OCEAN YACHT RACE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 128, 12 March 1931, Page 2

OCEAN YACHT RACE.

A THIRD BOAT TO COMPETE. (Special to “The Guardian.”) AUCKLAND, March 11. Tt is reported that a third boat in the ocean race to ’Melbourne will he the Auckland yacht Rangi. D. Kirkcaldie, of Wellington, will he one of the crew. Rangi is a sister ship to White Heather, now owned in Wellington.

STARTINC ON SATURDAY. AUCKLAND, March 11. A race across the Tasman from Auckland to Sydney was definitely arranged to-night between the Melbourne-owned yacht Oimara and the Norwegian yacht Teddy. The third competitor, * the Auckland keeler Rangi, was not officially sanctioned by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, but it is likely that she will sail with the other boats unofficially. The race will start on Saturday afternoon. The Oimara has a 20-h.p. engine, but under the conditions of the race fuel for only 70 hours will be carried. The fact that Mr Tanibs has no engine in the Teddy will be taken into consideration by the handieappers in Melbourne. The Melbourne yacht Oimara and the Norwegian world-cruiser Teddy are both about the same length over-all—-between 40ft and 43ft, the Norwegian having more beam, but all such matters are allowed for in. the rules of the Melbourne Cruisers’ Club, of which Captain Bennell, owner of the Oimara, is a member, and under which the race would be sailed. The Oimara is ketch-rigged, 42ft over-all, 10ft Gin. beam and sft 9in draught. She is fitted with a semiDiesel oil-engine of 20 h.p., and carries a square sail for running. She was built in Mel bourne for her present owner, Mr F. J. Bennell. The Teddy, originally a Norwegian pilot boat, is 40 years old. She is cutter rigged, and has no auxiliary power. Her dimensions are 40ft over-all, 14ft beam and 7ft 3in draught. She is more of a deep-sea boat than the Oimara. but in proportion the latter carries more sail, and the match should i:e a fairlv even one.