Navy helicopter forces yacht out of Royal Hobart Regatta race

9:34 AM Mon 14 Feb 2011 GMT

'Granny Apple recovers from the broach and knockdown after being hit by the helicopter downdraft - Royal Hobart Regatta' Peter Campbell &copy Click Here to view large photo

Royal Hobart Regatta - The downdraft from a Navy Seahawk helicopter contributed to the yacht Granny Apple missing a vital mark of the course and being ruled a non-finisher in yesterdays 173rd Royal Hobart Regatta yacht race on the River Derwent. The Seahawk was demonstrating a low level sea rescue operation between the Regatta Grounds and the Flagship HMAS Ballarat as yachts sailed past, under spinnaker, towards the leeward mark just south of the Tasman Bridge. With her spinnaker hit by a strong wind gust churned out by the helicopter, Granny Apple, skippered by Alan Warren, broached ...

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by Peter Campbell