YACHTING NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 9582, 31 December 1894, Page 2

YACHTING NOTES.

■ ' . :> ?!■'■ : |T5r Vjaf&Q.) ' »'■■'*' •• •- ■ • • i.i " The clerk of the weather was anything but kind to the-Otago Regatta Oommhtee on Boxing Day. Early in the morning a fresh southerly breeze set in,. aooonipanied with rain. At one time it was thought that the regatta would have to be postponed, but after waiting for an hoar after the advertised time of starting it was resolved to go on with the events. The principal race of the day—the First Class Yacht Race—was the first set on the programme, and brought the splendid "field w of seven starters. The start of this race was a very pretty sight, and all the yachts got away fairly well, the Matakana particularly so; in fact, she appeared to have a lead of «*wenty or thirty yards from her closest attendant, the White Wings. A Bplendid race then ensued down to the light ship between White Wings, Leader, Matakana, and Muritai, the firstnamed having about a couple of lengths' advantage; while the other three went round in a bunch. A short tack over, to the bank was • all that was necessary when all put about; bat when doing so an unfortunate accident happened to Matakana, owing to the Muritai putting her bowsprit through the little, boat's mainsail, and, as a result, she was crippled and prevented from competing any further in the race. The Leader then closed in on ;the_ White Wings, but on the water getting bumpy in the vicinity of-Pulling Point she. started to lose ground. The Muritai here made up some of her lost ground, the rest of the fleet being some distance behind. The White Wings completed her first .round 4min ahead of tne Leader, who was 6min in front of Muritai. The t Anonyma did not go round, but gave up the chase. sbe some order was maintained for the run down, but on the beat home the breeze had freshened considerably, causjngthe "Wings" and Leader to take in another reef. The Muritai, however,*. was* ably "shook" through it, and soon overhauled the Leader, but was unable to overtake the speedy White Wings, who came in a winner six minutes jn front of Muritai, and the Leader nine minutes behind Muritai. The White Wings, considering she had a scratch crew, performed very creditably. The Leader and Anonyma weire the two niosj; disappointing boats m the race. The former sailed very badly. ~ , The way in which the Matakana beat up from the lightship under her staysail only was the theme of conversation on board the flagship, while it was'the* general opinion that had it not been for the mishap which befell her Bhe would have had as good a chance as anything in the race. However, better luck next time, Matakana. The Galatea will be another that will take a lot of beating, as the is not yet in proper form for racing. It is a pity we have - not a few more yachtsmen like Messrs Waters and Robertson. They entered knowing full well that their yacht in her present condition had only an outside chance. No matter; the gipsy, with new sails, would have proved a match for any one of them in the same breeze. . •.. The Second Class Race again fell to the Premier, with the smart little Winifred second, and the outsider of the lot, Rambler, third. The Premier, on her win, now wins ihe Ciip presented by Neill and -Co. on behalf of the Sunlight soap proprietors. The Winifred was not handled as well as she was in the O.Y.C. race. She wis only 2min behind Premier, while she lost that in the start. She also carried too much canvas.

The May furnished the winner in the race for third class yachts, with, the Gem second, although the Dream and Huia Should have been about had they not gone in for smashing things. On the completion of the First Class Yacht Race a protest was lodged by Patersoft against the White Wings and Muritai oft account of their having fouled Matakaha, ths former en the run down and the latter on rounding the flagship. In both charges a considerable amount of interest Was evinced by yachtsmen as to what the result would be, particularly 80 s in the White Wings case. On Monday night the Committee met ttf consider the protest. The evidence showed that White Wings fouled Matakana when passing the first black buoy. The White Wings' skipper quoted rule 10 as his stand-by : " Overtaking rounding marks—When rounding any buoy or vessel used to mark out the course, if two yachts are not clear of each other at the same time the leading yacht mtist give the other room to pass clear of it, whether it be the lee of the weather yacht which is in danger of fouling the mark. No yacht shall be con' sidered clear of another yacht unless so much ahead as to give a free choice to the other on which side shye shall pass. An overtaking yacht shall not, however, be justified in attempting to establish an overlap, and thus force a passage between the leading yacht and the mark after the latter yacht has altered her helm for the purpose of rounding." The Matakana skipper relied on rule 12 : " Luffing and bearing away—A yacht over* taking any other shall keep out of the way of the "overtaken yacht; and a yacht may luff as she pleases to prevent another yacht passing to windward, but must never bear away out of her course to hinder the other passing to leeward—the lee side to be considered that on which the leading yacht of the two carries her mainboom. The overtaking vessel, if to leeward, must not luff until she has drawn clear ahead of the vachfc she has overtaken." He also contended, that rule 10 did not apply, as they were not rounding the mark, but going past it. However, the decision of the Committee w as that the protest be dismissed. This decision has already given rise to a good deal of talk, and, in my opinion, it is wrong. Even taking it on rule 10, as quoted by White Wings, I contend that the meaning of the first clause is that if two yachts get away to an even s'art, and run in that position until the mark is reached, thenjthe outside yacht would most certainly have to give way and give the other room. But in this case such was not required, as it was shown that the Matakana bad become the leading yacht owing to her having established an overlap over the White Wings at the start of the race, and that on approaching the buoy it was the duty of White Wings to have passed under Matakana's stern when it was found that she was overtaking the latter; but instead of that the White Wings's skipper left it until too late, and by the time both yachts were abreast of the buoy he had either to force his passage (which, in the circumstances, he was not justified in doing) or else go on the wrong side of the buoy. Consequently, on these facts, I fail to see how the Committee should have come to their decision, which I consider was a very wrong one, and likely to le*d to a complete bungle up of things in the future. I don't wish to cast anything on the Committee, but I feel confident that a number of them are not capable of giving a decision on important matters of this sort. It would be a step in the right direction if they were to appoint three competent mei to decade matters of this description. The Broad Bay regatta takes place on New Year's Day. Given a good day a first-class and enjoyable time is bound to ensue, as this bay is particularly adapted for a regatta of this sort, while the surroundings are all that could be desired.