A solo yachtsman who got into trouble off the Canterbury coast was rescued after a nine-hour Coastguard operation.

Coastguard Sumner received an alert about 6.51am on Monday that the 30-foot yacht had got into trouble about 10km from Motunau.

Its all-weather vessel, BlueArrow Rescue, was launched with six volunteer crew members aboard. They reached the yacht within an hour.

A Coastguard Sumner spokesperson said the skipper was brought aboard the rescue vessel, where they were “warmed, fed and medically assessed”.

“Two crew members boarded the yacht for the long, slow tow to Lyttelton,” the spokesperson said.

“The team safely reached the yacht’s berth just ahead of an incoming southerly blow.

“This successful nine-hour mission was 100% volunteer-powered. Big thanks to the boat crew and to our shore crew who managed shifts, base operations and arrival logistics.”

-Allied Media