Waihi Beach Coastguard is helping to secure a 40foot launch broken free from its moorings in high winds at Tanners Point today.

The launch Sol3 was seen adrift in the northern part of the Tauranga Harbour near Katikati about lunch time as gales reach 87km/h in parts.

Waihi Beach Coastguard volunteers working to secure the launch Sol3 at Tanners Point in Katikati after it came adrift in strong winds.

Greg Orr of Fulton Hogan, who is working on the re-construction of a seawall at Tanners Point, told SunLive he saw the boat drifting along at speed in strong winds, which lifted the spray off the water.

'Two men in a small dinghy who were going out to another boat chased it and got on board, but they couldn't figure out how to get the anchor down,” says Greg.

Greg Orr of Fulton Hogan watched efforts to rescue Sol3, partly obscured behind the black boat No Names.

He phoned the harbourmaster as he saw the event unfold, but the boat had already been spotted by volunteer harbour warden Noel Haszard.

Noel, and neighbour Graham Fisher, launched his boat Valium and managed to get out to secure Sol3. But the pair were unable to tow Sol3 back to its mooring, so Noel called coastguard for assistance.

It is believed the boat may have collided with another moored in the channel before being rescued.