Shipping news Old lifeboat to be restored

Press, 20 September 1985, Page 14

Shipping news Old lifeboat to be restored

The Sumner Lifeboat Institution’s first lifeboat, the 87-year-old Rescue will be restored and eventually put on display at Ferrymead. Rescue has been in storage in the No. 3 cargo shed at Lyttelton . for the last five years, awaiting a decision about her future.

Restoration, which will involve much paint-scraping to get down to the varnish, is expected to take about a year and has been organised by the Naval Marine Museum at Ferrymead. Rescue was given to the then Sumner Lifeboat Brigade in 1898 by the Lyttelton Harbour Board, said the institute’s secretary, Mr Walter Baguley. She was housed in Cave Rock and piloted by Captain Joe Day. Before Rescue’s arrival and the brigade’s formation, Captain Day used a pilot boat for rescue work. However, the need for a new boat was realised when the pilot boat capsized during a training session in 1896 and three persons were drowned. Rescue spent many years with the Sumner Lifeboat Institution before being given to the Sea Cadets as a training boat, said Mr Baguley. It finally became uneconomic to keep the boat seaworthy and Rescue has been in storage since. The institution had retained the name “Rescue” through the years with successive lifeboats and was now using Rescue 3, said Mr Baguley. The Lyttelton Harbour Board had been looking after Rescue for the institution until a final decision on restoration was made, he said. ARRIVALS Spirit of Competition (7 a.m.), 1600, Wellington (Pacifica). DEPARTURES Holmdale (4 p.m.), 911, Chatham Islands (U.M.S.). Spirit of Competition (4.45 p.m.), 1600, Wellington (Pacifica). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Spirit of Free Enterprise, Wgtn, today. Union Nelson, Nelson, today. Spirit of Competition, Wgtn, tomorrow. Hoyo Maru, Taur, tomorrow. Union Dunedin, Wgtn, tomorrow. Allied Pioneer, Wgtn, September 22. Auckland Express, Melbourne, September 22. Coastal Trader, Auck, September 23. Tasman Venture, Taur, September 23. Union Sydney, Dndn, September 23. Lake Placid, United States, September 26.

PROJECTED DEPARTURES Union Nelson, Onehunga, today. Spirit of Free Enterprise. Wgtn, today. Auckland Express, Wgtn, September 22. Tai Chung, Japan. September 22. Union Dunedin, Dndn, September 22. Spirit of Competition, Wgtn. September 22. Coastal Trader, Dndn, September 23. Allied Pioneer, Australia, September 23. VESSELS IN PORT Tai Chung, Cashin Quay No. 1.

Port of Timaru

ARRIVALS Nil. DEPARTURES Sovereign Venture (6 p.m.), Middle East (Scales). EXPECTED ARRIVALS Omokura, Nelson, September 23 PROJECTED DEPARTURES Omokura, Whangarei, September 24. VESSELS IN PORT Nil.

Overseas flights

Scheduled international aircraft movements through Christchurch Airport today include: ARRIVALS Qantas QF3S (Boeing 767), 1.55 p.m., Melbourne. Qantas QF4S (Boeing 747), 3.50 p.m., Sydney. DEPARTURES Qantas QF36 (Boeing 767), 3.15 p.m., Melbourne.

Passenger trains

Scheduled passenger train movements through Christchurch Railway Station today include: ARRIVALS Greymouth train, 1.26 p.m. and 11.32 p.m. Picton train, 8.5 p.m. Southerner, 6.35 p.m. DEPARTURES Greymouth train, 9.15 a.m. and 6.5 p.m. Picton train, 7.30 a.m. Southerner, 8.40 a.m.