Extra Djinn, the yacht which got into difficulty north of Osborne Bay yesterday (Sunday).
COWES RNLI Lifeboat went to the rescue of a dismasted racing yacht yesterday morning (Sunday).
The 36-foot Hamble-based yacht, Extra Djinn, got into trouble north of Osborne Bay.
Nine people were on board and the boat was drifting, with the mast, boom and rigging hanging over the starboard side.
The Cowes crew, led by helmsman Simon Hawkins, discovered the yacht's crew had already managed to cut the mast, boom and rigging free of the boat.
As a precaution, lifeboatman Richard O’Callaghan checked no-one had been hurt and the yacht had not been holed.
Before returning to Cowes, the lifeboat arranged for Calshot RNLI lifeboat to escort the yacht back to Hamble.
"Apparently the yacht was taking part in the very last race of the year," said Richard.
"After the dismasting the crew was worried that if they started the engine the loose rigging might foul the propeller. And it was quite lumpy out there."