WINDCAT19

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Offshore ship assisted stricken yacht

Two people have been winched to safety after their yacht "Dolphin of Rhu" began to take in water and also suffered engine failure on May 12, 2015, off the Lincolnshire coast. A mayday call was issued by the yacht to Humber Coastguard at 7.36 a.m. between the Lincs offshore windfarm and the Humber. The yacht had lost its engines and was taking on water as the crew attempted to deal with problems with the rigging. The call was picked up by the skippers of two of Centrica Energy’s windcat transfer vessels, taking engineers to the wind turbines, which came to the aid of the yacht. Calculating the boat’s position had to be done using VHF direction finding because there seemed to be no GPS and two lifeboats – Humber and Skegness were tasked to find the vessel. The "Windcat 09" was first to reach the yacht, setting up a tow to start bringing the boat to Grimsby before handing over to RNLI teams from Skegness and Humber. A second vessel, the "Windcat 17", was also on hand to support. It was also decided to call in the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Humberside because of the potentially serious nature of the incident. The Hull Coastguard Rescue Team was also tasked as initially it was thought the crew might need hospital treatment, but was stood down because both were uninjured. Reports with photo and video: http://www.skegnessstandard.co.uk/news/stricken-yacht-rescued-off-lincolnshire-coast-1-6739554 http://www.hmcoastguard.blogspot.de/

Master of windfarm workboat fined after collision

The master of the "Windcat 9" has been ordered to pay £9,702 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 on Oct 31, 2014. Michael Gallagher was in charge when the workboat catamaran with 15 people on board when it hit a large floating military target in Donna Nook Air Weapons Range on Nov 21, 2012. At the time of the collision the "Windcat 9" was estimated in traveling around 23 knots (26 mph). The hull of the ship was badly damaged, causing extensive flooding, but there were no injuries. An investigation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) found that Mr. Gallagher was not keeping a proper lookout and had incorrectly set his electronic navigation equipment. Mr. Gallagher pleaded at Southampton Magistrates Court to breach of Section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. He was fined £1,500 and told to pay £8,082 in costs plus a victim surcharge of £120.

Workboat took in water off Spurns Head

Yarmouth Coastguard has coordinated the response for the "Windcat 9" which issued a VHF DSC Mayday in the evening of Nov 21, 2012, off Humber and reported that they were taking in water. Yarmouth Coastguard requested the launch of Humber and Cleethorpes RNLI lifeboats and the rescue helicopter from RAF Leconfield. Due to concern that the vessel could be sinking the 15 crew abandoned to another vessel. The rescue helicopter transferred two pumps on board the vessel and lifeboat crew were able to control the ingress of water and towed the vessel to Grimsby. Weather conditions in the area were winds of force 5 with a one metre swell. Report with photo: http://rnli.org/NewsCentre/Pages/Humber-RNLI-crew-called-to-assist-stricken-vessel.aspx