NON-STOP YACHTSMAN STOPPED AGAIN

A lifeboat has rescued a 58-year-old from Manningtree, Essex, who has suffered a catalogue of problems since starting his round-Britain voyage last week.

Despite a catalogue of setbacks he says he is still considering continuing his journey.

Stuart Hill’s attempts to sail around Britain were cut short yet again after the mast of his 14ft open boat ‘Maximum Exposure’ - made from a windsurf sail - snapped off.

He was picked up off the north Norfolk coast a few hundred miles round the coast from his starting point on the River Stour at Manningtree Beach, Essex.

Mr. Hill, who remains on dry land after the rescue by the RNLI said: "I spent nine months preparing for this and it's not over yet. I need some time to think about it and will decide where I go from there."

As previously reported on Coastguard News after sailing from his home town on May 12 he crashed into another boat.

He has also suffered communication problems with his solar-powered computer and has had to stop so spare equipment could be delivered.

Mr. Hill said he now regretted calling out the lifeboat as he was not in danger. He added: "But I was really glad to see them."

Mr. Hill's antics are rapidly becoming a re-run of events when Intrepid sailor Eric Abbott, 56, nicknamed Captain Calamity, admitted to using an AA handbook for direction at sea, after repeatedly having to be rescued by coastguards and lifeboatmen on a succession of occasions.