Yacht seaworthiness strongly defended

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 3

Yacht seaworthiness strongly defended

PA Blenheim The former owner of the ill-fated racing yacht, Lionheart 11, Neville Wills, of Blenheim, has strongly defended the yacht’s sea-going capabilities, amid suggestions during the last week about the seaworthiness of ocean-racing yachts. Lionheart II sank with the loss of seven lives after striking rocks at the entrance to Whangaroa Harbour last week when returning from Suva. Mr Wills said Lionheart II was probably the most well found yacht to start in the Auckland to Suva race. Mr Wills said he sailed in Lionheart II just before she left in the Suva race and found the yacht had been prepared beyond the requirements for such a race. The six-man liferaft had been replaced by an eightman one, a satellite navigation system had been installed, and two navigators were included in the crew, one of them acting as back- :

Particular attention was paid to crew comfort. The gallery and navigational areas had been rearranged so that the crew could work in the worst conditions, he said.

Every fitting on board the yacht nad been inspected and replaced if doubtful. The mast had been removed and inspected and the sails had been resewn.

Mr Wills said the present owner-skipper, Rob Vincent, did not do things by halves. He had searched Auckland for a Farr 38 design and eventually had to come to Marlborough to find the yacht that met his standards.

Mr Vincent had also selected a highly experienced crew, many of them with Admiral’s Cup and Clipper Cup experience overseas.

The skipper, Grant Stapleton, the only survivor of the tragedy, was second in command in the Suva race and was responsible for the boat’s ’ preparation

for the race, Mr Wills said.

Lionheart II had never been in any trouble during the race or on the return voyage until she struck rocks entering Whangaroa in bad weather, he said.

A police diving team from Wellington was sent to Whangaroa yesterday to continue the search for bodies missing from the yacht. The police have scaled down their ground searches of the rugged coastline to the north of Whangaroa Harbour.

Senior-Sergeant K. P. Keel said yesterday that a body trapped in wreckage near where the yacht sank had so far proved impossible to recover.

He hoped that with better weather the five-man police diving team would soon recover this body. Three of the four bodies so far recovered have been positively identified. Fingerprints are expected to confirm the identity of the fourth body.