Quick Action To Save Launch

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30762, 28 May 1965, Page 15

Quick Action To Save Launch

Prompt action at Lyttelton yesterday morning prevented the 112-ton launch Marlyn from foundering at her berth.

The Lyttelton Harbourmaster (Captain A. R. Champion) 1 was informed by a member of j his staff that the boat was; settling in the water. The Lyt-' telton Volunteer Fire Brigade; arrived soon after 7 a.m. A Fire Brigade pump was put into operation. This was reinforced by another from; the Mobiloil’s Lyttelton I branch. The cause of the mishap was a fractured copper cooling water pipe to the freezer motor room forward of the wheelhouse. As a result the forward section of the Marlyn was flooded to 3ft. She was also well down by the head. The cause of the fracture is unknown but the Marlyn has been undergoing an ex-1 tensive overhaul at Lyttelton | for the last month. Alterations! have been made to the freezer and the wheelhouse and accommodation has been reconstructed.

Apart from a soaking forward, the only damage has been dampness. The oil company’s smaller pump was used until early yesterday afternoon, but the fire pump was dispensed with much earlier as the situation was well under control. The oil company’s pump was dropped into the harbour beside the Marlyn at the conclu-

■sion of the operation. It was I later retreived. ’; The Marlyn, which is expected to resume fishing again ■ next month, is well known at ii Lyttelton. Built at Auckland j in 1943 as a submarine chaser, ; she is based on Akaroa and ■ owned by P. Feron and Son. i At one time she was well II known as a freight carrier between Lyttelton and Welling1 ton. She has also carried out a fishing survey in the Pacific Islands, fished in the Chat- : hams and was also a fishing depot ship at Stewart Island. She is expected to resume fishing next month.