A Gofundme campaign has launched to help remove a yacht that beached in Byron Bay over a week ago.
The boat floated ashore after heavy weather.
Skipper and owner Jeff Sutton told The Echo that efforts so far to get another boat to tow him back to sea have been unsuccessful.
The Gofundme campaign reads, “On the 2nd of May, Jeff Sutton was on his way back to his boat, when he received the photo and call from police saying his yacht Wyuna 1, was on the beach!”
“Jeff urgently needs funds to dig the keel out with a bobcat, put her on her side, spin her 180 bow out and skulldrag her off with a tug boat and tow her to safety. The State Government has given him until 9am Monday to have a solid proposal of salvage or they give him a 20k fine! He has sourced a salvage guy in Ballina, just now needs the funds!
“Back story – Jeff was passing Byron in a bit of heavy weather, heading for his final destination on a three and a half year journey, with only 40nm to go (Southport) when the boom broke. He had to find an anchorage to make repairs. He set up the anchor with a shock absorbing snubber, rowed ashore to get parts and make up a collar to fix the boom. While he was ashore the snubber broke, then the anchor winch was torn out of the deck, and the remaining chain paid out, then ripped the bitter end securing bolt out of the bulkhead… She drifted off in the early hours to later get washed up on the beach on May 2nd.
“Jeff was away from the boat for two days getting and fabricating what he needed. When he returned the swell had swung more to the north and couldn’t row back out there on his tinny because of the swell. By the time he organised a lift out with a trawler for that day, he received the photo and call from police saying his yacht Wyuna 1, was on the beach!
“Jeff is a super nice guy, you can tell by the way he addressed the community via his social media post, offering apologies to the community and giving gratitude to all the good energy folk. Jeff’s family were original settlers in Murwillumbah, Mount Warning is there father figure, and he is heading to see his elderly father is in a nursing home in Kingscliff. He hasn’t seen his father in 4 years and his father doesn’t have long to go due to cancer.. “ive been desperately trying to make it in time to see him..but I cant leave the boat now”
“Jeff’s birthday is on the 19th of May – lets show him some Byron love and gift him the funds he needs to float Wyuna 1 back to clear waters, to see his dad and give him a well deserved birthday!”
To help Jeff visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/wyuna-1-beached-at-belongil-lets-get-her-floating-again?cdn-cache=0
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