LOST PROPELLOR

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1931, Page 3

LOST PROPELLOR

SHIP “HAUTURU.”

FLOODED WHEN SHAFT BBEAKS’ OFF.

(By Telegraph —Per Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, June 29. iitnrter of ait ihour after her star

board propellor and shaft dropped ait into the sea on Sunday evening off Eatea, there was three feet of water in the engine room of the auxiliary motor ship “Hauturu,” of 296 tons. Had lit not been for the fact that Chief Engineer W. J. Nixon a,lid Sec ond Engineer W. J. Hickman were able to stop the five inch hole with a piece of steel plate, the vessel would probably have sunk, as a full gale was howling at the time, and the seas were tremendous.

An attempt was made to reach Kapiti Island, hut the wind changed, and, after an anxious voyage up the stormswept coast, with the port motor and a sail as the means of propulsion, the vessel arrived, at New Plymouth at 4.45 o’clock, this evening. If the weather is suitable to-morrow, it is intended to run the “Hauturu’s” stern on a sand hank alongside the breakwater, and, when the tide is at the' ebb, it will he possible to make the stern tube more secure.

The vessel will probably < float ofi\ when she mill proceed to Onelmnga by sail, and her remaining motor. The Hauturu left New Plymouth at 8.20 o’clock oil Sunday morning, with TOO tons of Onehunga cargo to discharge at Wanganui. There was a fairly heavy swell and a south-west

wind was blowing. The weather was moderate until Cape Egmont was rounded. The vessel then encountered heavy seas, and a wind of gale forte. “She began to kick up a bit as soon as we rounded the Cape.” said a member of the orew. “About 5.10 p.m. when the vessel was eight miles west of Pa tea, tlie tail shaft snapped cleanly at the coupling near the semi Diesel motor, and the shaft and propellor

dragged out of the starboard stern tube. The Chief -Engineer was working on the starboard engine, hut la did not realise that anything was wrong until lie saw water spurting in. T-ie engine raced for a moment. Then lie stopped it. There was water everywhere and within a quarter of an hour, it was three feet deep in the engine room. With each roll, of the ship the water eddied around the room. The port motor threw water in cascades. The motor was in danger of stopping, so the crank-case cocks were opened, and the water was thrown out of the case. This saved the position, but another six inches of water would have put the motor out of commission, and tne vessel would have had no steering way, and would have been at the mercy of the gait'.”

“The work of plugging the tunnel that was left where the shaft had dropped out was difficult, but event uaii., a piece oi round plate was inserted in the tunnel and wedged. While doing tins work, the engineers frequently were working with their heads under icy water. In the meantime, a sail was set, but trouble was found with the jib, and for a while the vessel would not sad properly. As soon as the sails were properly .set, live of the six seamen aboard went below to form bucket brigade. 'The sixth man remained at the wheel. The bilge pumps and the emergency pump had been in action, but these were nngumented by the sailors forming a (iuiin. The men passed the water up from below.

By 9.30 p.m. the leak was under con troi.

While the desperate attempts were being mad-■ to repair the damage, the Hauturu was lying crippled in the howling gale. There were tremendous seas running. Captain A. Pert then decided to sail for Kapiti Island, for shelter. It was obviously useless trying to cross the Wanganui bar in such a storm when tide was at the ebb, so Kapiti Island seemed the only possibility. When the Hauturu had nearly reached Krpiti Island, the wind veered to the south east, and it became impossible to proceed to shelter.

At 1.30 a.m the vessel was turned, and a course was set for New Plymouth. A comparatively good journey was made with a following wind and sea at a speed at time as great as six knots an hour.

SIGNALS TO WANGANUI WANGANUI, June 29. When off Patea last night, the coastal vessel Hauturu, engaged in the Onehunga, - New Plymouth -Wanganui service, broke her starboard tailshaft. and began to ship water, in a severe electrical storm. The vessel continued her juorney, sending out a message that there was no immediate danger, and that she was making for Kapiti Island, instead of Wanganui. At three o’clock this morning, when the vessel . was some distance out from Wanganui. • another message from the captain stated that the wind had changed, and, as it was not possible to make Kapiti, he was returning to New Plymouth. | Early this evening it was reported ' that the vessel was half an hour off New Plymouth, and expected to arrive ' there at 5.30 p.m.