WANGANELLA TO BE RUN UP ON BEACH

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1947, Page 6

WANGANELLA TO BE RUN UP ON BEACH

— Press Association

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Feb. J-I. - , It is proposed to move the Wangahella from her present berth to Clyde Quay on Thursday morning at about 10

o ciock. She wiri proceed at high water under her own powor with the assistance .of tugs and will be run as far up 011 the beach as possible. A pilot wil] be abo'ard.: This inforuialion was given by!one;of the salvage experts who added that it was' essential that the vcsscl be beached in order that the seals of Nos. 2 and 3 liolds could be brolcen since the buoyancy gained by these two holds was the only thing keeping the bo'w of the ship off the bottom. She must obviously be djeached (irst. Then the nceessary repairs eouid be ell'octed which, it was hoped, would give suttieicnt buoyancy to allow the vcsscl to be tloatqd on to the dock. Today the ship was drawing 25ft 9ius forward. Extra buoyancy had bcen gained by pumping No. 3 hold quite dry and by plugging up the leaks in No 2 hold. Now the vessel has a port lisi of only 3 degrees. All the lifeboats have been takou olf the ship to inerease her stabiiity by reducing wiuu resistance and top weight. The boats will be preserved bettcr under cover pf a shed than they would be if they were left on deck for the long period it is expected the repairs of the ship will take. Kcports circulating today that the port auchor had just been discovered wrapped in the bovv plating, are misieading. It was known to be there by the salvage experts wlule the vessel was lying 011 the reef. However, preparations are bciug made to eut this airehor adrift with an underwater cutting torch but it cannot be achieved uutil "tips" for the toreli arrivo from Sydne.y. The two melhods lo lielp in raising the bow have been, first, the re moval of tiro anchors and cables from tlie fore peak (a weight of approxi mately 43 tons) and, secondly, the pumping of 19G tons of fresli water into tlie after peak. This was done soon after the vessel was ticd up at Aotea Quay. •