The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Station 3, Table Bay, had a busy weekend assisting two different sailing yachts that experienced motor mechanical failure in separate incidents on Friday, April 10, and Sunday, April 12.
NSRI Table Bay coxswain Roxy Traylor said that on Friday, April 10, the duty crew intercepted communication at 5.30pm between a local sailing yacht and Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) port of Table Bay Port Control.
The vessel, with two crew members aboard, reported engine failure while en route to Dassen Island for a local regatta.
Mr Traylor said that in light winds, they had managed to sail back to Table Bay Port, and they required assistance to get their sailing yacht to her moorings at Royal Cape Yacht Club (RCYC).
The NSRI launched the rescue craft Spirit of Day at 5.35, rendezvoused with the yacht in Duncan Docks, and "without incident we brought her safely to her moorings," he said.
The second callout came on Sunday, April 12, at 5.43am.
NSRI Table Bay duty coxswain Ewald Bonzet said that a local 35-foot sailing yacht needed a tow after suffering motor mechanical failure while offshore of Camps Bay.
NSRI Bakoven was placed on alert while the Table Bay crew launched the rescue craft DHL Deliverer and Spirit of Day.
"On arrival on the scene, a towline was established, and we towed the yacht towards the Port of Table Bay," he said.
After holding outside the port entrance for a large motor vessel tanker to enter, the NSRI crew brought the sailing yacht safely into the port and secured her to her moorings.
No injuries were reported in either incident, and no further assistance was required by the vessels involved.
The NSRI, a non-profit organisation, relies on donations and sponsorships to keep its volunteer crews on call 24/7, safeguarding lives and livelihoods in South African waters.
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