JUVENILE YACHTSMEN

Evening Star, Issue 21628, 25 January 1934, Page 14

JUVENILE YACHTSMEN

CAPABLE SMALL BOAT HANDLING

FULL-SAIL BREEZE TEST FIRST Z GLASS RAGE TO WELLINGTON Capable; handling of small boats in atrue weather test and some thrills were witnessed; hi the first race;.-for the Z class yachting championship - of New; Zealand on the Upper . Harbour yesterday afternoon. The’ spectacular inci-' dents in ail interesting race, in which a light south-easterly breeze and a calm sea swiftly, changed to a full-sail nor’easter arid: a difficult short chop, were the disqualification and capsize of two boats, which at the respective times were m second place, and the retirement of two Canterbury representatives, one through swamping and the other owing to a damaged rudder. The race, over a seven miles’ course, provided interest throughout, the order of the contestants changing frequently till the last round. The - fluctuation of sailing conditions was a test for the young yachtsmen—-they are all under nineteen years—and the heavier weather sailing was distinctly creditable. When the wind freshened and the sea rose the heavier Wellington crew was ■ suited, and opened out a good lead from Kaiapoi, which was maintained to the finish. Wellington won by 2min 30sec from Kaiapoi, with Invercargill third. The race was the first of the new competition for juvenile yachtsmen inaugurated by the New Zealand Yachting Council, and public interest was keen, the Victoria wharf being lined with spectators. Excepting Auckland, which is holding aloof from the newlyformed council, the dominion was fully represented by the best youthful skippers from the various ports. Their work was splendid,* save in spinnaker setting, in which Christchurch showed superior skill and daring. Hampered by a damaged boat, Christchurch was never in the van, but it provided easily the greatest thrjll of the race by superb spinnaker setting and carrying in fire heavy wind on the second run. The competitors and their boats were: Wellington: I). Beck and E. Julian (Rascal). , . Plimmerton: M. Watson and E. Bryant (Noeleen), Porirua: J. Colman and J.- Nolan (Buna). Kaiapoi: R. G. Moore and K. Whit-. more'(Watti). ■ Christchurch: W. L. Webber and A. D. Stemmer tWet-U). Lyttleton: ft. Henry and S. Sillars (Kathleen). , Port Chalmers: A. M'Cormack and P. Ward (Wairuna). Otago: E. Walker and L. Miller (Colleen). , Invercargill: H. Gough and E. Jack’son (Pupuke). When the starting gun was fired Lyttelton was right on the line, and was the only boat ready to break out its

spinnaker. Wellington was next over, closely followed by Invercargill and Plimmerton. Otago, Christchurch, and Porirua were in a bunch, dear of Kaiapoi, with Port Chalmers right off the wind. It ."was a;, straggling start, but, when spinnakers out for-. the broad lead, the • youthful skippers quickly worked for positions. Going’to windward of it, Porirua took the wind from Invercargill,, and Port Chalmers was unable to carry its spinnaker. With the headsails of the other boats drawing full in the light sou’-easterly', the fleet was a graceful picture as it moved down channel. Lyttelton and Kaiapoi were holding the best courses, with Porirua only a little off the wind. However, no boat was travelling faster than Wellington, which was to leeward. Only two boards were made by Lyttelton and Kaiapoi to fetch the boat harbour pile,. while Wellington made four legs. With the exception of Christchurch, all competitors overshot the mark, which was rounded first by Lyttelton, five seconds ahead of Kaiapoi and ten seconds ahead of Wellington. Porirua was twenty seconds later, closely followed by Christchurch, with Plimmerton half a minute behind, Otago, Invercargill,' and Port Chalmers bringing up the rear. Some smart sailing was seen on the lead down to the buoy off Vauxhall, on which spinnakers were set. Following neat manoeuvring, Porirua weathered Kaiapoi and Wellington. PJimmerton was standing closer in to the Peninsula, and, as the fleet came off Wavcrley Point, the wind veered to the east. Lyttelton caught the first puff of the strengthening ■ breeze, and Porirua was knocked off, Kaiapoi being two seconds ahead at the mark and thirty : seconds behind Lyttelton. Christchurch gained on this lead and was next about, a second ahead of Wellington, with Plimmerton, Otago, and Invercargill close behind. On the run across to the Kitchener street wharf Lyttelton lost the wind when only 100yds off the mark, and Porirua closed. However, a puff carried Kaiapoi through on the direct run, while both Lyttelton and Porirua, were forced to gybe in the steadily improving wind, now from the northeast. Shortly after they came on the wind, all the boats were fairly close

together. Porirua shortly changed to the port tack, on which it was sailing when it fouled Wellington and was automatically disqualified. Kaiapoi, Lyttelton, and Wellington held on the starboard leg to off Pelichet Bay. Lyttelton again pointed the highest, and, when up to weather, was the first to come about. However, Wellington forced Lyttelton to break tacks when they' converged in mid-harbour. Pliniraerton was sailing well, near Lyttelton, and just ahead of Christchurch. A new entry' into the picture at this stage was Invercargill, which, making excellent weather, headed Otago at the precise moment that cross tacks revealed Plimmerton to be ahead of Lyttelton and Wellington, and only a few seconds behind Kaiapoi. The racing was becoming increasingly interesting. Working for the weather mark, Kaiapoi had a shade the better of it and rounded ten seconds ahead of Plimmerton, with Wellington, Lyttelton, In-

vercargill, Otago, Christchurch, and Port Chalmers in that order. Christchurch was the only boat to set its spinnaker, and gave an exhilarating exhibition of swift planing. Lyttelton attempted to set the drawing sail, but it dropped in the water, and was taken inboard. Racing before the wind in the rising sea, Plimmerton suddenly capsized and Kaiapoi’s crew had little to spare when they brought their boat to an even keel after a sudden lurch off the wind. When 200 yards «n the run, Christchurch, scudding albng over-canvassed, passed Otago, when the local boys were attempting to break out their spinnaker. Otago, too, nearly capsized when the big sail dropped in the water. The thrill of the race was given by Christchurch on this run, but all the deserving gain for their courageous yachtsmanship was lost when the boat took charge near the mark, valuable time .being lost in bringing the craft

back on the wind. The run was a good point in sailing for Invercargill, which was now in third position, with Lyttelton, Christchurch, Otago, and Port Chalmers following. On 'the lead across to the basin Lyttelton’s rudder collapsed and the boat retired. Christchurch’s boat had sprung a leak and the for’ard hand was kept busy bailing out. Kaiapoi entered the last round linin lOsec ahead of Wellington, 2min 35sec ahead of Invercargill, 4 min ahead of Christchurch, with Otago half a minute back and Port Chalmers last, a further minute behind. A merry breeze was now piping and the ebb tide was being raised to a nasty short chop. Heavy crews had an advantage. The lightweights, Kaiapoi, found the conditions against them and only one-third of the beat had been covered when Wellington took the lead, which was held to the finish. Kaiapoi made an error in holding a more mid-harbour course than Wellington, which was meeting smoother water in the channel proper. Quickly Wellington worked to weather and freed its sheets 2min 30sec ahead of Kaiapoi, which was in irons just before rounding. A minute previously Invercargill weathered Kaiapoi, but the northern crew fetched the mark better, 2sec ahead. Five minutes later, the gradually swamping Christchurch rounded, with Port Chalmers and Otago bringing up the rear. Both Wellington and Kaiapoi maintained the same speed on the run, but Invercargill dropped astern and finished the run as the winning boat hauled on to the wind at the Kitchener street pile. . The only incident from this stage was the retirement of Christchurch, badly waterlogged. The wonder was that the boat did not capsize so far down in the bo?v was it wallowing. Wellington increased its lead by a small margin, but only ten minutes separated the boats that finished. The race, with sailing times, resulted : , Wellington, llir 39min 35sec. ... 1 Kaiapoi, llir 41min 41sec ... ... 2 Invercargill, llir 44min 13sec ■> Otago, Ihr 48m in 53sec 4 Port Chalmers, Ihr 49mm 30sec 5 The contest will be continued till one crew wins three races.