SEVERE GALE IN CITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3869, 8 May 1928, Page 15

SEVERE GALE IN CITY.

BOATING SHED WRECKED. RACING SKIFFS DESTROYED. While practically no damage to property in the city appears to have resulted from the severe storm on the night of April 30, the North End Boating Club’s shed, built last year at the northern wall of the boat harbour, and exposed to the full force of the gale, was completely wrecked. At daybreak on Tuesday the remains of the shed and the fleet of rowing boats were scattered over a wide area of land and water. Io the few persons who were early on the spot a scene of confusion presented itselfi Scantling from the shed oof, with sheets of corrugated iron attached, and boards from the four’ walls of the shed, were seen floating in the smooth water of the boat harbour and lying scattered about the hi. protecting breastwork of the haven. in addition, broken sections of rowing skiffs which had figured prominently m scores of races on the harbour. were scattered far and wide. In the floor of the shed, too, were the remains of rowing skiffs. Some smashed to matchwood other broken into several sections, and several op.mteicU and badly holed. On the wooden brackets of the only remaining section of t e southern wall was a half section of the club’s famous old eight-oared boat—a boat which had also figured very prominently 'in harbour races in years gone by. The boat was broken in half when the wall was blown outwards, and the missing section lay in a confused mas? of broken timber on the northern boat harbour wall.

In all 15 racing boats were either totally destroyed or ruined almost beyond repair. The club is a heavy loser, as the shed and plant was insured only against lire. The total loss to the club is between £lOOO and £l2OO. The building is insured for £2OO and the plant for £2OO with the Atlas Company. The club is most unfortunate, as it had speu. £3OO on improvements during the lasi three years. The shed was removed to its present site from a position near the cement works last year at a cost > £lBO. At the new site the shed was rebuilt on hardwood piles. It com manded a fine stretch of rowing water, but was exposed to the full force of any strong winds which "swept up the har bour from the east or north-east. The shed was solidly constructed, and it will thus be realised that the force of the storm which stripped it of roof and wahs in the space of a few hours was altogether exceptional. The roof was evidently torn apart fust. Piece by piece the shed covering was carried fully 100 yards over the breist work and deposited in the boat harbour. The harbour portion of the northern wall evidently went by the board next. Tn.o wall for more than half its length seawards is canted inwards, splintered and battered—in fact it is now a tangled mass of broken timber. When it canted it crushed two or three rowing boats to matchwood, the boats yesterday looking like crashed eggshells. With this wad down, the southern wall was exposed to the fury- of the storm, and this was quickly driven outwards, the timbers torn loose and scattered in the boat harbour. Pieces of the demolished shed were carried half the length of the boat liar bour. Several heavy pieces of imhei fell perilously close to launches lying at their moorings, and two of these launches suffered damage. A section of the shed roof fell on the launches Marie and L'gie anchored within 60 yards of the nortucrL wall of the haven. The Marie’s cabin was considerably damaged, the roof being pressed downwards and the iron railings bent by the weight of the falling timbe The launch has also probably suffered other damage, as she was low in the water yesterday, which would indicate that she is leaking. The Ugie appears to have been more fortunate as the only damage to this craft appears to be to her mast, which has been bent backwards, evidently through being struck by a piece of hurtling timber. The only portion of the Boating Club’s shed left standing is ' the shore section of the northern wall, the western or eno wall, and the dressing and committee rooms. The whole of the roof has been removed piecemeal, and th© only overhead protection for the dressing and committee rooms at the present moment is ti. t ceiling. The heavy, rain percolated through the ceiling on Tuesday, and the numerous pictures of old time and present day rowing men which adorn the walls were removed by members of the club befor© they wefre completely ruined. Only one four-oared skiff can be repaired out of 15 boats. The single best and beat boat, owned by Mr G. Duncan, captain of the North End Club—a boat which won the New Zealai I single sculling championship in past years,- and which was valued at between £4O- and £5O was smashed beyond repair. On Tuesday morning the splintered pieces of this famous boat were recovered by members of the North End Club from the tup of the boat harbour wall, where thev had been strewn by the gale. The <o<s of all these boats, especially the old eight oared racer, the racing four-oared skiff, and the single champion sculler, is keenly felt by all the club’s members. The North End Club, to all intents and purposes, is now without shed or equipment. It is expected that a move ment will be set on foot to raise funds to assist the club to procure a new shed "and new bouts. Fortunately, the nutmr. ous sets of oars were stored on the. floor of the dressing room, and these escaped damage.

BOATS DRAG THEIR MOORINGS. Tho high stone walls sunouuding the boat harbour protected the large fleet of pleasure craft from the full fury of the _ gale. Some of the boats, however, strained heavily at their moorings, >nt with the exception of two, the moorings held. The exceptions were the launch Nomad and Southern Star. - These boats dragged then mooring# some dis.ance. but were secured before they had reached the stone wall of the haven, the owners having been hastily informed by the caretaker’s son. The only other pleasure boat to suffer damage was a launch, whicu bears no name lyinv on the Otago Yacht Club’s slipwav at the northern end >f the haven. The boat, although protectee to some extent by the long row of boat sheds, was caught by the 'fierce squalls and thrown from the cradle. The after deck fittings were damaged, but the hull escaped injury. North-East Harbour was sheltered from the storm, and none of the pleasure craft or moorings or slipways there suffered any damage.