As a thank you for all their hard work throughout the year the International Moth Class (a high performance sailing dinghy) delivered a 500 cheque to Hayling RNLI. As the money was being handed over a yacht named Moth was getting a tow in the background purely coincidental but something that highlights the necessity of the service.

The International Moth World Championships are currently taking place from Hayling Island Sailing Club which positions Haylings RNLI as the best station to receive the money raised. Today is the last day of competition.

Lifeboat operations manager Jonathan Bradbury said: Weve had 30 call-outs this year. This afternoon we had a call-out when an engine had overheated on a boat that was coming back into the harbour the inlet to cool the engine had snapped off so water instead of going into the engine started spraying all over the engine which was hot so turned into steam. The engine then wasnt getting any cooling fluid the tide was going out and he was going into Chichester harbour so he burnt out the HT leads. We then had to hold the boat off the Lifeboat Station while Fire Service personnel checked that it wasnt burning.

For more information on Haylings lifeboat head to their Facebook page www.facebook.com/pages/RNLI-Hayling-Island-Lifeboat-Station

Pic: Tom Gruitt