 While waiting at the rendezvous on 25 August, the ship's carpenter reported "Barfleur"'s sternpost to be dangerously loose, and Powlett returned to Spithead for repairs.In October 1755 he was court-martialled for having separated from the fleet and returned to port without justification.He was admonished on the first charge and acquitted on the second, and the carpenter was dismissed as incompetent.