THE INTERCOLONIAL YACHT RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 6, 9 January 1899, Page 2

THE INTERCOLONIAL YACHT RACE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In reference to your report of I the Intercolonial Yacht Race, which ! appeared in your issue of the sth inst., j I should like to point out that the I committee's decision regarding our ! protest being too ate is accepted by us freely, but i shor.ld like to draw their attention to the fact that their decision regarding a further matter was an unfair one, as the Laurel, the Waitekauri. . nd three of the other boats were hanging on to marks after the first srun was fired. This is distinctly against the rules under which we sailed, for the Y.R.A. Rule No. 20 states clearly that although a yacht may anchor during a race, she must weigh her anchor again and not r-.lip, and that 'no yacht shall during a race make fast to any buoy, stage, pier, or. other object,' and as the Laurel, Waitekauri, Alma, and others certainly did hang on after the gun fired they therefore broke this rule, and should have been disqualified. If the committee had given me an opportunity, I could have easily proved that the above yachts broke this rule, as four of the yachts competing in the race and several of tic onlookers, including the timekeeper, will bear evidence to this effect, x make this protest not so much to gain a iresh inquiry as to show the unfairness of the committee in shelving the protest. If intercolonial yacht racing is to carried on successfully, there must be no favour shown; such an important race should be carried on in that spirit of fairness which is characteristic of British yachtsmen. Had ' the matter been referred to the Y.R.* Association I am quite sure the yachts I mentioned would have been disqualified, some of them on their owu ac- , knowledgmeat. If this manifestly unfair decision is still upheld,: it is quite certain that the North Shore Sailing Club will get very few competitors in future races.—l am, etc.,

ROBERT LOGAN, Jun