Salvage operation to remove stranded yacht from beach at North Haven
A salvage operation is underway to remove a yacht from a metropolitan beach after a novice sailor’s maiden voyage did not go according to plan.
West & Beaches
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A novice sailor’s maiden voyage on his freebie yacht has ended badly, with the ageing vessel becoming stranded on a metropolitan beach.
Claude Evans, 45, of Yongala, was attempting to sail the 70-year-old vessel to Port Wakefield last Wednesday night with his son, Samuel, 27, when rough weather thwarted their plans.
The pair were sleeping somewhere near Port Parham when the rope to their dinghy snapped in high seas and strong northerly winds, sending it off into the darkness.
They had earlier set off from Port Adelaide, where the dilapidated wooden-hulled yacht had been moored for some time, generating complaints.
“I was given it for free and have only had it for a fortnight,” he said.
“We were taking it to Port Pirie where moorings are cheaper so we could do it up.”
Mr Evans, a Families SA volunteer driver, said his plan was to use the dinghy, which had a small two-stroke outboard, to tow the engineless yacht into Port Wakefield once they reached their destination.
After the dinghy vanished into the night, Mr Evans said he had no option but to contact police the following morning, which dispatched a water operations unit boat from North Haven.
“The police boat found us and towed us back to North Haven, where we anchored the boat off the beach and then they dropped off us off at the marina,” he said.
Mr Evans said the dinghy turned up last Thursday beneath sand dunes alongside the caravan park at Normanville, 80km south of Adelaide.
He and his son were retrieving the dinghy when the yacht broke its mooring, ending up on the sand near the North Haven Surf Life Saving Club above the high tide mark — and near piles of seaweed.
Mr Evans and his son rented a small digger on Wednesday morning to excavate a trench through the sand and seaweed, hoping it would fill with the incoming high tide at 5.42pm and refloat the yacht.
Their efforts were in vain, with the water failing to come high enough to fill the trench.
“It’s all a bit of headache,” said Mr Evans.
“We were hoping to get it back out and use the dinghy to tow it back to Port Adelaide so we can get it onto a truck and drive it to Port Pirie.”
Asked if he felt safe aboard the well-worn yacht — despite it having no engine, rotting wood, old ropes and minimal lights — Mr Evans said it was seaworthy.
“It doesn’t leak and we had life jackets,” he said.
Mr Evans said his only previous sailing experience had been with his grandfather.
Port Adelaide Enfield Council staff who attended the scene on Wednesday gave permission for the trench to be dug.
“Once we get it back into the water we will put all the sand back,” said Mr Evans.
Police issued Mr Evans with an expiation notice for failing to have adequate safety equipment.
