Polynesian wooden twin-hull Ruawaka was only days away from liberation when it slipped its mooring of the past 20 years on Monday for a jaunt across Lake Wakatipu.
The 20m vessel triggered a rescue operation involving Queenstown’s coastguard and harbourmaster, who managed to corral it to shore at Kelvin Grove, where it remains tethered to a bench seat by its anchor chain.
Fortunately, the rescue was completed before a moderate northerly swung wildly into a 60kmh southerly gale, whipping up the lake by mid-afternoon.
Built to a design by British catamaran guru James Wharram, Ruawaka was bought by Switzerland-based couple Claire and Fred Uytterbroeck after its owner-builder, former Queenstown resident Stu Rolph, put it up for sale earlier this year.
Ms Uytterbroeck said she did not know whether the incident was good news or bad news.
"It could’ve happened any time ... it’s been there for so long, and it happens now."
Coastguard Queenstown skipper Anthony Hill, who led the on-water rescue operation, said someone had helpfully tethered a line on the vessel by the time he caught up with it.
With the help of other boaties, he managed to guide the catamaran to shore at Kelvin Grove by noon.
He suspected higher lake levels could have led to the mooring failure.
Ms Uytterbroeck said the timing of the incident could not have been more ironic, as her husband was due to get the catamaran moved to Dunedin this week.
The couple, both secondary school teachers, would leave the vessel in Dunedin for a few months, then would come over and fix it up before taking it sailing around the world.
By Matthew Littlewood and Matt Porter
