DUNEDIN REGATTA.

Evening Star, Issue 7443, 11 February 1888, Page 2

DUNEDIN REGATTA.

Commodore, Mr J. Mills, M.H.R.; vice-commodores, Ur A. H. Ross, M.H.R. and Dr Belcher; judges, Ur J. L. Gillies, Mr D. Mills, Captain Macfarlane, and Captain Cameron; umpire, Mr R. Hay; starter, Captain Andereon; clerk of tbe course, Mr J. Mill; secretary, Mr G. 11. Moore. The regatta, postponed from a fortnight ago, was held this afternoon. Tbe weather was again unfavorable, a strong eoutb-west breeze prevailing, and causing tbe water to become rather lumpy, though there was not so much sea on as might have been expected. The Tarawera, kindly lent as flagship, was well patronised by the public, and tbe Engineers’ Band was in attendance. There were only three entries tor the Champion Yacht Race—viz., Baker, Briggs, and C. Davis's Leader, 9 tons; B. Davis and Stoneham’s Ripple, 8 tons; and Davys Bros, and Reid’s Anonyma, 10 tons. Tbe distance was thirteen miles, tbe course being as follows: - Start from moorings, passing on the Peninsula side of No. 3 red beacon, out and borne, leaving the mark beat off Mr Russell's on the starboard hind ; twice round. The three yachts entered came to the start. The Anonyma close-reefed her mainsail, while the Ripple and Leader kept a reef free. The Leader had a short topmast on end. Tbe Ripple was first to gather way, and got a few yards lead of the Leader, the Anonyma being slow in moving. Each vessel set jib and staysail on starting. Before clearing the end of the training wall the Leader had overhauled the Ripple. These two boats kept iu close to the Peninsula aide, and the Anonyma stood further out to the middie of the channel, thus keeping a better breeze. When off Grant’s Braes the Anonyma set a sort of jib to windward, and the Ripple set a topsail to the head of her mainmastThe breeze seemed to hold well as the vessels got down into the bight, and it appeared to those on the flagship that the Leader was first round the buoy at the quarter distance. From this point it was impossible to follow the movements of the yachts. The wind holding steady, the yachts were enabled to make fine long stretches up to the halt-distance mark, round which the Leader was exactly a minute in front of the Ripple, tbe Anonyma a long way behind. The Ripple sec a topsail on the ran down for the second time, the Leader continuing on under mainsail, jib, and staysail. In the First-class Yacht Race the Lady Emma was withdrawn, the other six coming to the poet. These were the Ariel, Goldseeker, Gipsy, Nellie, Winifred, and Atalanta. All had close-retfed mainsails but the Gipsy, who left one reef free. The Winifred fouled her moorings at tbe start, and. being in the way, tbe Nellie fell aboard of her, with the result that the Winifred’s boom snapped about two feet from the jaws. Tbe Atalanta was the first to show in the lead, but the others were close at her heels, and as they ran down by tbe beacons tbe Goldseeker, Gipsy, and Nellie closed on her, and a good race seemed likely. There were five starters for the second-class yacht race—Davis’s Alert, Riokett’s Wedge, Cballie’s Spray, Dr Macdonald’s Gem, and Webber’s Rover. None of the races were finished at 4.45, but the Leader looked like winning the Champion Race, and tbe Nellie was a long way ahead in tbe Yacht Race.