BOWSPRIT LOST.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 299, 18 December 1935, Page 8

BOWSPRIT LOST.

NGATAKI HITS WHARF.

YACHT STRUCK BY SQUALL. BACK FROM THE ISLANDS. The only damage suffered by the yacht Ngataki during her four months' cruise of the Islands was done shortly before two o'clock this afternoon, when she' struck the Queen's wharf and lost her bowsprit.

The Ngataki, which left Auckland 011 August 14, was in the stream about one o'clock to-day, but most, of an hour was occupied with the doctor and, the Customs. The owner-skipper, Mr. J. W. Wray, had gone aboard their launches in turn, and then hopped aboard thc'launch which had. been chartered by 'the ''Star" in order to get the story of his cruise since the yacht's departure from Nine.

Mr. Wray had just remarked that they had had a glorious three weeks of picnicking and other entertainments at Vavau, in the Tonga Group, and that on the way home they had put into Nukualofa, about 150 miles south of Tonga, 011 ■ account of heavy weather, when he noticed that the Ngataki was getting dangerously near the Queen's Wharf.

Even then, before jumping aboard her, ho courteously called out that he would be back, 110 doubt thinking that he would be in time to get the yacht round, but. she was already too near the wharf. A strong and gusty north-east wind caught her, and although Mr. Wray saved her in the last available second from crashing broadside on to the end of the wharf, she hit the western side, bow on, snapping the bowsprit off at the stem head.

A group of workers and sightseers had gathered by this time, and watched the effort to get the yacht clear of the wharf with much interest. Mr. Wray soon had her well clear again, and made for the shelter of the eastern breakoff the Akarana Yacht Club's house.