YACHTING Witchcraft, One-Up, Beats Big Field

Press, Volume C, Issue 29402, 3 January 1961, Page 15

YACHTING Witchcraft, One-Up, Beats Big Field

A fleet of 34 yachts raced at Charteris Bay in harbour events yesterday. The major race was an allcomers event which was won easily by the catamaran Witchcraft, sailed singlehanded by R. B. Neale. Although unable to set a kite on the runs, Neale made up his ground by streaking ahead on the wind, and in the latter stages of the race had no opposition to be first home and take the prize on handicap also. There were two impressive performances. One was by the new 12ft kittycat Cheetah, built and sailed one-up by B. Galilee and out for its third sail, having been launched during Christmas week. The finish of this craft was fully endorsed by its speed and under similar or slightly improved handling it should be able .io head off most catamarans of its size in Canterbury. Galilee, like his Charteris Bay clubmate, Neale, was not able to set a spinaker, but nevertheless was the only craft within striking distance of the winner at the finish. Hylite Best Cherub The other performance of note was given by the Junior Cherub boat Hylite (E. Mace), which withdrew early in the class championship last month but a week or so later was challenging the championship winner (equal) in club racing. Yesterday Hylite easily beat the other Junior Cherub entries and supported previously expressed views that it is destined to ’be one of the top class boats in Canterbury. Hylite was fourth home and beat two R Class entries which, on design and size, should have finished in front

A particularly good performance was given by the Charteris Bay skimmer Vaila, skippered by J. Hurst This yacht was one of the leaders in the early stages of the race and although the quality of handling did not dwindle the competition was too tough for the craft to keep up on the last leg. The course was about five miles and sailed in two triangles in a fresh north-west ■ breeze. The prize was a pennant presented by the Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club, several of whose members, mainly in Takapunas. crossed the harbour for the event. The fleet was-the biggest seen on the south side of the harbour this season apart from opening day. Finestra Shows Up The only boat from Erskine Point to show up was the Z Class craft Finestra, sailed by W. Parratt. This yacht was run-ner-up in the Port Lyttelton representation trials for the Cornwell Cup. On handicap, Finestra was third, ahead of the 18ft mullet Sabrina. One yachtsman could consider himself unlucky. He was O.

Barron, who sailed the scratch boat, the Olympic Finn Griffin, into third place, but whose finish time of 41min 21sec was not good enough to overcome the other handicaps to give him a top place. Under the conditions, and considering that on the runs Barron had only one sail up compared with three for some of the others, Griflin did exceedingly well.

Results, showing handicaps and corrected times, were as follows:

Witchcraft (R. B. Neale), 3min, 32.47, 1; Cheetah (B. Galilee), smin, 33.51. 2: Finestra (W. Parratt), 15min, 35.32, 3; Sabrina (O. Sage), lOmin, 37.29, 4: Hylite (E Mace), 3min, 39.22, 5; Vaila (J. Hurst), 3min, 38.42, 6.