OCEAN YACHT RACE. .

Dominion, 24 February 1913, Page 7

OCEAN YACHT RACE. .

' '■ ~ .» __;. 1 POET UNDERWOOD AND BACK. ,j "'■ Tho ocean yacht .race held on Saturday afternoon..' by. ther- Port Nicholson j Yacht Club concluded on Sunday ht 1.23 p.m.; the Ailsa—the limit boat—winning oa time allowance, , although Waitangi was first to cross the :lino.. .Piinctually nt 2 o'clock on- Saturday afternoon the Waitangi, Ailsa and Mntabgi, under splendid sailinj conditions, started on their long trip to Port Underwood ; aud...' back—a distanco of 100 miles. After, bsating out to the Heads against,a moderate, "southerly," accom•panied bya big swell, the Ailsa overtook tho Waitangi at Chaffer's Passage, Matahgi being some little distanco behind.All the-way across'tho Strait Ailsa.maintained her lead, Waitaiigi and Matangi being some distance behind. During Sat-,, urddy night an effort was made to get in. some practice vrith Morse lamps, with the object of passings .the heavy roll Tendered- this lmpossililet-'eo-qttention- was turned to tho porpoises which followed the yachts in grand stylo. The .Wind held until, abbut .15 miles off Eobinson Point, abo'utla- mile from the' mark-boat at Port Underwood .'whin, all three yachts wefe becalmed. ■. After a sucee'sion of light breezss, however, they reached Eobinson Point at 4 a.m. on:Snn r day, but again, the.breeze died away, and left them in. a heavy swell, making things very uncomfortable. After waiting three hours, "a full-ssail nor-wester" set mi ahd this carried the Ailsa fight into Ocean Bay..; The mark-uoy was rounded at 7.20.0'010ck on, Sunday, morning—just 17 hours-20 minutes after I 'leaving Wellington, The Woitangi aid Matangi rounded the buoy some 15 minutes later. On tho return journey the time taken was just; over six hours, a good'breeEo from the north-west bringing the little vessels through the Straits in the creditable time mentioned. All on board the three yachts seemed to' have enjoyed tho trip, and speak highly of tho arrangements mode in connection, with tho markbuov'at Ocean Bay. The following,-aw the handicaps and finishing times':—Ailso (120min.), 1,34, p.m.,,1; Matangi (70mins.), 1.45 p.m., 2: Waitangi (scr.), 1.23. p.m.