OCEAN YACHT RACE

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 39, 17 February 1919, Page 8

OCEAN YACHT RACE

A WIN FOR THE AILSA

During the week-end the annual ocean yacht race of the Port Nicholson Club was held, under not too favourable weather conditions. The race resulted in a win for Messrs. Hamil Bros.' yacht Ailsa, which did the distance from Wellington to Port Underwood and back in 21hr 27min 19sec.

The race was started from the Clydequay Wharf on Saturday afternoon. The Marangi took the lead, but at Kau Bay she was overtaken and passed by the Ailsa, which led all the way down the entrance. When off Island Bay the Marangi again took charge, and steadily gained ground for some hours. She kept a northerly course, and seemed to get a better breeze through Sinclair Ripi The yachts were well separated while crossing the Strait. The Waitangi (to the south) passed the Ailsa off Tongue Point, and the Marangi (to the north) was keeping fairly even with tho Waitangi. On approaching the! South Island shore, the wisdom of the Waitangi's skipper was apparent, for the Marangi was held back by the N.E. running tide. The Waitangi was the first to reach the vicinity of the entrance to Port Underwood, with the Ailsa and the Marangi about even behind. Here the yachts ran into a calm patch. This was'bad luck for the leading boats, because the whole fleet 'came up on the breeze, and seven of the yachts could be seen bunched together. The Waitangi entered the port first, and got over to the west side with a light fanning breeze.- The rest of the fleet remained outside for some time. Eventually the Marangi led the rest in, passing the Waitangi, which was becalmed in her turn to leeward. However, through a series of vacillating breezes, the yachts reached the mark boat off Guard's Bay in the following order: —Ailsa, Waitangi, Galatea, Marangi, White Heather, ( Kotiri 11., Wairere 11., and lolanthe. '

The yachts started on the return next morning -at 8 o'clock. The Waitangi, Marangi, Kotiri, and Ailsa all wore topsails, and the whole fleet bunched in the beautiful surroundings made a wonderful sight. After drifting about for some hours in 'the neighbourhood of the entrance to Port Underwood, the - Ailsa, Waitangi, and Marangi pulled away from the rest of the fleet, the Waitangi to the south,_ and Marangi in the middle, and the Ailsa ahead and to the north. The Ailsa and Waitangi dropped their topsails off to southward of Tongue Point, but the wind falling light again they hoisted them after passing Sinclair Head. A freshening breeze caught the Ailsa first, and she came home through Chaffer's Passage in fine style, fsllowed soon after by the Waitangi and the Marangi. A beat up the Harbour under all plain sail made a good finish. The Ailsa arrived about 8 p.m., with the Waitangi and the Marangi close behind. The Galatea and White Heather followed a little over half an hour later. The race resulted in a win for the Ailsa, with Galatea second. The times taken to Port Underwood and back, are as follow : Ailsa, 21hr 27min 19seo; Galatea, 22hr 37min Sssec; Waitangi, 21hr 46min 40sec; White Heather, 23hr 32m'in 50sec; Marangi, 22hr 23min 55sec. The lolanthe arrived at 1.37 o'clock this morning, the Kotiri IT. at 2.25 o'clock, and the Wairere at 2.35 a.m.

The mark-boat was Mr. Jackson's fine auxiliary yacht Psyche 11., which flew the flag of Vice-Commodore M'Comish.