GOOD SETTING SAILS HALF THE BATTLE IN WINNING RACES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 65, 17 March 1945, Page 20

GOOD SETTING SAILS HALF THE BATTLE IN WINNING RACES

YACHTING

OEVEN minutes dead separated Marahi and Maroro at the finish 6f the M class race at the Northcote and Birkenhead Yacht Club's Regatta at Northcote last Saturday. Marahi took the lead early, and despite a patchy and unreliable breeze, interspersed with exasperating flat calms, she sailed well all the way and finished first. Maroro was sailed on Saturday by Ron Gurr, who is usually for'ard hand. He was taking the place of R. L. Stewart, who was sailing-Mararoa. It is significant that Mararoa, which finished third on Saturday, 24s after Maroro, has not come anywhere near that position before. ■ She also gained second place on corrected time. * * * * Like most of the other events, the V class race was rather uninteresting under the prevailing weather conditions. However, it was featured by Kaitere's victory over Matara, which has finished first in most of the previous V class Saturday races. Kaitere's win was a fairly decisive one, as she came home 2m 22s ahead of Matara, with Jeanette third, 4m 14s after the second boat. Kaitere seems to find the light weather to her liking, but she is certainly no sloth in heavy going. * * * * Spectators on the flagship- last Saturday were treated to a rare- close- j up view of the boats, as most of them ! finished with mere inches to spare from the bowsprit of the big scow. Sails could be compared, and there was no doubt about the superb cut of the sails of the first three V class boats, Matara's especially. The letter's perfect-setting working sails and huge mitre-cut masthead spinnaker were made by the famous British firm of Ratsey and Lapthorne. Many yachtsmen were heard to say that Matara's sail were the best seen on the harbour for many seasons. Kaitere also has a new mainsail which sets well, and Jeanette's canvas has always been the subject of favourable comment. These facts, j coupled with the performances of, the three, seem to indicate that rightsetting sails are half the battle in winning races, especially in such keen contests as the V class events. * * * * Two V class boats which have shown improving performances since ; their debut at the beginning of the season are Celeste and Vindex. The former, owned by Des Burrows, is a typical V class type, with easy lines and tall rig. She sails well, especially off the wind. K. Atkinson's Vindex has the slack bilges and extremely fine for'ard lines of the Australian eighteen-footers, and she seems to be at her best in light or moderate weather. In that type of air, she should prove worthy opposition later in the season. * * * * The X class race was not as good as usual, the only outstanding feature being the excellent handicapping by Mr. W. Matthews, of the Northcote and Birkenhead Yacht Club. On corrected times, Tassie and Clyde, first and second respectively, were separated by only one second, while there was a difference of only 18s between Clyde and Dayina, which finished first and came third on corrected times. The first five boats were separated by only 28s, and the first six b £ L - * , * Prefect had a clear win in the Y class, finishing first and gaining the decision on corrected time. She was well away from the rest of the fleet about half-way round the course, and held a big lead over Oreti right to the finishing line. Demon was third home. Demon's performances have been remarkably consistent during the season, as she has rarely finished further back than third or fourth place. This record is all the more creditable in view of the fact that she is at least twice as old as the boats, mostly skimmers, which have been beating her in.

The question has arisen in the minds of many yachtsmen who follow the Y class as to whether, in the light of the old Demon's performances against the skimmers, a new craft conforming to the orthodox type of Y class would not beat the flat-bowed boats. Probably every new boat in the Y class during the last three or four years has been of the skimmer type, and these boats are now competing against orthodox craft which have been raced hard in the class for many seasons. Young Harry Gray sailed Treasure well last Saturday to bring her home in first place for the first time since she was purchased from Billy Rogers. He seems to be getting accustomed to> the boat and should be capable of at least equalling his performances of last year with Swish in the Z class.