Conflicting Views On Performance Of Australian Moth Class Yachts

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30592, 7 November 1964, Page 11

Conflicting Views On Performance Of Australian Moth Class Yachts

r PHE performance of the Australian Moth class yacht in fresh conditions has brought forth opposing views from the secretarytreasurer of the New Zealand division of the Australian National Moth Class Sailing Association (Mr H. Wagstaff) and the yachting correspondent of “The Press.” Mr Wagstaff describes as “eyewash” a statement in “The Press” that the boats “are definitely not suited for fresh winds or anything but the flattest water.” But the yachting correspondent of •The Press” claims that the assertion has been borne out by results in Canterbury waters. Australian Moths have flourished in stormy conditions in Wellington, says Mr Wagstaff. “It is on record that the best local Finn (the Olympic trialist, M. Swanson) can beat one of our better Moths by only five minutes, over a seven-mile course in a fresh 25-knot breeze,” he says. “In the case of the other monotype boat, the OK dinghy, the Wellington handicappers have yet to give them a faster rating than that of the Australian Moths. In fact, many are the times that our better Moths have had to give the best OK over quarter of an hour handicap—and still win on corrected time. “And the harder it has blown, the better the Australian Moth has performed in relation to the OK. In a 52-knot nor’-wester last season one of our Moths cleaned up the OK fleet by half an hour in a six-mile

race. The following week the OK skippers would not race in a similar wind ‘because the result would only be the same as last week.’ “Perhaps the Australian Moths are better than your article suggests. ‘The truth of the matter most probably lies in the abilities of the respective skippers, regardless of what class they sail.” Our yachting correspondent says that Australian Moths have been sailed in Wellington for over a year while the O.K. dinghies and Finns are weak classes there. Likewise, the Australian Moth is a new class in Canterbury, with very inexperienced skippers in brand-new boats which are not properly tuned, and are sailing against some of the best sailed and tuned O.K. dinghies and Finns in New Zealand. Regardless of Mr Wagstaff’s performance claims, no one in Canterbury can dispute that this new class is not having teething troubles (as happens to each new class). Further, it is more than apparent that the boats are having water trouble in fresh conditions and could well be over-can-vassed as skipper H. Hobden and designer J. Snelgrove pointed out. While the article in question was written at a time when the boats were having problems, healthy, constructive criticism can help them find their feet (as no doubt they will) and help to overcome any shortcomings. At the time the article in question was published, the facts contained were completely correct. Mr Wagstaff also says that while the article posed the possibility of the Australian Moth being recognised by the

New Zealand Yachting Federation, the class, in fact, had been recognised by the federation two weeks previously. He adds that the statement that neither the Mark II group nor the New Zealand division of the Australian Moth association will have anything to do with the other is not correct. “For our part we would be pleased to amalgamate immediately with the New Zealand Moth Class Association (the Mark II group), but such a merger has been flatly rejected by the N.Z.M.C.A. “Mark II boats are eligible to register with the N.Z. Division of the Australian Moth class, and some have done so. The South Island championship of the Australian Moth class was recently allocated to Pigeon Bay, for December 26, 27 and 28. Mark II de-

sign boats would be very welcome competitors, and one of our division officials will be on hand with the necessary registration papers.” Our yachting correspondent says that while it was rumoured that the Australian Moth had obtained recognition from the New Zealand Yachting Federation, it was not the policy of “The Press” to take note of such and therefore this fact had to be omitted. The assumption that the Mark II association would have nothing to do with the Australian Moth was based on the attitude of the Canterbury Moth Class association officers and was borne out when taking into account that at that time yachtsmen in the province were not aware of the existence of Mr Wagstaff’s organisation, he adds.