A look-out from Exmouth’s National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) tower raised the alarm after a boat ran aground on Saturday lunchtime.
The sloop, with three people onboard, ran aground at 1pm on Pole sands in the falling tide.
The NCI watch keepers in the seafront tower spotted the stricken vessel and contacted the RNLI lifeguards who launched the rescue jet-ski.
The trio onboard the boat said they would wait for the tide to refloat the vessel.
NCI spokesman Bill Nash said the safe return of the vessel to its mooring was an example of how the NCI worked with the RNLI and coastguard.
He said: “Brixham coastguard was informed by the NCI that they would monitor the progress and position of the boat.
“At 4pm the boat successfully re-floated and returned to its mooring in the Exe estuary where the owners notified Brixham Coastguard of their safe return.”
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