Nautilus News
07 Mar 2006
Storm causes Bay sinkings and carnage
Five people washed off keel boats on Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay on Saturday 25 February were lucky to escape with their lives when a fierce storm ripped through hundreds of yachts.
Tens of thousands of dollars damage was done when a sixty knot storm cut a swathe through the fleet preparing to race off Dendy Street Brighton, sinking three boats, blowing two more ashore and ripping sails to shreds.
The Royal Brighton 10 metre dragon class Elizabeth was one of the boats to sink. Its owner Robert Boyd says, “Three of us had to swim for our lives after tremendous winds violently heeled Elizabeth over, causing her to fill with water and sink in less than twenty seconds.”
Nautilus Marine Insurance Agency covered a number of craft racing on the Bay that weekend and has been busy since organising the search and retrieval of Elizabeth from the bottom of the Bay.
Sunken yacht found and retrieved, expected to resume racing soon
After a four day search and retrieval mission, on Thursday 2 March the salvage operator Robstan Traditional Maritime Craftsmen commissioned by Nautilus Marine located the sloop in 9 metres of water a mile west of Dendy Street, and raised it to the surface.
One of the salvage divers, Charlie Stanton says, “Its sails were still up, its hull was intact and we even found the owner’s car keys and wallet which pleased him no end!
“However, when we got it back to the marina there was some slight damage to the starboard hull which will require repairs and the mainsail has a number of rips and may need replacing.”
Nautilus Marine’s National Marketing Manager, Mark Crockford says, “We are so relieved there was no loss of life or serious injury to anyone in Saturday’s storm and fortunately there was no extensive damage or widespread loss.
“In the case of sunken sloop Elizabeth, our company is did everything possible locate, refloat and get it back to the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, where hopefully it can be readied to race in this weekend’s Top of the Bay championships.”
The 10m Dragon Elizabeth skippered by Robert Boyd seconds before sixty knot winds swept in and sank it.
Elizabeth is a twenty five year old fibreglass Dragon design, is presently in second place over all after 14 heats of Royal Brighton’s summer series and its owner Robert Boyd says he hopes to be back to challenge for the lead.
But before it can race again the yacht’s hull and spars this week are being fully inspected, everything dried out, mud cleaned out, damaged sails repaired or replaced, hull scratches repaired, gear washed away replaced and the boat polished ready for sea.
Nautilus Marine was founded last year as a national insurer of recreational boats and commercial pleasure craft.
In recent months the company has appointed state managers to offices in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. It is fully backed and underwritten by Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd, an APRA licensed and ASIC regulated local insurance company.
