Damn a torpedo, I want a batphone

A torpedo firing unit that sold for more than $600 and a red emergency "batphone" were among the thousands of fittings in the process of being sold online before the HMNZS Wellington is sunk off Wellington's south coast as a dive attraction.

Norm Greenall, who supervised the stripping of the ship, said 26,000 hits had been received on the TradeMe page advertising the funnel.

Bids for the enormous two-storey high, 5m-wide funnel missed the $5451 reserve price by only $1, but the organisers were very confident that one of the top bidders would purchase it.

The funnel was not the only item punters were interested in.

Some wanted to know if there were any sailors for sale, if there was any live ammunition available and how much beer would be able to fit in the funnel if it was bought for a stag do?

Other potential bidders asked how much it would cost to "post" the funnel to Nelson and whether the ship's engine would fit inside a mini motorcar?

The frigate, which was bought from the Navy for $1, is being sunk by the Sink F69 Charitable Trust.

Chairman Marco Zeeman said profits from the sales of the fittings, which would continue for several months, would help pay back the Wellington City Council which had underwritten some costs.

He said that any money left from the auction would be given to charities.

- NZPA