YACHTING TRAGEDY

Chronicle (Levin), 27 December 1946, Page 5

YACHTING TRAGEDY

—P?*ess Association

OFFICIAL REPORT ISSIJED

By Telegraph-

WLLLl XGTOA, llec. _•>. All official report on the ocean yach race fatality, litis heen issued hy tlu j Roval Fort Xicholson Yachf Cluli ! This report is that of the skipper tui', crew of tlie Irvonne. -Miss Auhii. Aliier, of Oriontal Bay, was lost over i hoard from the yacht last Hiindny during ihe course of the Wellington Picton race. The report states that shortlv aftei leaving Sinclair Head on the course : 4'or Tory Chaunel a small tear in tlu / jiiainsaii- was notieed- It was deeidci to carry on. Ahout' 2;C.O aym.^ ihe: wim! : luiving increased, it was der'ided to ' shorten sail and later to brcak th" engine seals with a view to starting up the motor. " It was a t this timo that Miss Aliier decided to couie on deck for a hreatli of air," said the report. "She was seated in the eockpit and was in cpiite good spirits, when suddenly a confused sea broke overhoard and swept the deck clear. When tlie sea had suhsided Mis.Aliier had disappeared astern. Mr. Xew, who was on the lielm at the timo, iminodiately commenced to put the ship ahout, but she was slow to answer on aeeount of tlie amount of water helow When the ship eventually came ahout Miss Aliier was so far from us that i: was decided to risk a gybe. In g.vhing tlie ship the main boom was carried awav and tlie mainsail split. " We iuimediately endeavoured to start tlie motor, but were unsuecessfui as water liad entered the cylinders through the exliaust pipe. After carrying on un der bare poles a storm staysaii was set. at 4 a.m. and tlie motor eventually started. As nothiug further conld he done in our search for Mis. Aliier, we made for Port Underwood where we arrived at 10.30 a.m." In an aeeompanying letter, tlu commodore of the cluh (J\lr. M. X Manthel) stated that it had ahvays heen tlie practice of officiating cluhs not .to allow any yacht to participafe in a race unless she was well-fouiul and mamied hy a eompetent erew; also, no lioat was allowed to • start unless ecpipped with a dinghv and lifosaving apparatus. -Most of tlie boats carried tlare signals, and in this case tlu Yvonne was equipped with flares, whici were used, but to no avail. All the boats started in this year'a race were Ifully equipped and well-found. Chairts were carried by all skippers. Chart covering the route from Aucklund to Westport, indlucling Cook Htrait and the Bounds, were aboard tlie Wylo Adequate supervision was giveu hy tlu controlling elubs, but tho human ele ment was alwavs in the liaruls of thc individual.