The 5.5 hour rescue mission near Green Cape a reminder to log on

Deployed at 3.30 pm on March 1, four volunteer members from the Eden unit headed out to help a stranded fisherman whose vessel suffered a mechanical failure 22 km off Green Cape.

The rescue mission took five and a half hours, the main challenges coming up during their return to port.

Master of the vessel Mark Cattanach said the sea was working against them on the way back, with the weight of the 6.6 metre boat slowing the process down even more.

"On the way the tracker said we were doing around 20 knots and on the way back it was down to six, as we came across currents, headwind and all those sorts of things," he said.

"You've got the pressure of the vessel behind you that you're towing against you, and the waves pushing you off-course, which makes it very hard to control the boat and keep it on course to get back the quickest possible way."

Another issue had been the sea fog which provided low visibility for the crew.

"We had to go off our machines that we have on board, using the GPS and compasses to keep us in a straight line because we had no sight of land while we were out there, the visibility was just not very good," he said.

Mr Cattanach said the crew had worked really well together on the day, with members taking their turns on the helm.

"It all went very well, every time you go out on the water you learn something new and the people who came out on the day, did so out of the goodness of their hearts as volunteers," he said.

Mr Cattanach said the rescue mission had been a smooth operation due to the teamwork both on the vessel and from the radio room.

"With the low visibility we could only see about a mile or two ahead of us, we were able to locate the vessel thanks to the radio team that kept us updated on his coordinates," he said.

Mr Cattanach said the rescue mission had also been made easier thanks to the responsible and exemplary actions of the fisherman.

"The gentleman was very switched on with everything he did, he gave us the right coordinates, set up a big orange V sheet so it would be easier to spot him and he'd made sure to log on with us before heading out to sea," he said.

"By logging on that day he made it very easy for us and if we needed to get a hold of his family to let them know he was okay we could do so."

Mr Cattanach said he'd encourage all boaters to Log On with Marine Rescue NSW either via the free Marine Rescue app or VHF channel 16.

For anyone wishing to learn more about boating, understanding the dos and don'ts and to learn more about Marine Rescue, they are welcome to visit the station in Eden.

"People who want to come down and have a look or are interested to get involved are welcome to come down anytime, we are always looking for volunteers," Mr Cattanach said.