Allan Barnett, from Allan Barnett Fishing in Bridport Tasmania, received a call to pick up an abandoned yacht, the Hollywood Boulevard, on Tuesday night, January 16. 

The yacht is a 16- metre racing yacht owned by Australian yachtsman Ray Roberts. It was returning from Hobart after competing in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race where it had placed ninth. 

It’s believed the Hollywood Boulevard struck a large sunfish, damaging its rudder. Sunfish can grow to over three metres in length. 

The accident occurred at 11am Sunday 14, 150km east of Flinders Island.

Marine Rescue Eden received the may day call from Hollywood Boulevard on Sunday. This was the second emergency call they had intercepted since December 26, 2017.

The six crew were winched to safety by helicopter and were taken to Flinders island before being flown to Latrobe Valley and Essendon.

Mr Barnett was instructed by the yacht’s insurer to tow it to the Port of Eden, the closest and safest port from the vessel.

He said he is not usually in the business of picking up abandoned craft, but was the closest fishing vessel to the Hollywood Boulevard, which was pushing north due to southerly winds. 

Mr Barnett’s fishing vessel Gale Force reached the yacht late Tuesday night, 140km south of Gabo Island. When they reached the vessel the bow was filled with water and the stern was afloat.

Due to dangerous conditions Mr Barnett decided to wait until morning to secure the vessel for transportation.

“It was too hard because the seas were sloppy,” Mr Barnett said.

The crew of the Gale Force boarded the vessel on Wednesday morning, patching the hole near the rudder and pumping out the water.

The yacht was towed into Eden at 3am Thursday morning.

The crew of the Gale Force prepared the vessel before it was lifted out by crane onto a low loader and transported to Nowra for repairs.