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The Belgian Yacht Bassurelle

The Y-boat was in action again on 29 July when the Belgian yachtBassurelle was driven ashore south of Irvine Harbour and fired flares which were spotted by the coastguard.

The yacht was fairly close to the station, and in just over ten minutes after the 1404 call City of Glasgow III had reached the scene, to find the yacht in shallow water and bumping badly as she was driven further on to the lee shore.

The water around the casualty was far too shallow for the Arun, so the Y-boat was launched to take off the five-man crew.

In the rough conditions and broken water around the grounded yacht the Y-boat's outboard propeller hit an obstruction, breaking the shear-pin and leaving the boat helpless in the confused seas. As the powerless inflatable was blown ashore into the breakers, crew member David Seaward had to go overboard to bring it and its crew safely to the beach.

Kedge Once ashore the police and coastguard mobile took over the care of the yacht's crew while the Y-boat crew replaced the shear-pin with the spare carried on board.

At 1442, with the engine back in working order, the inflatable was launched into the surf again and was able to lay out a kedge before returning to the Arun at 1458.

No sooner had the Y-boat been recovered and City of Glasgow HI set on course for her station than the crew were told that a sailboard seemed to be in trouble off Saltcoats beach. Fortunately while the lifeboat was on her way to the scene the boardsailor managed to make his own way ashore, and the lifeboat returned to Troon harbour at 1547..