Tragic toll of small boats ‘warning to all’

Press, 4 January 1978, Page 2

Tragic toll of small boats ‘warning to all’

PA Auckland The horrifying start to 1978 on the water should be a lesson to all who go boating, says the Auckland Water Safety Association’s spokesman on search and rescue, Constable J. Ellingham.

He is a skipper of the police launch Deodar.

The nine deaths and the fire aboard the ketch Stornaway Lady off Leigh pointed the need for everyone who went to sea to be properly equipped and to know and observe the principles of good seamanship, said Constable Ellingham. “The capsize of the yacht Tom Sawyer on the Raglan bar demonstrates the necessity of seeking — and accepting — local advice when boating in unfamiliar and dangerous waters,” he said.

“Heading out to sea rather than for the shore may not seem the right thing to do for people in a hazardous situation, especially if they are inexperienced, but in many cases this is the only course to adopt.”

Referring to the fire in the Lady Stornaway, Constable Ellingham said the fact that the men aboard were all experienced ocean yachtsmen, yet appeared to have only narrowly escaped tragedy, illustrated the particular hazards of fire at sea.

“When a ship catches fire things happen quickly, and those aboard must react with equal speed. Fire often means — as was the case with the Lady Stornaway — that it is impossible to get to life-saving aids such as liferafts and life jackets. All those crewing on a boat should carry a knife — preferably attached to the body by a lanyard. “The Lady Stornaway was obviously well equipped and in experienced hands,” said Constable Ellingham. “But had they not been towing a runabout the incident could easily have cost a further 10 lives.” Constable Ellingham said that a special effort was

being made this year by the Water Safety Council, the Small Boat Safety Committee, and in Auckland by his association to emphasise the importance of seamanship to all who went boating.