[Waverley ARS] Ham, brawn and bravery save yachties

[Brad Crowe]

Sydney Morning Herald 9-4-07
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/ham-brawn-and-bravery-save-yachties/2007/04/09/1175970998216.html

Amazing coincidence for this shows up in todays newspaper after we 
screened Tony Hancock's ham radio "mayday"episode at the club on Saturday.

I could not find any reference to him on the ACMA web site, so 
perhaps it journalist doesn't know what a real ham is?...a real ham 
would have said they were in their shack not their shed?

Ham, brawn and bravery save yachties

Bob Wilson and Mike Ross at Port Marina.
Photo: Port Macquarie News

Jano Gibson
April 9, 2007 - 4:53PM

A radio ham on a mountain and three courageous water police saved two 
sailors stranded in wild seas off Newcastle.

The operation took 19 hours in five-metre high seas and strong winds 
after the propeller shaft of Bob Wilson's 14-metre ketch, Manunda - 
sailing from Queensland to Sydney - broke off and jammed against the 
rudder, leaving the vessel stranded  nearly 200 kilometres off the coast.

Harold Ralston, 62, from Comboyne, was in his shed about 6.30am on 
Friday when his 25-year-old radio, which he bought for $50 on eBay a 
year ago, crackled with a plea from Mr Wilson.

"I heard the boat calling for Foster Tuncurry Coastal Patrol, or 
anyone who could hear him, and he couldn't get a response," Mr 
Ralston told smh.com.au today.

He said he probably picked up the signal because he's 600 metres 
above sea level, whereas coastal patrols are at sea level.

"When I responded to him, I took his particulars and at that time he 
was still trying to fix the problem.

"I said, I'll come back every hour and call you to make sure you are OK."

After eight hours, Mr Wilson and his crew mate, Mike Ross, asked Mr 
Ralston to call rescuers.

Mr Ross said his first concern was that shipping in the area should 
be aware of the crippled yacht's position.

"We were lit up like a Christmas tree but we didn't want to get run 
down by a supertanker," he said.

He and Mr Wilson were also worried that if they couldn't repair or 
secure the broken propellor drive shaft it might disintegrate, 
causing water to flood into the boat.

Senior Constable Gavin Herbert and two crew from the Newcastle Water 
Police set out in the 17-metre police launch Intrepid just after 2pm 
for the gruelling voyage out to the stricken yacht.

"In layman's terms, [it was] horrible," Mr Herbert said. "We had up 
to five-metre seas, 30-plus-knot southerly winds and at times 
torrential rain. We were beam on the whole 100 miles out, which means 
being hit from the side by the swell. [It was] uncomfortable.

"I have seen worse, but we were put on an angle of greater than 30 to 
35 degrees on three occasions."

"We reached the boat about 10pm. It was pitch black and it was 
howling [but] the rain had stopped."

As the Manunda and the Intrepid seesawed on the heavy swells, a rope 
was tied between the two vessels and the Intrepid began towing the 
Manunda towards Port Macquarie.

The tow rope broke at least six times, forcing the two crews to 
repeatedly undertake the difficult and dangerous reconnection process 
throughout the night.

It was not until about 9am that the Manunda finally docked in Port Macquarie.

"It was very frustrating, very exhausting, but it's what you expect 
when you're in the Water Police," Mr Herbert said.

Mr Wilson, an experienced mariner who has sailed one and a half times 
around the world, told smh.com.au he would be recommending the Water 
Police crew for bravery awards.

He also wants to thank Mr Ralston for his efforts.

"I've got to meet this man, mate. Sitting up on the mountain with the 
best radio signal on the coast ... I'm going to shake his hand very solidly."

Had it not been for Mr Ralston's keen ears, Mr Wilson and Mr Ross 
could still be drifting helplessly in the Pacific, he said.

"The ultimate situation [was] we had enough water for 140 days, 
enough food for about 60. We would be a lot slimmer I suppose and we 
would probably have washed up on NZ."