Exmouth RNLI volunteers were on exercise today when they discovered a broken down boat on the River Exe.
At 11.43am today Saturday 19th August 2023, the crew of Exmouth RNLI inshore lifeboat D-805 George Bearman II were on exercise on the River Exe when they discovered a 19 foot Bayliner boat near buoy 21 drifting with engine failure. The vessel had two persons on board, neither of whom had a lifejacket. It was the volunteers third assignment of the weekend.
The lifeboat crew assessed the situation, established that the engine could not be restarted and so they took the boat in tow to the safety of shore at Topsham, arriving there at 12.28pm.
The lifeboat was crewed by Helm, Harry Griffin, and crew volunteers, Jason Luff, Dougie Wright and Geoff Mills. Other Exmouth RNLI volunteers involved in the assignment were Tractor Driver, Rory Carrig, Head Launcher John Dinsdale and Shore Crew Roger Jackson, James Searle and Matt Bragg.
The volunteers resumed their exercise at 1.07pm, having satisfied themselves that the vessel was no longer a hazard and the two occupants safe and well.
RNLI advice on yacht safety and motorboating can be found here : https://rnli.org/safety/choose-your-activity/yacht-sailing-and-motorboating
