Help for yacht at Little Box Head

The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol was called to assist a 34-foot yacht to safely pass through the entrance of Brisbane Water at Little Box Head on September 14.

Public relations officer Mr Ron Cole said the bar at Little Box Head was very dangerous and in urgent need of dredging to enable safe entry and egress from Brisbane Water.

Volunteers from Coastal Patrol were called to assist the yacht that had just completed two offshore races from Gosford to Sydney over the weekend.

"The 34-foot yacht had reached the finish line and then discovered a mechanical failure as the crew started the engine to cross the bar at Little Box Head at the entrance to Brisbane

Water," Mr Cole said.

"The water pump impeller on the yacht's engine had failed.

"For safe entry, the yacht needed assistance to cross the bar and then required a tow to its berth at Gosford Sailing Club.

"The yacht race ended in fashion quite different to that anticipated by the yacht's crew.

"Duty coxswain Ian Brown and his crew of Norm Smith, Kevin Sullivan and John Randall on Gosford Lifeboat were quickly on the job and Central Coast Lifeboat took the stricken vessel for its two-hour tow to Gosford."

Mr Cole said the Coastal Patrol's rescue operations in and around the Peninsula over the past few months reflected a need for the recreational boating community to "brush up" on safety.

He said Coastal Patrol's Point Clare base will hold a forum on Safety of Life at Sea on October 3.

The forum will begin at 11am and entry will be by note or gold coin donation.

Bookings are recommended and can be made by calling 4325 7929.

The Point Clare base is located at the end of Kurrawa Ave, Point Clare.

Press release, 15 Sep 2008 Ron Cole, Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol