Sidmouth Lifeboat investigated a sailing dinghy that washed onto the rocks below Salcombe Hill on Saturday morning (March 11).
The crews found the boat empty and badly damaged at 10.45am.
They reached the vessel, removed its mast and managed to tow it back to Sidmouth, where it was hauled ashore with the help of coastguard crew members.
Identifying stickers suggest the dinghy may have come from Lympstone.
It has been left with Sidmouth Sailing Club.
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