Two Southern Cross Sea Scout cutters overturned in boisterous conditions on Tauranga harbour on Sunday, with one requiring assistance from the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard.

Pilot Bay.

'It's not an infrequent occurrence,” says group leader Terry Bailey.

The 6m cutters were sailing off the wharves about midday. The crew of one boat managed to right themselves, but the other boat was having difficulty doing so in the wind against tide conditions.

Tauranga Coastguard gave the boat a tow into shallow water in Pilot Bay where the crew of three adults and two children righted it, bailed it, and sailed on.