A NAVIGATIONAL error which grounded a 65ft luxury yacht on rocks off St Sampson’s Harbour yesterday afternoon has been branded as sheer stupidity. Thousands of pounds’-worth of damage was caused to Never Say Never when it ploughed into the south-east Platte reef at 15 knots at around 1pm.

Half-an-hour before the collision, the million-pound vessel, which was bound for Weymouth, had taken on six tons of diesel in St Peter Port.

The hull was damaged across the length of the keel and a ruptured fuel tank led to considerable amounts of fuel spilling into the sea.

Onlookers described how a large area of water surrounding the boat appeared to be purple.

Owner Mervyn Stewkesbury was on board with his crew, although it is unclear who was in command when it grounded.

It appears that the boat strayed out of clear water and was too close to shore in a move that harbour master Captain Peter Gill called ‘sheer stupidity’.

Mr Stewkesbury, a former speedway promoter, said he could not explain how the vessel had come to be in that position.

It ran aground on a near perfect horizontal plane but incurred considerable damage.

As well as holes in the hull, the propellers were badly damaged and the shafts bent upwards.

It is believed that the gear boxes were also destroyed as the propellers ground to an abrupt halt on impact with the rocks.

Press photographer Peter Frankland, who arrived at the scene by boat at low tide, said the strong southerly current had already spread the diesel slick at least a quarter of a mile.

‘There was a very strong smell of diesel in the air.’

When he and his father, John, a leading authority on local navigation, reached the stricken yacht a number of men were already working on salvaging it.

‘Marine engineer Buzz White was already onboard and a team from the Sarnia workboat was approaching.’

The vessel refloated at 4pm, but was not moved until 6.

It was towed into St Sampson’s Harbour by Mr White’s boat, Access Challenger, and the Sarnia, and lifted out of the water on the Marine & General boat hoist.

The yard’s managing director, David Norman, said they had to lift the vessel half over the quay while they continued to drain fuel and water from the damaged hull.

Late last night it was laid up in the corner of the North Side yard where the damage will be properly surveyed.

BLOB

Never Say Never, a regular visitor to the island, has spent the last two months moored on the East Arm in the QEII Marina.

It has stayed for a similar length of time each summer for a number of years.

Mr Stewkesbury bought the hull in 1991 after it had been put up for sale.

He said that four similar ones had been ordered for the Arabian Navy but the deal had fallen through halfway through the building programme.

He fitted out the 65ft vessel and now bases it in Weymouth.