Brixham coastguard tasked the Exmouth RNLI inshore lifeboat George Bearman on 23 June at 1.15pm. A call from a local tourist cruising boat had reported a dinghy in trouble in the river Exe, close to Starcross Yacht Club.

Exmouth RNLI crew pagers sounded at Sunday lunchtime and within 10 minutes, three volunteers were speeding towards the given location in the fast response lifeboat. On reaching the casualty, near the number 18 buoy, the trio discovered the solo sailor had capsized whilst turning his sail in the moderate wind. The crew volunteers assisted in bailing water from the wooden dinghy and towed the casualty back to Topsham.