Ino, steamer, went ashore on the seaward side of the sandspit when attempting to enter Fortrose at the mouth of the Mataura River, on March 4, 1886 and became a total wreck. Efforts were made to haul the vessel off, but the sea was too rough. It broke over her continually, partly filling her, and damaging both her and the cargo. Some of the bottom planks were also started, and the water flowed in and out of her hull. A second attempt at refloating was made on March 5, but without effect. The Ino was carried further up the spit and soon commenced to break up. The steamer, which was insured for 500 gbpounds, was abandoned to the underwriters. The hull, machinery and fittings of the vessel were submitted for auction on March 11, but failed to elicit a bid.The Ino, No. 40,385, was a wooden, twin-screw steamer of 47 tons gross and 32 tons register, built at Hokitika in April 1874, by James Gray and George Ross, and her dimensions were; length 84ft, beam 12.8ft, depth 7ft. Captain John Mason commanded the steamer. The Court of Inquiry found that the casualty was caused by there being insufficient water on the bar. The Ino was thought to be totally wrecked at Kakanui on September 19, 1878. Giving evidence at the Court of Inquiry, the harbour-master stated that the steamer hove out from the pier, a line being run to the wharf to cant her round. When steaming ahead her anchor fouled a rope from the ketch Prince Rupert to the south of the pier. The steamer was stopped and her anchor was raised to clear the rope. The Ino then steamed ahead again, and in doing so her check rope either fowled or was not let go in time, which brought the vessels head towards the south pier. Three blind rollers struck the steamer and canted her athwart the pier, the sharp end of which cut her from covering board to bilge. However, she was later recovered, repaired and lengthened, and re-registered. On July 10, 1883, the Ino sustained damage when she stranded inside the bar at the Catlins River. With her starboard propeller carried away and her feed pump broken, the steamer ran into the Catlins River, where she was driven onto the rocks through the port propeller fouling with kelp. After part of her cargo of timber had been jettisoned, the Ino was refloated. She also sustained some damage when she stranded at Waikawa Bay on July 18, 1885. The Ino was commanded by Captain Peter Andrew Lyders when she experienced the last two mishaps.
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