An anticipated sunset cruise to enjoy the sights of Brisbane Water took an unexpected turn on Sunday afternoon, February 25, when a Umina Beach skipper realised his seven-metre Cruisemaster had lost power.
The man, an experienced sailor in his late 50s, had just released the boat from its mooring off Ettalong Beach when it started drifting into shallow water.
The skipper then discovered all the electrics had failed, including radio communication.
He quickly got into a kayak, tied a rope to the boat and managed to tow the craft back to the mooring before alerting his wife on a mobile phone; she then alerted Marine Rescue Central Coast (MRCC).
Marine Rescue dispatched their major rescue boat CC 2-1 with two volunteer crew members, arriving at the scene very quickly.
After ensuring the man was not injured and the vessel secured, MRCC towed the boat to the boat ramp at Koolewong.
Meanwhile, on Monday morning, February 26, a 10m yacht ran aground on a sandbar at Hardys Bay, before the skipper and a member of the public managed to free the stricken vessel.