YACHT CAPSIZES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 662, 16 January 1933, Page 5

YACHT CAPSIZES.

Caught in Breakers at Sumner. FINE WORK BY LIFEBOAT. When a yacht overturned in the breakers at the Scarborough end of Sumner beach yesterday a large crowd was given a thrill by the fine rescue work of the lifeboat crew. The occupants of the capsized boat were able to swim ashore, but much of the gear was lost. Caught In Breakers. It appears that J. Hyde, owner of the yacht Omega, with R. Holmes left Redcliffs earlier in the day and after successfully negotiating a moderate bar, enjoyed a cruise along the coast as far as the Waimakariri. Returning towards Sumner soon after four o’clock they found the bar too risky owing to the state of the tide, and passed on to wait at boat harbour. About 4.50. after taking note of the state of the sea, and satisfying themselves there was nothing to worry about, they hauled up sail again and put out from the harbour towards the bar. Just as they cleared the entrance by about a chain and a half, a sequence of heavy ground swells broke over a shallow. The first took the yacht by the stern and shot it towards the beach, while the second breaker struck broadside on and bowled the yacht over, snapping the mast and shooting J. Hyde clear of the gear. He swam to the upturned craft to find his mate cling* ing to the bottom. Emergency Lifeboat Launched. In a few minutes, witnesses of the accident passed word down the beach to the boathouse at the pier, where the members of the Lifeboat Institution who were on duty sounded the siren and immediately left *or Scarborough by car. By this time the emergency lifeboat the Aid. which is always in readiness outside the Scarborough boathouse, was launched by Messrs E. Parsons, E. Williams, L. Archbold and R. Beveridge and rowed out to the disabled yacht. They passed a line aboard and began to row ashore, the Omega’s crew preferring to cling to the hull. The spectators by this time, watching the two lads, were puzzled to know why they did not come ashore and why the Aid could make no progress. It was later discovered that the Omega’s anchor had found bottom and that the shipwrecked crew were concentrating their efforts more upon saving the many items of gear than saving themselves any further wetting. The Rescue 11. took the slip down to the water easily and, to the adxnir-

ation of hundreds who had never before; seen her afloat, she backed out andturned through broken water towards* the half-submerged lads. The lifeboat! men were, however, asked to rescue, floating gear first. After this they, pick--ed up the tow rope from the Aid and* manoeuvred the yacht towards the! harbour entrance: Here the anchorrope was passed ashore and the over-* turned boat hauled close to the slip.* Before this was completed, Hyde, and Holmes had swum to the rocks', of the protective wall, Hyde being; brought ashore in full sight of a* thronged staging by the Aid. • Rescue 11. then put to sea again,* giving the crowd a splendid exhibi-J tion as she took two heady combers.* and warned two other yachts that the • uncertain nature of the swell indicated* the wisdom of their return to Lyttel- ! ton. Their own return and rapid haul * up to the boat house was. a further • source of interest.