteer Shoreham National Coastwatch Institution (NCI), who alerted HM coastguard and kept it under observation until Shoreham RNLI's D-class inshore lifeboat, the Joan Woodland, arrived on scene.

Despite the casualties all being experienced outriggers, they had been caught out by the sea conditions and were unable to keep up bailing out the amount water swamping their boat.

Shoreham RNLI got the vessel under tow, taking them ashore to bail out and then escorting them back into the harbour and to the Sussex Yacht Club, where they were met by the local volunteer coastguard team.

Jonathan Ellman-Brown, one of the outriggers rescued and chairman of the Shoreham Outrigger Canoe club, said: 'After launching safely on the high dropping tide off Shoreham Beach we took on a critical volume of water just south of the harbour entrance. We could still somehow paddle the submerged four-man outrigger canoe, it was just particularly inefficient!

The team at the NCI Shoreham lookout saw our plight and called it in to the coastguard. In turn, the RNLI inshore lifeboat crew arrived and calmly worked with us to securely tow our canoe into the relative safety just east of the harbour arm. From there we were able to catch a large wave and run her up the beach, empty the water then re launch and paddle into the harbour safely. Had it not been for the RNLI, we’d have struggled for a lot longer when we were already tired, which may have ended up with us abandoning the canoe. Our canoe recovery training that we practice each year with the Sussex Yacht Club safety boat teams paid off big time. Thanks to the NCI, the crew on the lifeboat and all the back stage volunteers, including Shoreham Coastguard, for your diligent and selfless work keeping all of us seafarers safe.'

Stephen Hand, watch-keeper on duty and Chair of the NCI, said: 'It was a privilege to assist highly professional colleagues at Solent Coastguard and Shoreham RNLI and be part of successful multi agency teamwork to recover the outrigger in difficulties. Everyone involved did what they do best.'

Notes to editors:

Shoreham Harbour RNLI has been saving lives at sea since 1865. Home to a Tamar class all-weather lifeboat, the Enid Collett, and a D class inshore lifeboat, the Joan Woodland, the crew respond to, on average, 80 to 90 shouts a year, covering an area from Brighton Marina to Worthing Pier. The station is run by around 100 volunteers who include a lifeboat operations manager, launch authorities, boat and shore crew, an administrative officer, press officers, fundraisers, shop staff, a visits team, and water safety advisers.

Contact details:

For more information on this news release, please contact:

Liz Zachary, Volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer, 0777 381 0857, [email protected]

or Jessica Curtis, Regional Communications Manager, 07483 488243, [email protected]