HAMPSHIRE sailing hero Sir Ben Ainslie has thanked billionaire Sir Richard Branson after he came to their aid after their boat suffered mechanical problems during his honeymoon.

Sir Ben and his wife Georgie Thompson had been sailing close to Branson's Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands, after tying the knot in December when their boat developed a problem with its sail furling system and they messaged for help.

Members of the island's watersports team helped to cut the sail and prevent the stricken vessel being wrecked on a reef, and Branson duly invited them to stay on the island for a few days.

''Unfortunately we had a mechanical failure with the mast furling system which, for just the two of us, was a bit much to try to fix on our own,'' four-time Olympic champion Ainslie told Sky Sports News.

''We were very lucky that we were right next to Necker Island and some of the guys from the sailing centre, I have to say, were absolutely amazing and between the four of us we managed to sort out the situation.

''Then Richard very kindly phoned up and invited us over for dinner.''

Thompson, pleased to put the ordeal behind her and spend some time onshore, gladly accepted Branson's offer.

''Dinner became a two-day stay which was lovely because right at the end of our honeymoon, having been on a boat for three weeks, I think that was very welcome that we were able to have a couple of days in luxury without any mechanical failures happening onboard,'' the TV sports presenter said.

Branson and Ainslie have had troubles at sea together when they had to abandon an attempt to set an Atlantic crossing record in 2008 when powerful winds and high waves damaged their boat.

Ainslie, the most decorated Olympic sailor in history, has won medals at each of the last five Olympics and in 2013 helped Oracle Team USA overturn an 8-1 deficit to win the America's Cup.