ACROSS TASMAN

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1930, Page 7

ACROSS TASMAN

DARING YACHT RACE.

TWO WEEKS AT SEA. MELBOURNE, September 3. An adventurous spirit is behind the ocean yacht race from. Melbourne to Wellington, which will be held in December. Although few people in New Zealand or Australia are very familiar with ocean yachting, considerable attention will be focused on the hazardous contest by the time the small craft clear Melbourne heads. Interest in the exploit has ’ already spread beyond yachting circles in Aus’ tralia. Now that Test cricket is over and the Ashes won, Australians--al-ways stirred by adventure---are beginning to show similar excitement and interest in the forthcoming race. It is topical talk. SMALL CRAFT. Thirteen hundred miles of treacherous ocean will be separating the contestants from Wellington Harbour when they leave here; but the experienced seaman who are now. preparing for the race are confident of success. Yet the yachts are so small the average man would not consider them- very safe on the quiet waters of a sheltered bay or on a lake! Such a race is fraught with the gravest danger, but men of the type of Captain F, J, Rennell, skipper of the yacht Qimara, which will represent Victoria, are fearless. Apart from the risks and perils, there will be the monotony of the sea with no sight of land until off New Zealand’s coast.

Canterbury and Victoria have entered yachts, and it is expected that New South Wales will announce its entrant within a fortnight It is thought the Spumedrift, a Sydney boat, will carry New South Wales’s colours.

All the yachts racing to New Zealand will be of the ocean-cruising) type. The Oimara, which cost £2OOO, lias only a 43-feet waterline. It is up to date, conveniences including sleeping accommodation for seven men, and electric light. The Spumedrift is ketch rigged, and the length over all is about 46 feet. WIRELESS SETS ABOARD. Wireless transmitting and receiving installations will lie carried by all yachts. Wireless calls would be of no practical use, however, should disaster overtake any one of them. Signals for help could not possibly bring aid to a distresesd crew unless a passing; vessel were within a few ' hundred yards at the time of mishap. With fair weather and good luck, the voyage should occupy between two and three weeks. Adequate storage of fresh water will be one of the difficulties, but most likely reserve supplies will he carried on the decks ip sealed petrol tin*;. If this pioneer race is successful it will become an annual fixture. A silver cup for perpetual competition has been donated by Mr Burnett Gray, M.L.A., Victoria, who is chairman of a representative committee of management. Other trophies will probably he donated in Christchurch and Sydney, * When the Canterbury boat is cho-. sen it will sail across the Tasman from Lyttelton to Melbourne to take part in the event, Her arrival here would be an assurance of safety. One© the yachts are off the Australian coast they will set different courses for Wellington, and it is unlikely that they will sight one another again until they reach their goal. OIMARA’S PREVIOUS SUCCESS. Captain Bennell won a race to Tas* mania last Chrifitmas in the Oimara. By direct course, the distance to Low Head; Launceston is only 200 miles. Ably navigated, the Oimara loggpd 212 miles. Of the five yachts competing, three finished the course, The Wanderer from Sydney, had her sails blown out, and was forced to put back to Me)* iKmrne under auxiliary power, Half wrecked and dismantled, the Maisie just managed to put into Flinders in a leaking condition. Two yachts were hove to, one for a day and three hours; and the other for 10 hours. Terrific seas washed two members of the Oimara’,s crow overboard, when they were working on deck, up to their armpits in water. Life-lines which had been left hanging from the rigging as safe-guards in such emergencies, were seized by both 1 moil just in time to save their lives.