Cumbrian Yachtsman’s Voyage Account – Including Dramatic Rescue – Wins National Award

​A Cumbrian yachtsman has been honoured with a national award for his compelling account of a 12-day sailing voyage that included an emergency rescue.

Seventy-four-year-old Boyd Holmes, of Hayton near Carlisle, received the Hanson Cup from the Cruising Association, an organisation with some 6,400 members in the UK and abroad. The award is presented annually for the most engaging log of a cruise submitted during the previous year.

Mr Holmes’s account described his journey last July around the Outer Hebrides, a remote archipelago off Scotland’s west coast, aboard his 45-foot yacht Blue Damsel. The voyage took the crew through rugged seas and exposed coastlines, showcasing both the challenges and rewards of open-water sailing.

The log also detailed a dramatic incident on the final night of the trip. While moored off the Isle of Barra, the yacht was dragged onto rocks by a Force Eight gale as the tide fell. The crew issued a Mayday call to Stornoway Coastguard, prompting the launch of the Barra lifeboat. The crew’s safety was confirmed, and at high tide the next day the lifeboat returned to tow the Blue Damsel free from the rocks.

Mr Holmes said he included the rescue in his log not only as part of the story of the voyage but also as a tribute to the professionalism and bravery of the lifeboat crew. He noted that sailing in such challenging waters carries inherent risks, and praised the dedication of volunteer lifeboat teams who respond in all conditions.

The judges, including acclaimed yachting author Dick Durham, commended Mr Holmes’s candid and thoughtful account, which also earned him a top trophy from The Clyde Cruising Club, one of Scotland’s leading sailing organisations.

Got a news story or tip to share? Contact our editorial team by emailing news@lakelandpost.co.uk or call us directly on 0333 090 2080.