RNLI Llandudno’s lifeboat crew spent six hours at sea on Saturday, bringing to safety a disabled yacht with two men on board which was drifting in the shipping lanes over 15 miles north of Great Orme’s Head.
The crew of the 26-foot yacht Grace had made a distress call to Holyhead Coastguard after experiencing a rigging problem together with engine failure when their vessel was to the north-west of the Hamilton gas platform. While sea conditions were moderate at the scene, a gale warning was in force for the Irish Sea with winds up to force nine expected later. One of the two yachtsmen was suffering from seasickness.
RNLI Llandudno’s all-weather lifeboat Andy Pearce launched at midday to go to their aid, coming up to the yacht just over an hour later. The RNLI crew quickly rigged a towline to the casualty and began the necessarily slow passage to the shelter of Conwy Marina, which was reached at around 5:00pm. After their craft had been safely berthed, the two relieved yachtsmen made a point of expressing their gratitude to the lifeboat crew before the Andy Pearce left to return to Llandudno where she was recovered at 6:00pm, refuelled and made ready for further service.
