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The owner of a $110,000 homebuilt yacht torn from its mooring by 135km/h winds was "totally devastated" to see it dashed against the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Gavin Martin watched the TV news in shock as Lady Jasmine, the yacht his father Wally built 15 years ago, was battered against the bridge, with the metal mast slamming into the railing as cars drove past.
"I am totally devastated but what can you do? I'm just worried about the next high tide," said Martin. "There is a hole in it but we are trying to secure it with tyres underneath."
Lady Jasmine was anchored at Northcote but the mooring snapped in the high winds whipping across the Waitemata Harbour yesterday. Westhaven Marina security guard Nick Oliver watched as waves washed the yacht onto the rocks underneath the Auckland Harbour Bridge, the Coastguard helpless to secure it.
He told the Martins they could be hurt if they tried to move the boat last night and advised them to tie her up with rope.
But Martin was desperate to prop up the yacht with tyres because he feared the high tide would flood into the boat through the damaged hull.
"I was shocked to see it on the news. I can't understand what happened because it was all attached. We'll try to winch it but we need more tyres to prop it up."
