SUCCESSFUL SKIPPER IN "HOT" CLASS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUCCESSFUL SKIPPER IN "HOT" CLASS

FROM a square-bilge, cruiser type of boat the 18-footers of tlio V class have developed in tlio past ton years into the keenest racing class on the Waitemata. To "get the gun" six times out of twelve starts in the past season is the record of S. Webb. owner-skipper of the IS-footer Kiatere (hurry up). His principal win was the Watson liay trophy in the Tamaki Club. When four Auckland IS-footers went to Sydney in 1935, to be decisively beaten, a few owners in the class here decided to get new boats in readiness for the premised return visit of the Australian eighteens. The new boats were all of the round bilge type, and with the limit imposed on working sails of 400 square feet. they outsailed most of the existing boats in tlio class. The story of the visit of the Sydney boats is well known. From the public point of view, also in .the opinion of most of the Sydney men who came over, Jeanette was the best boat in the contest and was unofficially the winner of the cup. To show how the class lias improved in two years, Jeanette is now on a handicap varying from four to six minutes. Certainly she lia* i o her new owners are keen, experienced yachtsmen Like ™ an , d . S ' but ; Bra ' h "" " ,ebb d » c ™ dit «. who h»v o for the past seven years, first in the 14-footer Bungaree and law 16-footer Mahana, with which he held the ehampionshin forW. Todd is for'ard hand, E. Scott mainsheet maS ™ Lockand"K completing the crew. All are Devonport boys. Kiatere's nwrmt f Captain G. Webb, one of the skippers of the Devonport Ferry Companv^^ is following in his father's steps, as he holds a coastal rcrtifirate Lrf - 6 now sitting for a deep-water tickct. Yachtsmen wish him ~ood luck inV® chosen profession. ° in " ls