The 85 tonne luxury yacht (in the background) waits for an inspection lift. Photo: Hugh Webster, Brisbane Coast Guard.
CONTRIBUTED BY BRISBANE COAST GUARD
Howling westerly winds caught many boaties by surprise recently, however one particular vessel set new records for Brisbane Coast Guard.
Responding to reports of a large luxury yacht aground on Tangalooma, our command vessel CG29 arrived on scene around 4am to find a 26-metre boat on the shoreline. After securing the largest tow line to the boat, Flotilla Commander Craig Bowen was able to gently coax the monster boat off the beach.
“We needed to slowly work the yacht off the sand,” Craig explained. “If we pulled too fast we’d risk damaging their boat more.”
Once the boat was free, there was a risk that the boat’s stern drive had been damaged by the grounding.
“The only way to confirm damage is to lift the boat out of the water, which is no easy task for a vessel weighing 85 tonnes,” Craig said.
The boat owner asked for the vessel to return to the manufacturer at the Coomera Boat Works to use their boat lift, a distance of 60 nautical miles each way. Complicating the tow, the vicious westerly winds had swung to the south, resulting in a very choppy and wet ride for the Coast Guard crew. The mammoth 17-hour tow operation involved a crew changeover while underway, which added an extra hazard for the weary Coast Guard team.
“I’m proud of the work our crews did, it shows that no matter the size of the boat our Coast Guard crews can help you,” Craig said as CG29 returned to harbour late that evening.
Photos of the recovery, as well as other helpful information for boaties, are posted on our “VMR 402- Manly” Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/coastguardbrisbane.
