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Daily Record
14-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Two men and a dog help RNLI with speedboat rescue
Two men and a dog in a canoe helped RNLI Girvan to bring a broken down speedboat safely back to shore at Dunure harbour. Two men and a dog in a canoe have been hailed as "superstars" after helping an Ayrshire lifeboat crew to safely bring a broken down speedboat back to shore. Kieran McCubbin, James Bell and their dog assisted Girvan RNLI in brining the speedboat back to Dunure harbour as low tide approached late on Saturday night. Their was no guarantee that the lifeboat could safely make it into Dunure before heading back to Girvan before low tide so the helpful pair carried a rope back to the harbour so the awaiting coastguard rescue team could pull it in from the shore. Volunteers from the RNLI in Girvan were called out to a 15ft speedboat with two people on board which was drifting on Saturday. The coastguard had been alerted after the vessel had broken down shortly before 9.35pm and was adrift in the Firth of Clyde between Croy and Dunure. Arriving quickly on scene, the lifeboat crew ensured both occupants of the speedboat were safe before towing it back to Dunure. However, with low tide fast approaching, the lifeboat would not have been able to safely tow the vessel into the harbour and return to Girvan. Quick thinking by the crew, though, saw them obtain the help of two men and a dog in a canoe. The helpful men took a rope, attached to the speedboat at one end, from the lifeboat and carried it into the harbour where the awaiting coastguard rescue team could pull the speedboat back into the harbour. A spokesperson for Girvan RNLI said: "At 9.35pm on Saturday, July 12, Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crew were paged to launch to a drifting 15ft speedboat that had broken down between Croy and Dunure. "With all crew assembling at the station, our all-weather Shannon Class Lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon leaving her berth and making best speed North towards the casualty. "Once on scene ensuring both occupants were safe and well, the decision was made to take the small vessel under tow. "With the state of tide limiting entry back into Maidens or Dunure, some quick, out the box thinking came into play and we headed to Dunure. Just off of Dunure, we commandeered two helpful chaps and a dog in a canoe. "As the tide was too low for the lifeboat to take the casualty in, a rope was sent in with the two superstars and their dug on the canoe to the awaiting Coastguard Rescue teams, once they had this in hand the other end was attached to the casualty vessel and it was then pulled in by hand by the Coastguard Teams. "Once the casualty vessel was safely berthed, we retrieved the ropes back to the lifeboat and headed homeward back to Girvan, where the lifeboat was made ready for the next service call. "Thanks to our Coastguard colleagues for their exceptional tug of war skills, and to Kieran McCubbin and James Bell and not forgetting their dug for stepping up and assisting us with this rescue, we'll done lads."
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Motorboat experiencing "mechanical difficulties" off Ayrshire coast rescued
Lifeboat crews from the RNLI in Girvan came to the aid of a motorboat with "mechanical difficulties" on Sunday, May 18. A stricken motorboat was escorted back to port after it was hit with "mechanical difficulties" off the Ayrshire coast. Volunteer crews from the RNLI in Girvan were called to the boat's aid, approximately four miles off shore from Girvan, on Sunday afternoon, May 18. Despite their best attempts to fix the issues, the motorboat crew called the Coastguard for help shortly before 1.40pm. Once on scene, the lifeboat crew assessed the situation and decided to escort the motorboat safely back to port so they could be on hand in case any of the temporary repairs didn't hold. The motorboat made it back to Girvan under escort and berthed safely before meeting coastguard teams from Girvan and Ballantrae onshore. Duty coxswain, Alan Jeans, said: "In this instance, the boat owner did all the right things. "Once they discovered a problem, they tried to fix it and, not knowing if the temporary repair would last, they contacted the Coastguard saying they were having difficulty. "They had all the correct equipment to call for assistance and the correct PPE. "Fortunately, the repair held and the vessel was able to make its way back under its own steam with us providing an escort in case of further issues. "Sometimes, things happen that are out of your control and its better to be proactive and safe and call for help. "If you are in difficulty at sea or along our coast or believe someone else to be in difficulty dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard right away. "Further safety advice from the RNLI for anyone heading to sea on a yacht or motorboat can be found here." A spokesperson for Girvan RNLI added: "At 1.37pm on Sunday, May 18, Girvan Lifeboat's volunteer crew's pagers rang out around the town in a request to launch from Belfast Coastguard. "On arrival at the station, information received was a motorboat approx. four miles off Girvan was experiencing mechanical difficulties and requested assistance. "The crew quickly made their way out the jetty to the lifeboat and our Shannon Class all-weather lifeboat 'Elizabeth and Gertrude Allan' was soon off her moorings and making best speed out of the harbour towards the casualty. "Once on scene, one of our volunteer crew members went aboard the motorboat to assist and, although experiencing some mechanical difficulties, the motorboat was able to make it's way back to Girvan under the escort of the Lifeboat. "In this case, a tow nor any further action was required by our crew. "The lifeboat stood by until the vessel was safely berthed where it was met by members of Girvan Coastguard and Ballantrae Coastguard. "Girvan lifeboat was then stood down and made ready for the next service call."
