YACHT SALVAGED

Grey River Argus, 14 February 1940, Page 5

YACHT SALVAGED

Remarkable Feat AMATEUR DIVING GEAR. ‘ With the aid of an amateur diving helmet made by an Auckland university student, the E class keeler S!nbad, which was wrecked off Waiheke

in the gale last month and sank in the middle of Matiatia Bay, has been salvaged. The vessel is now on the beach at Matiatia and will be patched sufficiently to be towed to Auckland for repair.

The Sinbad sank 350 yards from the shore after having her hull sprung in several places through being thrown on to the rocks in the storm. In the task of salvaging the boat the crew brought into use a diving helmet which had been suggested some time previously by one of the crew, Mr. S. Davidson, ana which had been made by Mr. R. M. Cassie, a student at the Auckland University College. The helmet consisted of a fivegallon oil drum adapted to be worn below the water and fitted wth a visor and earphones for conveying messages from the surface. Air was supplied through 40 feet of rubbe hose and pumped to the diver b means of two motor-car ’ pumps. At ter several trials it was found to work satisfactorily, and Mr. Cassie, who used the helmet himself, stayed below water on one occasion for 23 minutes. The salvage party and gear were taken to Matiatia in the E class yacht Wakanui. The party comprised in addition to Mr. Cassie, Mr. J. Brook, who was in charge of operations, Mr. R. Jackson, owner of the Wakanui, Mr. G. T. McCarthy, sk p-‘ per of the Sinbad, Mr. Davidson and Mr. R. Hutton. Using the diving helmet Mr. Cassie fastened ropes at low tide to the sunken yacht, and these were attached to several empty 40-gallon drums and to an 18 ft. dinghy. When th? tide came in the yacht lifted from the bottom and was towed as far as possible inshore. The ropes were tightened and the operation repeated at every tide, until, on the third day it was possible to attach a line to the yacht from the beach and it was eventually brought ashore in a safe position.