THE REGATTA.

Evening Star, Issue 7404, 27 December 1887, Page 2

THE REGATTA.

Commodore ; Captain W. Thomson. Vice-Commo-dore? : Captain .4. Cameron, Mr L. 0. Beal. Judges: Captain Anderson, Captain Boyd, Dr Belcher, Mr J. Mill, Mr J. 11. Monson. Umpire: Captain M‘Cal I inn. Starter: Captain Watson. Clerk of (he Course: Mr A. Main. Sailing Committee: Messrs North, Ilackworth, Pedlow, Sutton, and John Rennie. Hen. Treasurer; Mr E B Dixon. Hon Secretary: Mr H. j. Puliar. Time-keeper: Mr F. Hyams. The weather yesterday was not all that could be desired for aquatics. The light breeze from the south-west that prevailed when the proceedings commenced degenerated before noon into rain squalls from all points between north-west and south-west, varied by dead calms, and at two o’clock a mild thunderstorm was experienced. As the day wore on the sky brightened, but the wind continued squally, causing one of the competing boats to capsize. The wind being so uncertain, the sailing powers of the craft competing were not thoroughly tested ; but as compensation for this the water was smooth, and the rowing races were got off under fairly favorable circumstances. In respect to the capsize alluded to, we may be excused for pointing out that it would be a gracious act on the part of the Committee, if they have a balance after settling up, to vote a gratuity to Sam Phillips in recognition of his rescue of the crew of the Red Jacket. Phillips only did his duty, certainly, in going to the relief of men in peril, and he makes no claim to have this paid for; but had it not been for the accident he would have had a specially good chance of winning one of the prizes offered, and it would doubtless be appreciated if his pecuniary loss were made up to him. The commodore, umpire, and judges were stationed on the lighter that marked the finish —an arrangement that worked very satisfactorily, seeing that these officials were not hampered by continuous elbowing as in former years; and moreover they were able to strike a straight line between the vessel and the end of the jetty, thus making a straight finish, the want of which caused a dispute in the dingey race last year. The Hauroto, one of the roomiest vessels in the Union Company’s fleet, was kindly placed at the disposal of the Committee as a flagship, and her decks were crowded during the day. The sports were also viewed to ad vantage by a large number of persons who assembled on the various points overlooking the harbor. Appended is a report of the results; — Yacht Race, open to all comers. First prize, cup pris-ntertby the Mayor ot Port Chaimer* (value 10 guinea.) and L2O; secand prize, L 5. Sixteen miles. Stonehsm and Davis's Ripple, 7 tons, lEJmiu stnt I W. Gash’s Ga'atea, 0 tens, lomin start f. ..2

Davis Baker, and Briggs’s Leader, 9 tons, 12min stirt

D.ivva Brothers and Reid’s Anonjma, 10 tone, Xljmin start .. .. .. .. 0 Ellis Brothers’ Gipsy, 8 tons, ISJmln «twt .. 0 S B Gibson’* Royal Alfred, 7 tons, stait 0 C. Schumacher's Emma, 25 tons, scratch .. 0 D 0 Eobeit.rn’e Alice Mary, 6 tons, UJminstart 0 Watt, Blakely, and Carter’s A ici, 7 tons, I’.Janii start .. .. .. .. .. 0

Captain Boyd’s Nellie did not start. The Galatea went away with half a gale of wind, and was nearly abreast of Pulling Point before the Emma was allowed to start. Gash’s craft—a decked whaleboat led until the first round was nearly completed, when she unfortunately carried away Jut rudder, and while fiddling about with an oar as a substitute the Ripple gave her the gohy. The Emma, which was recently in use as a water-tank, and is certainly as unlike a yacht as it is possible to be, found the wind too light and baffling to serve her, and was never in the race ; but the others gave a pretty exhibition of sailing, though it can hardly be said that the race was closely contested. The Ripple was sailed by Davis junior, the Galatea by Gash, and the Leader by Briggs, and these came in as follows—Ripple, 2.17; Galatea, 2.27; and Leader, 2.38; while the Anonyma, which finished fourth, breasted the lighter at 2.49. The Ripple passed one of the buoys on the port hand on the run down—a mistake that Davis was led into owing to an error in the diagram of the course as printed on the programme; and a protest has been entered by the Leader against the Galatea on the ground that the latter violated a clause in rule 8—“ No oars to bo used under any circumstances ”—by having steered with an oar while repairing her ruddpr. It may be mentioned that Gash asked the commodore for instructions as he passed the lighter after losing his rudder, and was told to go on and do the best he could.

The Ripple was designed and built by Ben Davis during the slack season of winter, and it is admitted on all hands that the little craft is not only a fast sailer but a very pretty model. Her measurements are as follow Stem to stem, 27ft 3in ; keel, 26ft; beam, 7ft Gin, the greatest beam being a little forward of midships. She has a fiu centreboard (of g plate) with a 3ft drop. Her mast is of Oregon, 29ft long ; and she carries a lateen topsail, set flying, 25ft 6in from tack to peak. The boom is 24ft, and she ordinarily carries a stump bowsprit sft outside the head, but when racing is fitted with a 10ft bowsprit, so as to allow of a jib being set in addition to the staysail. The mainsail is 23ft on the foot, loft on the luff, 15ft gaff, and 30ft leech. As to the material of the hull, the keel and sternpost are of hardwood, the stem of broadleaf, the timbers of l|x2 goai, with double 2| kauri planking and deck. The sail plan and everything else connected with the boat were thought out by Mr Davis, who may indeed be proud of his little clipper. Four-oared Ships’ Gigs. FHt priz', L 4; second, L 9. Two miles. W. Bonnar’sOmapere .. .. ~ ~ X M Russel-’sClifton ~ .. .. .. 2 X nes’a Helen Denny .. ~ ~ ~8 This was a close race as between the first two. Innes’a boys were rather too light for the task set them, but they kept to their work pluckily. Second-class Yacht Rack. First prize, L 5 ; second, . L2 XOs. Eight miles. Moore and Ashc.-ofi'e Winifred ~ ~ .. 1 O. Moody’s Alert ~ ~ ..2 Dr M’Dona'd’s Gem ~ .. ~ g Madge, Lurline, and Rover also started. This was a good-race, though Winifred won rather easily at (he finish. MaiDhr Focr-oared Oios. First prise, cup and LS, and set of Jerseys presented by the Uosgfel Woollen Company; second puts, VI, Two miles. Union R,C,’a James Edwards (Peters stroke, HarUnd 8, Williawiii Boyd bow)i. •• t Port Chalmers R.O’s Arawa .. M ~ 2 United Tradesmen's R.C *s Old Colonist,, 8 Pott Chalmers R.C.'s Tslnul ' .. ..4 Won easily by two lengths. Time, I4miu. 54 sec. Seine Fishing Boats. First prize, L 7; second priie, L 4 Five miles. W. Xnaes’sK ite .. ~ ~ X A. Innes's Jane.. .. ~ .. .. 2 Howitt’s Daisy finished third and Gordon’s Mararoa fourth. It was a good race as between the first two. Boys' Race (under XB ye- rs). First prlE«, L2 J second priSA, LX. One mile. S. limes’s Bluebell .. .. .. .. X B. Joyce’s Arawa .. .. ..2 S. Jones’s Volunteer .. .. .. ..8 Won easily by 100 yards. Time, lOmin 28sec. Dingey Race. Fint priz-’, cup presented by Mcsen Cocper and Chick, washing machine presented by the Harbor Gone Mining Company, and L 8; second frize, L2; third prize, trophy. Two miles. R. A Pnlamountatn's Margaret,. ~ . . X K. Ellis's Gipsy Queen .. .. .. 2 H. Macfarlane’sSecret .. .. .. ..3 James Gregg’s Dairy .. ~ .. ~ 4 This was practically a walk-over for the veteran, Anthony Palamonntain, who gave a capital exhibition of rowing, and won with absurd ease by 200 yards. Time, 21 minutes. Junior Four oared Gigs. First prize, cup presented by Mr F. Hyams and LI0; second prize, L 3. Two miles. Port Chalmers R.C.’s Arawa (Carey stroke, Prit-ch-rd 3, M*Donald 2, Solomon bow) .. ..1 Union R.C’a James El wards .. ..2 X’ort Chalmers R.C.’-s Tainui .. .. ..3 The Arawa and James Edwards kept closely together on the way down, and rounded the buoy in company ; but on the home stretch the Port crew settled down

to their work and went away, winning by about 30 yards. Time, 13min 28sec. Fishing Whaleboats. First prize, L<3; second, 1.3 1 Five miles. TJ. Kenton’s Violin .. .. ~ ..1 W. Innes’s Maori .. ~ .. ..2 J. Smith'sLenora „ ~ ~ ..3 Won easily. Whaleboat llAcs. First prize, Lls; second, L2. Five miles. There were three starters, the Mararoa, Makarini, and Te Eakamohakamatura. The Mararoa went a short distance, and then gave up, being only started to assure a second prize. A splendid contest ensued between the other two —the Makarini being manned by Carey’s crew and the other boat by Knewatubb’s—until about 200 yards from home, when a foul occurred, and the boats hung together while a corroboree took place. The foul was apparently of a somewhat amicable character, indeed the opinion was freely expressed that' it must have been , designed; but at any rate the judges ruled it no race, as neither crew finished, and when requested to row the race over again the competitors declined to do so. Knewstubb lodged a protest on the ground of an alleged foul on the first time round, but as the race was declared null and void no evidence was taken.

Junior Pair oared Okm. First prize, Lfl ; second, .. . . US. Two miles. Port Chalmers R.O.’sArawa (Shields and Hondo son) .. M _ Union B.C.'s Nil Desperacdum U.iion R.C.’s James Edwards .. .. 3 Port Chalmers B.C.’sTaloni ", „ .. i \\ on easily by half-a-dozen lengths. Time. Iflmin 56scc. Open Boat Sailing Race. First prize, L 6; second, L 3. Five mile*: nnes’s Kate y The other starters were Phillip’s Bruce, Knewstubb’s Herd- Laddie, Patterson’s Pearl, Roy’s Bed Jacket, M’Lellan’s Nellie, Harfhy’s Mararoa, and Kettle’s Skater! The Red Jacket capsized in a heavy squall; the Bruce lost her chance by going to the rescue of the men in the water; the Nellie split her mainsail in two places; and the Skater carried aw ay her throat halyards. The Kate led all the way, and bad nothing near her at the finish, the others apparently forgetting all about the second money. The above report of this race is based on the official ruling, but Patterson claims to have won with Pearl, with Skater second, and Kate third; and this version of the affair is backed np by Davis who sailed the Skater. The contention is that the Pearl was at least a mile ahead of the others at the finish, and it may be that she slipped by the lighter unnoticed among other craft that were sailing about. As for the Skater, her damage was quickly repaired, and she is said to have beaten the Kate by a long distance. We understood that Patterson and Davis have made a formal claim to the stake, and no doubt the Committee will thoroughly inquire into the matter, and do justice to all concerned.

Senior Four-oared Gigs. First prize, cup presented by tbe N.Z Shipping Company (value L3O) and LSS; second prize, LlO Three miles. W’. J. Putnam’s James Edwards (Palamount&in stroke, J. Dow 8, Hornby 2, Cameron bow) .. 1 Pott Chalmers E.C.’s Arawa .. ..2 Awnrua Boating Club’s A warn a .. .. ..8 Reid and Grey’s Undine. .. , ..4 Port Chalmers R.C.’sTairm! .. J .. 0

A good race for half the distance, when Palainountain’s invincible crew went right away with a workmanlike stroke and won easily by seven lengths.- Time, 17min 2Gscc. ’ « Ships’ Four-oared Gigs. First prize, L 6: second prize, L2lCa. Three mils. Helen Denny .. ~ ~ j Hauroto .. „ .. ” g Waipa.. .. ” ” j

Won very easily. The winners polled well, and had the advantage of a nice light boat Time, 24min.

The Scullers' Race fell through, there bung no entries. Four-oared Race in ships’gigs. Open to all comers. First prize, La; second, 1/2 10s. Three miles. A'l iiouls (fuller, stroke) .. 1 GUI ton.. ~ ~ .. , t m - 2 Bine Jacket .. .. .. ’ a

There were five starters. Jailer’s crew had the best boat—a craft that money has been won with at every regatta for years past —and came in the easiest of winners. Had the first and second crews changed boats there would have been a close finish. Time, 21tnin 11 sec, .Senior Fair-oared Gigs. First prize, cap presented tiy the Con,miUte and L 0; second, L2. Two nukg. W. J Putnam’s James Edwards (Dow and Palamountaln) .. ~ .. .. 1 Port Chalmers R.C.’s Arawa .. ~ ~ 2 W. J, Pntuam’s Nil Despenndum .. ~8 The programme was got through sharp to time. We wish to express our thanks to Mr H. J. Pullar (hon. sec.), the officials on the lighter, and the Committee, who were one and all anxions to help our reporter to obtain full particulars. The only fault there was to find with the affair was that the colors of the various boats were not always distinguishable, some of the flags being different from those stated on the programme. This should be remedied at future regattas. The Port Chalmers Garrison Band were stationed on the flagship, and played selections daring the day.