Bungling Littlehampton sailor blasted for ‘incompetence’

THE head of Littlehampton’s lifeboat station has blasted a bungling sailor who beached his boat twice in just four days.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Sep 2013, 18:00 BST
The yacht aground in Littlehampton, last week PHOTO: Eddie MitchellThe yacht aground in Littlehampton, last week PHOTO: Eddie Mitchell
The yacht aground in Littlehampton, last week PHOTO: Eddie Mitchell

Nick Ward, lifeboat operations manager at the Littlehampton RNLI station, has criticised the amateur sailor for his ‘disregard’ of maritime safety.

The man had been sailing his 24ft craft when it ran aground in Littlehampton, on Thursday evening (September 5).

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He was rescued by an RNLI crew from Littlehampton and towed to the lifeboat station, at Fisherman’s Quay.

Then on Sunday (September 8), he sailed his boat out of the harbour – and ran aground for the second time, near Ferring.

Mr Ward said: “Unlike many incidents where a degree of bad luck or poor judgment results in a call for assistance, this was a situation where the occupant had no comprehension of boats or the sea, he didn’t understand the influence of tides on depth, or the need for navigation.

“It is immensely frustrating to witness poor boatmanship and a disregard for safety.”

The man had been cautioned by police on Thursday, following the first rescue, for being in possession of cannabis.

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