Mystery boat 'drifted 3000km'

By TONY GEE

Far North police believe a catamaran with no one on board may have drifted more than 3000km across the Tasman to wash ashore on 90 Mile Beach after it was reported to have sunk off New South Wales last Christmas.

The 8m fibreglass catamaran, with two powerful outboard motors attached and an Australian registration number on its side but no name, was sighted on Saturday as it drifted upside down towards shore at the northern end of 90 Mile Beach.

Local people got a line to the boat and pulled it through the surf just south of Motupia Island.

It was towed up the beach and now lies between sand dunes and the edge of the Aupouri Forest.

Constable Chris Yarnton, sole-charge officer at the country's northernmost police station at Houhora, said yesterday that Melbourne police had told him the catamaran appeared to be the one that overturned with people on board off Bermagui, 375km south of Sydney, on May 24.

The four or five crew had backed up to retrieve a marlin they had hooked but they were swamped by a wave, the boat capsized and they ended up clinging to the hull. All were rescued.

But a search by the Water Police could not find any trace of the A$150,000 ($170,000) boat and it was presumed to have sunk.

"It must have floated off in the current," said Mr Yarnton.

No lifejackets were found on board when it came ashore in the Far North, he said.

Debris included a hatch cover above the small hold and Australian-brand soft-drink bottles.

Most of the catamaran's superstructure was torn off as it came through the surf onto the beach, and Mr Yarnton said its name might have been on the lost parts.

Inquiries about the boat with Australian marine safety authorities had drawn a blank.

"They said nothing has been reported missing, and nor were any people missing in recent months."

The likely owner of the boat appears to be the insurance company. The crew claimed insurance on the boat after it went missing.

Registration of boats is compulsory across the Tasman. Police tracked the identity of the former owner of the catamaran through serial numbers on the Yamaha 225hp outboard motors.

The motors were sold new to the man in Melbourne last year, but as of yesterday police there had been unable to locate the man.

Mr Yarnton said it seemed the catamaran had surfaced somewhere and then drifted across the Tasman from the Australian east coast.

"It was amazing it stayed afloat with those two heavy engines on it. They weigh a quarter of a tonne each."

Yamaha agents had said the outboards would have been worth $34,000 each.

They are now in secure police custody after both initially went missing from the boat when it was hauled ashore by locals.

Police retrieved the motors from an address north of Houhora.

Mr Yarnton said there was a lot of marine growth on the vessel, suggesting it had been in the water for a long time.

"If we can find and talk to an owner, that should unravel the mystery."

He said Melbourne police would continue their inquiries.