A Compass NZ yacht crossed the Tasman - crewless and fetched up at Bowen Qld
The Skipper thought the yacht was sound. The three inexperienced crew thought they were in danger, so they mutineed and let off the boat's emergency beacon, which set in train events that led to the abandonment of the boat and the rescue of all four. When reported to the world, (a few years ago) controversy raged as to who was right. NOW, two months later, the yacht has been found.
The decision on whether to salvage the abandoned yacht found drifting off the northern coast of New Zealand yesterday lies with its insurers, the vessel's owner Bill Heritage said today. 'It does go to show the yacht wasn't going to sink under us at the time,' he added.
The Rescue Coordination Centre (RCCNZ) said the yacht in question, the Air Apparent, was found yesterday, upright and drifting with its mast intact and its sail dragging in the water, about 210 nautical miles (389km) off North Cape.
The 7.9m sloop had been abandoned in poor weather off the Kaipara coast on March 25, after its crew set off their Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) against the wishes of the skipper.
RCCNZ launched a rescue after picking up the emergency signal and the crew and skipper of the vessel were all safely recovered.
Bill Heritage, the skipper who says he lost his yacht after the crew panicked and mutinied, told NZPA today it would be the insurance company's decision on whether or not the boat was salvaged.
He said after initially refusing his claim, the insurance company had since paid out.
'It's really their decision. But I think the chances are very, very small, as it's a fair way off the coast.'
Mr Heritage said shortly after the yacht was abandoned that there was nothing structurally wrong with it when they hit three metre waves and 25-30 knot winds as they headed from Auckland to Nelson.
He said when the battery died the motor would not start on the hand crank and the crew panicked, setting off the emergency beacon.
RCCNZ search and rescue officer Chris Wilson said a Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion on patrol from Whenuapai had located the abandoned yacht around 12.30pm yesterday.
Navigational alerts will be issued to ships likely to come across the Air Apparent.
From: NZ Herald/Sail-World Cruising
11 May 2009
Air Apparent, the small yacht abandoned off the north coast of New Zealand last year when the crew allegedly mutinied and set off a distress beacon, has been recovered by fishermen in north Queensland.
The yacht was abandoned during a coastal trip in April last year when inexperienced crewmen grew alarmed in rising seas and set off the beacon in defiance of owner/skipper Bill Heritage. A helicopter was sent from Auckland, and Mr Heritage said he had no option but to abandon the boat with the three crewmen.
His insurer initially declined his claim for a total loss, but a report in insuranceNEWS.com.au in which Club Marine CEO Mark Bradley said his company would have paid, led to a reversal of the decision.
Air Apparent drifted slowly across the Tasman Sea, being spotted several times by military air patrols. Last week it was taken in tow by fishermen from Bowen.
Mr Heritage says the boat is “rather the worse for wear. Water has got into the cabin since the hatch was left open.
“It is remarkable that she is still afloat after more than 13 months adrift,” he told insuranceNEWS.com.au The insurer is understood to be discussing salvage with the fishermen.