BOWLING ALONG.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 70, 24 March 1931, Page 8

BOWLING ALONG.

OIMARA SEEN BY MARAMA.

CREW'S HAKA ON DECK.

NO SIGN OF COMPETITORS

Flying the signal "U.R.Z.," which, in the international code, means "Report me all well," the yawl Oimara was on Saturday evening sighted 369 miles from Sydney by the Union Company's .Marama, which, arrived at Auckland this morning. When the Melbourne yacht was sighted by Mr. Seipen, chief officer of the Marama, ahe was about three miles to the north of the regular track followed by the Sydney-Auckland learners. She was carrying doublereefed mainsail and staysail, and was howling along through a moderate, l-ather choppy sea. From the steamer's point of view there was a "fresh northerly breeze," and Mr. Seipen remarked, "You can imagine what it was i'or a yacht the size of the Oimara." Cheering Passengers. When Captain T. Sewell was called he altered his course to pass within a hundred yards or so of the tiny craft —or so she looked from the deck of the intercolonial steamer—and acknowledged the Mgnal the yacht was flying. |He also \\ i*hed to ask if they had seen anything of the Teddy and the Rangi, but the Mnrama's passengers, who lined the mil, were cheering the yacht so loudly, that it was impossible to hail her. Judging from the smiles on the faces nf the Oimara's crew, and the impromptu Maori hakas some of them attempted on the rolling and very circumscribed deck—which is almost wholly occupied by her high cabin-top—they were in the best of spirits. The breeze blowing was a leading wind for the yacht heading for Sydney harbour, and the fact that it was quite as much as she could deal with was shown by the way she was reefed down.

As the big steamer turned away again on her course the passengers gave three cheers for the crew of the yacht, who acknowledged the good wishes and waved farewell. Oimara Makes Good Progress. TijS yacWs left Auckland on March ] l, aacl wez« -oofc h&ad"<* a £ ain aftpr *be next .day, the

Oimara at 11.15 a.m., and the Teddy and Bangi four hours' later. Under the conditions of the race the Oimara, the only one with auxiliary power, was permitted to use her engine for 70 hours, and it is pretty obvious from the progress she has made that ehe availed herself of it to the full Of course, she will be handicapped for using her engine, but the exact handicap is not known in Auckland, the matter being in the hands of the yacht club officials in Melbourne, to which the Oimara belongs. Yachtsmen in Auckland think that she will have to allow the Teddy and the Rangi about three days. Easily Missed. It is not singular that neither the Teddy nor the Rangi has been sighted in the long run across the Tasman, as it would require very little change in the wind to take them far enough either north or south of the route usually followed by the steamers. From the bridge of a vessel like the Marama the range of vision would be aboiit seven miles on either side, and a deviation of fourteen miles or so from a direct course would be nothing for boats depending purely on their sails. At the time the Marama sighted the Oimara the visibility was poor.

If the Oimara continued to make the same progress, she should arrive in Sydney to-day.