Whilst at the boathouse, crew members observed a catamaran capsize half a mile off Whitstable harbour. The craft became totally inverted, and the mast and sail were seen to surface next to it.

The lifeboat launched and was alongside the casualty a minute later. Using wirecutters from the lifeboat, the occupant was able to cut away the rigging, allowing the mast and sail to be brought aboard the lifeboat. The catamaran was then righted, and taken under tow to the Yacht Club ramp.

The dismasting and subsequent capsize had been casued by failure of the catamaran's forestay.

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