An Irish yachtsman rescued four times as he tried to sail to the Isle of Man has been told his vessel is not seaworthy.

The 55 year-old needed help from North Wales lifeboats four times over the last twelve days as he tried to travel from Holyhead to the Island.

After the last incident on Saturday, Welsh coastguards told him his boat was badly damaged and poorly equipped but they don’t have the power to impound the vessel.

Lifeboat crews also discovered he was unable to read charts when they found him within sight of the lifeboat station.

The unnamed man left Holyhead harbour on Saturday evening in his 22-foot yacht Pippa.

When he was rescued, the lifeboat crew discovered the yacht had part of its rudder missing, no life jackets or radio, a dangerously damaged flare and a children’s rubber dinghy being used as a liferaft.

In less than two weeks, the man had been picked up twice by Portdinllaen and Abersoch lifeboats and had needed the help of a Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley.

One of his flares had broken into pieces and was considered so dangerous coastguards took it back to dry land to be disposed of safely.

Although they told him his craft is unsafe, they only have the power to impound commercial vessels, meaning the man is free to try the crossing again.