Yachting Appeal Mars First 18-Footer Heat

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30059, 18 February 1963, Page 15

Yachting Appeal Mars First 18-Footer Heat

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, February 17. At no stage in the first international 18footer yachting race on the Waitemata today did Schemer, ,the Sydney boat sailed by K. Beashel, seem in danger of defeat. Schemer made a perfect start, led throughout, and eventually finished more than five minutes ahead of the second yacht, which was Joanne (P. Kean, Auckland).

Other Sydney yachts finished third, fourth and fifth, and this Australian dominance was clouded only by a protest put in by the Auckland skipper, D. E. Brooke, who finished eighth in Jezebel. Brooke claimed that after the start he saw his recall numare being held up on the start boat and, assuming he had been recalled, lost two minutes in starting again. After the race, officials denied that Brooke had been recalled and that the recall signal, if it had been put out at all, had been displayed by accident. If Brooke s appeal is upheld, it is probable that the race will be resailed. This would be unfortunate for Beashel and Schemer, for they sailed an almost faultless race.

The only time they were challenged was near the finish when Wild Goose, sailed by A. Barclay, Auckland, bore down on Schemer during a spinnaker run.

But just short of Resolution buoy, Wild Goose’s rudder gudgeon carried away and, with nothing to steer the boat, Barclay and his crew took an hour to sail half a mile to the finish.

After holding second place for most of the race, they came ninth, beating only Surprise, the Fijian entrant sailed by five New Zealand airmen, which withdrew. Surprise broke her mast soon after the start of the Invitation

race on Saturday, and started today with the mast that once belonged to Vindicator, an Auckland 18-footer of yesteryear, which is now a launch. Unfortunately, the mast and the mailsail parted company about half way through the race. The Australian policy of carrying four men proved sound on the day. Three of the Auckland boats, and the Queensland entry. Hot Toddy, found their crews of three men were needed to keep the boat upright, leaving no free hands to prepare the spinnaker.

Further races in the series will be sailed on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Joanne won the invitation race on Saturday after Jezebel, the leader for most of the contest pulled out with a broken rudder.

, Skinner winner of the 1960 18-footer contest in Surprise, finished second In his boat of last season, Black Magic. Results:—

J. J. GUtinan Trophy.—First heat with elapsed times: Schemer (K. Beashel. N.S.W.), Ibr lOmin 20sec, 1; Joanne (R. Kean, Auckland). 1:15.25, 2; San Jose (G. Hanks, N.S.W.), 1:46.41, _ The Fox (H. Treharne, N.S W ), 3:17.46, 4; Donnelly (W. Miller). J.T7.52, 5; Venus (R. Stone, Auckland), 1:18.9/8; Jezebel Brooke, Auckland), 1:18.47, 7; Hot Toddy (N. Todkill, Queensland), 1:19.2, 8; Wild Goose (A. Barclay. Auckland), 2:0.18 9; Surprise (D. A. Nicholson, Suva), withdrew.

Invitation Race.—Joannne, Ihr 18min 35sec, 1; Black Magic (B. Skinner, Auckland). 1:19.39, 2; Wild Goose 1:20.35, 3; San Jose, 1:22.26, 4: Schemer, 1:22.33, 5; Secret (J. Lasher, Auckland), 1:23J7, 6; Hot Toddy, 1:24.16, 7; The Fox, 1:26.55, 8. Donnelly, Surprise, Venus, Jezebel and Alarm (K. Wilding, Auckland) withdrew.