HARBOUR MISHAP

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 19, 24 January 1927, Page 8

HARBOUR MISHAP

YACHT AND LAUNCH COLLIDE

(By Telegraph.)

(Special to "The Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day. A collision between the keel yacht Victory, owned by Mr. H. George,, of Northeote, and the launch Maroro, owned by Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, oceurcd on Auckland Harbour on Saturday afternoon, resulting in the launch being badly damaged.

The Maroro, which was being used as a mark boat for the races of both the Boyal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and the Akarana Yacht Club, was anchored at tho outer end of the starting line off King's Wharf. Eight minutes before the sfert .if the first race for the Squadron, tho Victory, which had entered for this event, was sailing down the harbour at a fast pace, when she suddenly collided with the Maroro. The bowsprit of the yacht became caught in the porthole of the launch cabin and about 6 feet of the top portion of the cabin was smashed. The launch was pushed clown the harbour with the Victory's bowsprit still embedded in- its side, and it was not until tho Victory's mainsail was lowered that' the yacht was freed. The Maroro then proceedOd up the harbour and took up ncr position again. The Victory split the end of her bowsprit, but otherwise did not suffer any damage. Owing, to tho occidsnt she did not take part in the race, the start of which was delayed fivo minutes. . .

The Akarana Yacht Club officials Messrs. H. Hill, G. E. Laycock, and L stubbs, who were in tho cabin of the launch when the collision occurred had a remarkable escape from being struck by the yacht's bowsprit. Mr. Wilkin son was even more fortunate than the other officials, as the spot where he had been sitting roceived the full force of the impact.