Yacht hits reef in sailing race

The 16-metre yacht hits a reef off hte NSW coast. Photo / Thinkstock

Sailors competing in a Sydney to Hobart warm-up race have been rescued after their yacht hit a reef off the NSW coast.

The 16-metre Sailors with Disabilities vessel Wot Eva, with 14 disabled and able-bodied crewmen onboard, hit Bellambi Reef northeast of Wollongong in pitch darkness, about 3.45am (AEDT) on Saturday morning.

The accident happened about 10 kilometres north of the spot where 25-metre maxi, Shockwave, crashed during the same race in 2009, claiming the lives of Sydney-based sailors Andrew Short and Sally Gordon.

Wot Eva's crew, skippered by experienced ocean racer David Pescud, sent a mayday call alerting police and other emergency services they were in trouble.

"(Mr Pescud) said they ran aground on Bellambi Reef. They've recovered and floated the vessel off the reef," a Sailors with Disabilities spokeswoman told AAP.

"All the crew are well and they've performed extremely well under very difficult circumstances."

All the crew were brought ashore without injury.

Wot Eva, which was badly damaged during the accident, had left Sydney Harbour on Friday evening to take part in the annual Sydney to Flinders Islet race.

The race is used by skippers as a warm-up for the December 26 Sydney-Hobart event. It is believed Mr Pescud was in the process of selecting his crew.

- AAP