A boy, his father and grandfather were rescued unharmed from a launch after it ran onto rocks in Breaksea Sound in Fiordland on Saturday night.
A distress beacon was activated about 10.30pm after the 10 metre launch, Matakana, got into difficulty in atrocious weather.
The Rescue Co-ordination Centre said it was fortunate another vessel, the Pembroke, was in the area and sent an inflatable to rescue the trio, because the terrible weather meant a helicopter could not mount a rescue mission.
The Matakana was found on a beach in Breaksea Sound on Sunday morning and an attempt will be made to refloat it if the weather allows.
