This week's whipping winds has claimed a 30 foot pleasure craft as its victim.

A WellCraft boat moored just off Harbour Road was tossed around in heavy winds Sunday night.

Ultimately the boat met its undoing when a gust threw it onto the rocks and shattered the vessel into two parts.

It's a complete loss.

The owner would not agree to be interviewed.

"Harbour Road is a really exposed area, it catches all the bad weather," said Dennis Owen from Atlantic Moorings who assisted in the salvage effort.

"You get very strong north-easterly winds. Anyone with a mooring in that area should know it's a summertime mooring.

"A lot of boats break off in the wintertime.

"It's up to the boat owner to check their mooring."

A similar problem battered boats in Bailey's Bay and along the north shore.

But the damage there was not nearly as extensive as the devastating blow to the 30 footer on the outskirts of Hamilton Harbour.

During the salvage effort people moving through the area could see the boat's hull suspended in a harness.

It looked like the top half of the vessel had been sheared off with a giant electrical saw.

Fortunately the boat was insured, according to one of the men on the salvage crew. He did not know the boat's value.

Mr. Owen provided a further tip for other boat owners.

"A summer mooring is a mooring that's convenient for you, but in the winter you don't want your boat there because exactly as happened today you can get a winter storm come through."

He also said he would not keep his own boat in that area during the winter months.