Many Capsizes In N.E. Gale Yesterday

Northern Advocate, 5 January 1948, Page 4

Many Capsizes In N.E. Gale Yesterday

Lashed by a north-east gale. Wlia.ugarei Harbour was transformed yesterday from a pleasantly sheltered cruising ground to an area of driving spray and spume. In the lower reaches, especially with wind against tide, a considerable seaway hampered movement of pleasure craft. Many Auckland boats, both power and sail, are weatherbound, and will not venture out till conditions ease. Among the sailing craft mishaps of more or less serious nature were frequent. One of the local yachting casualties was the 18ft V class Pontic, which capsized. Owned by Mr T. Tupp. who had with him as crew Mr I. M. Drover, Pontie was making for the shelter of McGregor's Bay. when a particularly fierce gust blew out jib and mainsail and literally lifted her out of the water.

Luckily the damage was confined to the sails and loss of a several floorboards, the mast remaining intact. She wqs towed to the safety of the bay by Mr Jack Reynolds’ launch, and last evening returned to the Town Basin in tow of Mr A. J. Wilkinson’s big cruiser Aumoe. Pontic’s crew were very appreciative of the basin as a haven in such weather MAST BROKEN Several smaller craft fell victim to the gale and heavy seas. The 14 footer Trump, owned by Mr C. Macken and sailed by Messrs Brown and Dunn, capsized off One Tree Point and was badly knocked about. The mast was broken, the bowsprit torn off and the sails damaged. The crew and boat were rescued by a passing launch and brought to Whangarei.

Three other yachts capsized on the lower harbour on Friday. • They were an Auckland 14 footer, the Idle Along 12IL Bin. Marleesh, owned by the Beazley brothers and the Z-class 12ft Gin Cheetah (R. Wilkinson). All boats were reefed down and some came home yesterday under trysail. The Auckland A class keeler. Little Jim, set off from Whangaruru early yesterday morning for Auckland but decided to spend the night in Urqu.harts’ Bay. The bcut received a terrific dusting coming past Bream Head where the action of wind against a strong outgoing tide churned up a very nasty sea.

The Little Jim anchored in the bay for the night but the crew got a thorough soaking before they got through the Heads. MANY SHELTER With a strong easterly blowing, and a heavy sea rolling very few boats are attempting the run back to Auckland and are sheltering where they can to avoid the worst of the weather. The 40 boats that cruised to the Bay of Islands have, with few exceptions, stayed in the shelter. All the usual anchorages on the coast between Bream Head and the Bay of Islands are a dead lee shore and are not at all popular.