FERRY SAVES YACHT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31276, 24 January 1967, Page 3

FERRY SAVES YACHT

(N Z Press Association) WELLINGTON, Jan. 23. Pounded by heavy seas and with its sails ripped to shreds, the 60 - foot Wellington racing yacht, Cutty Sark, was towed to safety by the road-rail ferry Aranui today. The Cutty Sark had been left wallowing helplessly in Cook Strait after a two-hour battle against 50-knot winds and mountainous seas. With all sails ripped, its

cross-tree smashed and its engines and radio out of action, the Cutty Sark was in danger of being blown on to Baring Head when taken in tow by the Aranui about 11.45 a.m.

The Wellington police launch Lady Elizabeth met the Aranui off Seatoun and towed the Cutty Sark around Point Halswell into Evans Bay. It had difficulty making headway against the high winds and choppy seas and three times the tow line was snapped. Soon after entering Evans Bay the Lady Elizabeth was relieved by the pilot launch Arahlna. The Cutty Sark tied up in Evans Bay about 2.30 p.m. “The situation would have been serious if the Aranui had not arrived when it did,” the skipper of the Cutty Sark, Mr B. Fleming, said tonight. The Cutty Sark had left Picton at 2.30 a.m. for a quick trip to Wellington. There were three other persons on board the 60-ton craft—Mr W. Brake, of Wellington, Miss Jan Dilrew, of Blenheim, and Miss Lynne Davies, of Picton. "The weather report was for moderate north-easterly winds: good sailing condition for the Cutty Sark,” Mr Fleming said.

“But about 9.30 a.m. we were suddenly hit by gusts of

up to 55 knots from the northwest.

“Our downfall was that when the gusts hit us we were rigged for the good conditions forecast. “Within three minutes we were flat on our side for the second time. All our sails filled and the lot were ripped to shreds.”

“We did not have a yard of sound sail on deck and did not have enough crew to bring any from below.” We tried four or five times to get our new radio going but I think there was something wrong with the aerial.

“We tried to get under way with our diesel engines but they were also out of action. I think something shorted when we went into the water.”

Mr Fleming spoke highly of the seamanship of Captain J. E. Peake, the master of the Aranui.

“In manoeuvring a ship of the Aranui’s size so close to a small yacht in rough seas, with a 45-knot wind blowing, Captain Peake and his crew pulled off the most magnificent piece of seamanship I have ever seen.”

The Aranui, with 654 passengers, arrived at Picton about an hour and a half late.