The urgent need to prevent a 43 foot motor cruiser with engine being involved in a Solent shipping lane collision led to the launching of Cowes RNLI lifeboat late on Friday night.
The motor cruiser, with six people on board, suffered engine failure north of North Cardinal Buoy off Cowes foreshore, and deployed its anchor.
Amid concerns the craft might still be involved in a collision with a passing ship, the lifeboat launched at 10.10pm.
On the scene, after the lifeboat crew had difficulty in raising the anchor, the anchor chain was eventually cut, leaving the anchor on the sea bed.
The lifeboat then towed the craft to Trinity Landing, before returning to the lifeboat station about ten minutes past midnight.