A lifeboat was launched from Anstruther on Saturday to rescue two sailors who were stranded in a sinking yacht on stormy seas four miles from shore.
The Fife crew was joined by boats from Dunbar and Eyemouth, as well as an RAF helicopter, after the alarm was raised at 11am.
They braved four-metre-high waves and 40mph winds to reach the stricken yacht and rescue the two men from Newcastle.
The yacht was charting a course from Arbroath to Eyemouth when it ran into trouble east of the Isle of May.
Watch manager at Fife Ness Simon Smart said: ”It was rough out there and there was quite a high swell three to four metres in places.
”The yacht was taking some water and it had sustained some damage but the men on board were quite unsure about their position.
”Communications were really bad and there was conflicting information about the location so we ended up launching three vessels and an RAF helicopter was scrambled.
”Eventually we managed to locate them and they were transferred to the Dunbar lifeboat, which ran them into Pittenweem harbour. The Anstruther lifeboat towed the yacht back.”
The men were said to be ”extremely wet and frightened” when they were picked up, but they did not require hospital treatment.
Mr Smart added: ”Local knowledge was imperative in this rescue. This is what it’s all about.
”We were getting conflicting information about their position but obviously I know the place like the back of my hand. A bit of experience goes a long way when you’re dealing with incidents such as these.”