Shortly after 1:30 in the afternoon, the Coastguard National Operations Centre picked up a distress call on VHF Channel 16 from two people aboard a catamaran in difficulty. Their anchor had failed, and the chain had wound itself around the propeller, stripping the vessel of engine power entirely. With no means of propulsion, the catamaran began drifting through the harbour toward other moored boats.
Ccoastguard Whitianga volunteers were tasked and responded promptly. Their rescue vessel, Te Morehu Rescue, came alongside the catamaran so volunteers could properly assess the situation and gauge the level of risk.
What they found was more complicated than the initial call had suggested. The anchor chain was not only fouled around the propeller but had also become entangled around a nearby mooring. The catamaran's crew had already deployed a second anchor from the bow, which had stopped the vessel from drifting further and brought it to a stable position. The most urgent danger had passed, but the picture remained far from straightforward, with anchoring compromised and the engine still unavailable.
Volunteers talked through the risks with the two people on board, including what might happen if the second anchor were to fail or conditions worsened. Having weighed those possibilities, both crew members decided they wanted to stay with the vessel.
With the catamaran holding position and no immediate threat to it or the surrounding boats, Te Morehu Rescue returned to shore at around 3:00pm.
The incident is a useful reminder of how quickly a fouled anchor chain or entangled running gear can escalate, particularly in a busy harbour. Coastguard continues to encourage boaties to maintain reliable ground tackle, keep propellers and shafts clear of obstructions, and monitor Channel 16 at all times when on the water.
