Brisbane to Gladstone entrant Ausmaid dismasted in savage gale

9:41 PM Thu 2 Apr 2009 GMT

'Ausmaid - 2003 Sydney to Mooloolaba Race' Andrea Francolini &copy

Brisbane to Gladstone entrant and dual Sydney Hobart Race champion Ausmaid was dramatically rolled and dismasted by mountainous seas and savage gale strength winds off Double Island Point yesterday afternoon.

The 1996 and 2000 Hobart race champion now owned by Bruce Absolon and registered with the Cruising Yacht Club of Hamilton Island was on the final 90 n/ml leg of her delivery voyage to compete in the Brisbane to Gladstone Race when her EPIRB distress beacon was activated.

Unfortunately the experienced delivery crew had nowhere to hide or run for cover when the barometer plunged to 1007.9 hPa as torrential rain combined with 48 knot winds and foam crested nine metre seas turned the delivery trip into a test of personal survival.

A full scale search was launched by the crew of the AGL Action Rescue helicopter at 12-30pm.

But the wild weather almost made it impossible for the crew to make a definite sighting of the yacht as the sea below foamed and frothed like a giant washing machine.

'It was incredibly bad weather out there, with large seas'. Senior aircrew officer Jeremy Cutelli said.

'We were half a mile from their position and unable to see them until a flare was fired' he added

A Noosa Coast Guard crew who safely navigated a passage over the notoriously rough Noosa River bar also went to the aid of the damaged sloop.

However they too had trouble in locating the yacht which was later sighted by the AGL Action Rescue crew then towed to anchor under the lee of Noosa Heads National Park.

This was an unfortunate outcome for owner Bruce Absolon who was the first to lodge his official entry for the Brisbane to Gladstone Race starting at 11am on Good Friday.

He was in communication with Race Director Herb Prendergast and making berthing arrangements for his champion ocean racer Ausmaid when the rescue mission was activated.

At the time Bruce Absolon and Herb Prendergast were hopeful that the wild weather conditions had washed the EPIRB from the bracket but those thoughts were dramatically changed when radio communications revealed that her three crew members and Ausmaid were in grave danger as the gales torrential rain and mountainous seas continued to torment the normally picturesque and placid Noosa north shore Teewah and Cooloola Beaches.

by Ian Grant

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