Retirements in the Rolex Fastnet Race has now reached 149 – which is half the overall fleet. Crews are taking shelter from the gale force winds all along the south coast of England including Falmouth, Salcombe, Plymouth and Weymouth.

An update from the RNLI earlier today reports of overnight rescues include Jambalya – Andrew Bird’s J/105 which dismasted at 0400.

Salcombe’s RNLI all-weather lifeboat towed the 10.5m yacht into Salcombe Harbour in a Force 8. The accompanying rough seas made progress slow but the RNLI lifeboat was back on station at 0745 this morning.

The RNLI’s all-weather Severn class lifeboat went to the assistance of another 15.2m dismasted yacht last night although according to the RNLI communications with the crew were impacted as the crew of the yacht were from Russia with limited English. However, the yacht – which is believed to be Alexander Kulikov’s Mobile-53 Anna – and crew were safely escorted back into Brixham harbour and the lifeboat was back at station.

With poor weather conditions set to continue the RNLI’s fleet of lifeboats at stations across the south Cornish coast are likely to continue to be busy for the next 48 hours at least.