YACHTING NOTES

Grey River Argus, 6 March 1937, Page 5

YACHTING NOTES

(By

“Lee Oh.”)

Extremely light ’'airs” and stiff currents again spoiled the Greymouth Regatta Club’s weekly -race on Sunday last. The current was the worse of the two, not only did it slow up the times on the runs, but it also dragged the bouvs out of position, the bottom one being taken in almost on to ths south training wall, leaving barely room for a vacht to come through, and only by very careful judgment, or was it in some cases good luck that the competitors were able to safely “make” it. The yachtsmen are now getting to know the new four-buoy course on Sunuay, no mistakes being made in regards to the course, but still there was the usual list of disqualified. Sunday’s offenders were more or less unlucky, the mistakes being caused in all cases by the current. The first to offend was the "Vagabond,” off 5 minutes. At the top buoy on the first run up, "Vagabono” and "Rascal (7min) were running level, when "Awatea” (Gmin) came up, gain, ing an overlap on Vagabond,” which was unable to give her "sea room,” the skipper realising that if he veered off to allow her through the current would sweep him on to the "Rascal,” so he held his course, his "mainmast” fouling the " Awatea’s” boom. "Avis,” with a start of lOmin, was swept on to the lagoon buoy, while the "Seafox” lost her wind on the "third buoy” to drift on and' touch it. One of the features of the race was on the first "run.” when Seafox. Bounty, Awatea, Rascal and Vagabond reached the lagoon buoy together in almost a ealm. The way in which the yachts were sailed out of the limited space between the buoy and wharf without as much as a spinnaker boom fouling was a miracle. The handling of the boats by both skippers and for’ard hands in this incident was the neatest work seen on the river this season. "Tanthe,” for the third time in succession and sailing from scratch with a limit of lOmin, gained the victory of tiro day. The "air” suited her to perfection, and again with the aid of the "M” class spinnaker she out-

sailed the whole field to win by 19min from “Rascal.” “lanthc” must, have the greatest number of wins lor this season so far, which was a distinction she gained last season. “Racal” sailed by R. Blacktopp was second home.' “Rascal” has been the unlucky yacht this season, being just out of a ploce on numerous occasions, but on Sunday she sailed really well, gaining a fair win over “Awatea,” her conqueror of the previous week, and third place on Sunday. ■ “Seafox” was sailed by Harry Dimond, who handled her well to be in the running for a place when she had the bad luck to foul a buoy. She can be a really dangerous opposition in a light breeze, being fairly fast on the run. With more care to her rigging and a decent finish on her, better results would be got. The- “M” 18-footer “Mystic,” a successful competitor in the recent Canterbury regatta, changed hands over the week-end, when Mr C. Brown disposed of his interest in her to Gray Scott and two other enthusiasts. It is reported that Mr Brown intends building an “M” of another design for the next season. On the event of another 18-footer being built and with Commodore Smith’s “Manurewa” being launched for next season, the 18’s will be able to compete in their own class, comprising of six yach'ts. Dinghy sailing enthusiasts, too, are hopeful of class racing next] season, when there i,s expected to be two more Silver Ferns, in addition to Awatea. Bounty and Rascal, while Miff. Rhodes’s “Rita” class dinghy is well on the way to completion.