Fishguard RNLI’s inshore lifeboat launched twice on Sunday 4 September – both cases as a result of problems with outboard engines.
The first call out was towards midday when a 14-foot dory with one adult and three children aboard could not start their engine because the pullcord had snapped. They were out fishing off Fishguard’s northern breakwater. The inshore lifeboat, with three crew on board, was launched and the dory was towed back to Lower Town harbour, where the fishing expedition had started.
The second call out was two hours later. Weather conditions had deteriorated and winds from the south-west were now Force 4 to 5. A member of the public had seen a 16-foot cabin-cruiser drifting close to the berthed Stena Europe ferry in Fishguard harbour. The inshore lifeboat launched at 1.30pm and had a short trip to the cabin cruiser, with two adults aboard, which was now drifting alongside the ferry. Their engine, which was poorly mounted on the transom, had failed. The inshore lifeboat took the boat under tow back to the public slipway at Goodwick, where it was moored up.
