YACHTING R CLASS SKIPPERS BOYCOTT ESTUARY

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29739, 5 February 1962, Page 15

YACHTING R CLASS SKIPPERS BOYCOTT ESTUARY

Sixty-three boats raced in class championships on the Estuary yesterday afternoon. The second event of the season to count for pennants to be awarded in April, the occasion was notable for the absence of many familiar boats. Absenteeism was most notable in the R Class, whose representatives were outnumbered by both catamarans and Olympic Finns.

Some R Class skippers are boycotting races sailed on the Estuary. Their attitude is based on anxiety over possible damage to their boats whose deep centreplates may strike bottom during highspeed runs.

The strongest class was once more the Taurangas—--22 of them—which were led to the finish by the Mount Pleasant Tauranga Cup representative, C. Boulton. Boulton beat last month's Canterbury representative in the New Zealand Tanner Cup series. D. Hobson (Waimakariri club) by more than two and a half minutes. Another Mount Pleasant skipper who did well was B. de Thier who finished only Imin 44sec behind P. G. Man. der (Christchurch club), an excellent performance considering the fresh weather and the weight advantage of the dedoubtable Mander. Results were:—

R Class. Frenzy (G. S Mander and A M. Holland, Canterbury club). 4:39:51. 1; Fresco < B. E. Treleaven and M E. Seiwood. Christchurch), 4:43:5, 2; Vision (A. W. Shields Canterbury). 4:47:4, 3. Finns.-—Fintahi < P. G Mander. Christchurch), 4:50:41. 1; Selena (D. Nixon, Pleasant Point). 4:51:58. 2: FinnSarby (B de Thier. Mount Pleasant). 4:52:25. 3; Finito (A. F. Burgess. Pleasant Point). 4:53:45. 4; Loafin’ (P. F Pritchett. C'harteris Bay). 4:55:7, 5.

Open Catamarans.—Neptune (R. Frost and N. Vincent. (Pleasant Point). 4:33:0. 1; Trio (L. Nicholls and R. Rusbridge. Mount Pleasant). 4:39:30. 2: Felix <J. Knight Pleasant Point), 4:46:35. 3.

12ft Catamarans.—Pudy Tat (T. Rolton and Miss A. Rolton. Pleasant Point). 4:55:14, 1. Junior Cherubs. —Bali Hai (A. F. Raper and P. J. Brittenden. Mount Pleasant). 5:2:58, 1; Invicta (C. and D. Ineson, Christchurch): 5:7:18. 2.

P. Class.—Skip <C. Boulton. Mount Pleasant). 4:55:22. 1; Flee (D. Hobson, Waimakariri), 4:58:2, 2: Conquest (M. Agnew, Stewarts Gully). 5:0:15. 3; Revenge (E. Agnew, Mount Pleasant), 5:2:23. 4.