CAPSIZES IN HARBOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21037, 23 November 1931, Page 8

CAPSIZES IN HARBOUR.

SQUALL UPSETS FIVE BOATS. ALL THE CREWS RESCUED. YACHTING IN ROUGH WEATHER. Five boats capsized in the harbour on Saturday afternoon while competing in the official opening of the yachting season. In addition, the well-known keel yacht Speedwell, owned by Messrs. Cloak and Patrick, lost her mast in Rangitoto Channel. There was no loss of life, all the crews of the capsized boats being rescued. A light breeze from the north with rain and mist prevailed until 2 p.m. and nearly all the boats started under full sail. Later tho wind changed to the west and became very squally. These conditions made it very trying for the crews and when spinnakers were brought into use a large number of boats became out of hand. Five minutes after the start of the race for ,14ft. round and square bilge boats an exceptionally heavy rain and wind squall caused the following boats to capsize:—Sybila, Rita T. and Resolute, all class T; Demon, class Y, and Mcmutu, class M. Various launches picked up the crews and towed four of the boats to shelter. The new Y class boat Demon, owned by Mr. G. Currey, was leading in her class when she overturned. Her crew was rescued, but the boat that picked the occupants up was unable to take the Demon in tow on account of having to proceed to the scene of another capsize. Meanwhile the boat drifted up the harbour and she was not located until two hours later, when the 26ft. mullet Nomad found her near Calliope Dock. She was towed into Judge's Bay, where it was found that she had carried away both her rnast and bowsprit.

The Y class boat Fay broke her bowsprit on the beat up the harbour. .In the race for keel yachts Speedwell was dismasted in the Rangitoto Channel and was towed into port by a motor-boat. The mast carried away just below the crosstree. In view of the large number of mishaps, the officials in charge of the racing cancelled the Z class ©vent and decided the other races on completion of the first round. FIVE YOUTHS RESCUED. 1 * IN WATER FOR HALF AN HOUR. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] "WELLINGTON, Sunday. Five youths, M. Lang, W. Wilson, Ken Robinson, J. Dalton and D. Beaumont had an unenviable experience on Saturday afternoon when their 14ft. cenfreboard yacht, Rob Roy, capsized in a high northerly wind in Evans Bay. Their plight was noticed from the shore and two men rowed half a mile in a 30ft. dinghy and took them on board in a high sea. -The youths had been clinging to the bottom of the upturned boat for half an hour and were becoming cold and exhausted. The Rob Rov drifted on to the rocky shore and the hull was damaged.