BAPTISM OF PAINT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 82, 7 April 1941, Page 9

BAPTISM OF PAINT

YACHT OUT OF CONTROL

The Maunganui's first adventure as ?■ hospital ship befell her on Saturday afternoon when she was rammed by the Miro, a small keel yacht, as she lay at the Clyde Quay wharf. Needless to say. the yacht had the worst of the encounter. The Miro sailed out of the entrance to the boat harbour in a fresh north-westerly breeze and as soon as she had cleared the sheltered water her skipper and crew found the tricky conditions rather too much for them". The yacht struck the Maunganui amidships, her bowsprit being torn off with a loud crash, and then began to drift along the Maunganui's side towards the breakwater enclosing the boat harbour. Some half dozen painters who were working on scaffold suspended by ropes from the side of the Maunganui thought the yacht's misfortunes a great joke until the mast and rigging of the small boat began to approach them. They swarmed up the supporting ropes hand over hand, but one of them was struck by the yacht's rigging before he was able to escape. At the same time the yacht's crew were having their troubles from white paint which poured from upset pots on to them and the rigging, sails, and deck of their boat. The Miro was eased back into the boat harbour, along the breakwater.