YACHT STRANDED ON BAR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25301, 29 September 1947, Page 6

YACHT STRANDED ON BAR

HELP FROM SUMNER LIFEBOAT The 32-foot cruising yacht Astpgil, owned by Mr L. Scuffell, grounded on thd bar at the mouth of the Estuary yesterday afternoon, and was towed to safety by the Sumner lifeboat only after a stiff fight against a high wind ano. tide. Three ptopellor blades on tfle lifeboat were bent when it grounded several times on the bar during the rescue, and seas broke over the boat while the crew were getting a line aboard the stranded yacht. The warning siren at Sumner soqnded the alarm at 2.30 p.m., and the lifeboat put out with a full cre&. The motor launch George, owned by Mr J. K. Mawson, had already fried to tow the Astral from her dangerous position on the bar, but the tow rope fouled the launch’s propeller and the attempt had to be abandoned. Ropes floating in the sea near the Astral had to be negotiated carefully to save the lifeboat’s propellers from entanglement and the yacht fiad to be approached from the lee siflp. Eventually a line was thrown on board the yacht, but this broke $t the first pull. It was some time before another could be made fast, and the Astral pulled to safety, and then towed to the Christchurch Yacht Club’s boatsheds in Monck’s Bay. The skipper of the lifeboat (Mr C. Bowman) said yesterday that because of the condition of the bar the channel was very yarrow and fairly shallow, even at the height of the tide at 2.30 p.m. He expressed his appreciation of thp gallant attempt made by the crew of the George to rescue the Astral. The Astral is a solidly built cutter and is equipped with a 20 horsepower auxiliary engine. She weighs about 14 tops, and is capable of lopg ocean trips- «