Two people in a hired sailing dinghy had to use flares to alert the lifeguards after their rudder broke on Monday afternoon.
Falmouth Coastguard asked the Falmouth inshore lifeboat to help at around 1.50pm after the crew of the Wayfarer dinghy fired a parachute flare off the entrance to the Helford River.
As the Inshore Lifeboat approached the Helford the crew on the dinghy fired a hand held flare to pin point their position.
An RNLI spokesperson said: “It was soon confirmed that the dinghy’s rudder had broken so it was taken in tow back towards Gillan Creek.
“Soon afterwards the inshore lifeboat crew became aware of a windsurfer which appeared to be struggling in the prevailing conditions so the sailing dinghy was secured to a nearby buoy while the lifeboat investigated.
“Soon after reaching the windsurfer another boat arrived to assist so the lifeboat returned to the sailing dinghy and continued to tow it back to Gillan Creek where it was safely dropped off.”
The RNLI said the pair had hired the dinghy locally, and were well equipped.
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