YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 113, 6 February 1937, Page 24

YACHTING

5 Full Programme for Week-end THE SANDERS CUP Keel Yachtsmen Lack ■ Enthusiasm (By Spinnaker.) ' While the eyes of yachting enthusiasts are turned to Lyttelton, where the Sanders Cup races are in progress, the centreboard races in home waters have naturally lost a great deal of their significance. Full racing programmes, however, have been arranged for the week-end, and the speed-boat contest at Evans Bay this afternoon is likely to attract a great deal of attention. The Sanders Cup. From the standpoint of the sport in general, it might not be. a bad thing if Auckland were to carry away the Cup this year. Success would just lend the Northerners extra enthusiasm to ensure the smooth running of the contest for the next year or two. However, on Lyttelton Harbour racing is just as chancy as on Port Nicholson, and until the last race finishes it must be regarded as anybody’s contest. Poor Competition for Keelers. The crew of the new keeler Maranui must be disappointed at the opposition offered in their last few races. This lack of enthusiasm is typical of keeler races at Wellington. It contrasts ill with the keenness of the centreboard boys. At their previous start Maranui had only three opponents, and last Sunday only Irex sailed against her. On each occasion Maranui scored a comfortable win. They now have the feel of their trim little craft, and it will be interesting, both for observers and the crew, to see how she shapes against the full strength of Wellington’s keeler fleet. Impudence on Show. Among the’ centreboarders which visited Day’s Bay last Sunday was Impudence and the brilliant red 14-footer made an inspiring sight as she flew across the harbour on a lead. The eyes of most of the crowd on the beach were turned admiringly in her. direction as she planed in to the wharf in a crowd of spray. While Impudence may not be a good all-weather boat, it fs doubtful if Wellington has ever had a yacht with such pace off the wind as the ex-Paremata boat. She lifts to a plane while others are thinking about it and holds when they have stopped. The only boat seen in the harbour of recent years that showed anything like Impudence’s amazing bursts off the wind was Scandal, a light, squarebilge 14-footer which departed for Nelson several seasons ago. Ariki Again. Arthur Douglas’s Ariki followed up 'her double win of a couple of weeks ago with another convincing first at Evane Bay last Sunday. Although the weather was declared moderate, Ariki carried a crew of three, compared with four in the other starters, and her lofty sail area drove her along to finish a comfortable first. Her four-minute handicap made her a winner by more than two and a half minutes. Pegaway at Iler Best. If there is a more inconsistent performer than, the Evans Bay Idle Along Pegaway it has not yet appeared on Wellington harbour. At times a scratch boat and a serious contender for any honours —she bolted with the regatta ehampionship at Parsmata last Easter—she has also given some regrettable exhibitions. But last Sunday she was at the top of her form, and after an exciting tussle with .the bay’s crack boats she finished first. Off the wind it is doubtful if any Idle Along in Wellington can catch her, but of late she habitually disappears into the ruck during the windward work. Last week, however, she took a splendid start and more than held her own all the way, even on the wind. To-day she will be called upon to defend the Lemberg Cup, open to all centreboarders, and-she will have to show all her tricks if the trophy is to decorate G. Grover’s sideboard for another year.

Interesting Idle Along Race. The . four boats which recently won Evans Bay the Idle Along teams race made one of the'most interesting races of the season last Sunday. From the start Pegaway, Damfino II and Riptide were hard at each other, witlj Vampire, struggling with several spots of bother, always hard astern. These four easily outstripped the rest of the field and fought all the way round, Pegaway holding the lead most of the way, although the order changed several times. Pegaway finished eight seconds ahead of Riptide, with Damfino II 25 seconds away and Vampire another 40 seconds back. The next boat finished Six minutes later.

Vampire Well Astray. New Zealand's champion Idle Along, Vampire, had an unusually bad run at Evans Bay Inst Sunday. It started with' her being late off the shore and last boat of the field to make a start, although why a crew cannot have a boat, ready for a race which does not start until after 11. o’clock is hard to imagine. By the end of the first lap Vampire was worrying the leaders, but then misfortune overtook her. Her leeward backstay caught on the gaff-jaws, and when she came about an attempt to tighten the stay bent the jaws badly and broke the lashing. Thereafter the jaws were reluctant to turn on the mast, and with one complication and another Vampire finished with a mainsail set on tlie general lines of washing.

Parcmata Results. Two Idle Alongs, Dora and lanthe, accounted for a small field in the first-class race at Paremata last week. Dora, with six minutes handicap, finished a minute ahead of lanthe, with Kotuku (scr.) only half a minute away third, and Kewpie (4min.) another minute back. The result of the Takapuna race was as follows:—Twink (44min.), 12.20.31, 1; Ozone (s>lmin.), 12.20.57, 1; Noleen (2 min.), 12.21.48, 3. Also started: Marie (scr.), 4; Wairoa (2Jmin.), 5; Robin (4)min.), 6; Jeanette (6Jmin.), 7. Adair fouled Ozone and retired. In the afternoon a postponed race was sailed by the Z class, the result being:— Rdbin (4|min.), 3.53.3, 1; Twink (2J min.), 3.53.47, 2; Marie (scr.), 3.54,57, 3; Noleen (2inin.), 4; Adair (7jmin.), 5. Ozone broke bet mast and retired.