A contractor appointed by the insurers of the stranded trimaran Hummingbird will assess the yacht today.

Hummingbird was beached at the mouth of Hunter's Creek on Wednesday after she began taking on water.

Hummingbird's future is grim.

Her rudder struck ground, wrenching out the gudgeons and creating holes in the transom.

No-one was injured. Two people onboard at the time were picked up from their dinghy by the harbourmaster's boat Taniwha, which was in the area at the time.