YACHTING MISHAP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 10

YACHTING MISHAP

CAPSIZE IN HARBOUR YOUTHS' UNENVIABLE PLIGHT AN HOUR IN THE WATER (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Dec. 26. Fung into the water when the 14-foot yacht Omaki capsized off the Bayswater wharf early this afternoon, members of the crew suffered an hour's buffeting from heavy seas before a rescue was effected. One attempt to rescue the occupants with a dinghy failed, and the second effort was carried to success only with difficulty. The party, which originally consisted of William Noble, aged 17, Harold Learning, aged 19, and Jack Lynch, aged 18, set out at 10 o'clock to spend the day at Rangitoto. After two hours' struggle against heavy seas and an adverse wind, they reached the end of the Prince's wharf, where it was decided to shelter in the lee of the wharf and have lunch before putting out again. Offering to assist with the sailing, two other young men joined the yacht at the wharf, and the party of five left about 1 o'clock.

After the yacht had crossed the harbour, Noble, who was at the tiller, realised that they were in danger of colliding with the end of the Bayswater wharf. He had changed the course when a sudden squall overturned the yacht, the crew being thrown into the water. Noble, Learning, and two other youths clung to the hull of the boat, while Lynch swam ashore and returned with a dinghy. This attempt at rescue was frustrated, however, when the dinghy was overturned by a wave as the four youths were attempting to clamber on board. Two of the crew then struck out for the wharf, where they were taken out of the water by men who had seen the accident, and Lynch and Noble clung to the dinghy and supported Learning, who could not swim. An hour after the capsize, Learning and Noble were picked up by a man in a dinghy who had seen their plight from Stanley Point and who rowed against the wind and tide to where they were clinging to the overturned boat. There was no room in the dinghy for Lynch, who remained in the water until rescued by a launch despatched from the Naval Base.