A $150,000 boat has escaped shipwreck in an Australia Day adventure gone wrong after it ran out of fuel.
An urgent call to Marine Rescue NSW crews on the Central Coast revealed the 6.3-metre 'Bar Crusher' was in distress at Brisbane Water on Friday afternoon.
"A Mayday call came from the skipper of the vessel with four people on board, advising the craft was being drawn towards the rocks east of Box Head," a Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson said.
The Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson said the boat - worth an estimated $150,000 - had run out of fuel.
A team was immediately dispatched from Point Clare to help and reached the vessel within 25 minutes.
When the crew entered Broken Bay, conditions at the bar were "nasty", with a strong south westerly blowing and seas between two and three metres high.
Marine Rescue NSW Central Coast volunteers attached a line and towed the board towards Lion Island and waited with it for the Hawkesbury crew to pick it up and take it back to the Parsley Bay boat ramp.
The spokesperson said the boat "nearly became the latest shipwreck at Brisbane Water", but tragedy was avoided.
Central Coast crews were also called out to an unusual rescue of a father and his two kids in a canoe.
The three had ventured out to explore Waterfall Bay but got caught out by a change in conditions.
"Unfortunately, the wind picked up, preventing paddle power from adequately pushing the trio of adventurers to return to Woy Woy Bay," the Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson said.
Crews towed the trio to safety.
Separately, Marine Rescue NSW jet skis were tasked to assist a yacht that had run aground on the western side of Hubert Island.
"The skipper got his crew to make up a bridle that could be attached to the two rear winches of the yacht and then attach that to the towline to pull the yacht out backwards," the spokesperson said.
The yacht was successfully dragged into deeper water.
Marine Rescue NSW crews have urged all boaters to check before leaving home that they had a full tank of fuel and extra if needed, lots of drinking water, sun safety gear and lifejackets.
Everyone should log on and off with Marine Rescue NSW via the app or on VHF channel 16.
Marine Rescue NSW is looking for Central Coast volunteers and will hold information evenings on February 8 and 10.
Contact the Point Clare base on 4337 9600 or visit its Facebook page.
