off Gilkicker - A single-handed skipper's unlit yacht is spotted by moonlight and towed to safety after a total battery failure
Sailing alone in the Solent at night, the skipper suffered a complete battery failure that knocked out all navigation lights. A GAFIRS volunteer crew spotted the unlit yacht near Gilkicker under a near-full moon — the skipper was using a torch to warn other boats — and towed him to Gosport Marina.
What happened.
On the night of 27 July 2026, a yacht sailing single-handed in the Solent suffered a complete battery failure, losing all navigation lights. GAFIRS volunteers spotted the unlit boat by near-full moonlight off Gilkicker — the skipper was using a torch to warn other traffic — and towed it to safety at Gosport Marina.
On the night of Monday 27 July 2026, in a strong westerly breeze, Gosport and Fareham Inshore Rescue Service (GAFIRS) received reports of a yacht suffering a complete battery failure near Motherbank in the Solent. Scanning the water under a near-full moon, the volunteer crew spotted the unmistakable silhouette of an unlit sailing yacht much closer than reported, off Gilkicker. Its lone skipper, sailing single-handed, had lost all navigation lights and was using a hand torch to warn other water users of the vessel's presence — a stark illustration of just how vulnerable an unlit boat is at night. GAFIRS brought the yacht under control and rigged it for tow. Even though the skipper had planned to continue on to Cowes, Isle of Wight, the crew judged it safer to bring him ashore, and towed the yacht into Gosport Marina without further incident.
What it teaches.
- 1A total battery failure left this skipper with no navigation lights at night, relying on a torch to warn other traffic. Carry a battery-independent backup light — a handheld strobe or torch at minimum — for the moment your main electrics fail.
- 2Despite losing all power, the skipper still planned to press on to Cowes rather than divert. Once you've lost lights or power at night, head for the nearest safe harbour rather than continuing to your original destination.
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