by Joe Walker

joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Lifeboat crews raced to rescue two men yesterday after they were left stranded on a broken-down boat.

Antony Barratt and his brother-in-law Graham Manning called for help after their 26ft catamaran Nepeta spluttered to a halt near the Kentish Flats wind farm.

The lifeboat was launched at 1.35pm and found the men eight miles north east of Whitstable.

The wind farm workboat Meriel D had also arrived at the scene and was standing by the stricken craft.

Its anchor was recovered and the boat was towed back to shore by the Whitstable lifeboat.

Mr Barratt, who lives in Slough, said: “We were heading from Maldon to Chichester under sail when the rigging snagged and locked solid off Essex. We continued for another six hours under engine power but then the engine coughed and stopped when we were near to the wind farm.

“We decided that discretion was better than valour so called for assistance and we were very pleased to see the lifeboat.”

The breakdown was caused by a fuel line failure.