SIX PROTESTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 16 January 1939, Page 8

SIX PROTESTS

EVERY BOAT IN RACE HAS COMPLAINT THREE OUT OF FIVE DISQUALIFIED LONG SITTING OF COMMITTEE Three of the competitors—Tornado (Wellington), Rose Marie (Bay of Plenty) and Vagabond (Marlborough)—were disqualified as the result of the committee’s hearing of six protests which arose out of the final ?ace, leaving Marita (Canterbury) and Mayfair (N**lson). the third and fourth finishers respectively, to take first and second •points. Each boat in the race had a protest, Nelson having two. Both of Nelson’s protests—against Marlborough and Bay of Plenty respectively —were upheld, and Bay of Plenty was successful in it? protest against Wellington. The committee commenced its sitting before 5 p.m., and did not conclude its business until after 11 p.m.. but an hour’s adjournment was taken for tea. When the sailing committee, which consisted of delegates from each centre, held its final meeting at the conclusion of the race, the judge. Mr 1. Flood, reported that the boats crossed the line in the following order: Rose Maria. Tornado. Marita. Mayfair. Vagabond. However, the committee was faced with protests from each boat, all of which arose out of a mix-up when they converged on the first leeward mark. DETAILS OF PROTESTS The following were the protests and the committee’s decisions:— Marlborough protested that Nelson illegally luffed her when approaching the first buoy Protest dismissed Wellington protested that on the run to the first leeward mark Tornado, being on the starboard tack to leeward |

of Rose Marie (Bay of Plenty) Tornado luffed Rose Marie, and in so doing Tornado’s spinnaker boom made contact with Rose Marie's jib. Rose Marie marie no attempt whatever to give way. and Wellington considered that under Y.R.A. rules Rose Mane fouled the Tornado Protest dismissed Canterbury protested against Bay ol Plenty for allegedly fouling Canterbury with her spinnaker boom.- Protest dismissed. Nelson p otested against Bay of Plenty for fou'.ing Mayfair’s mainsail and stays with their spinnaker boom.— Protest lphcld. Nclron further protested against Marlborough for not responding to a luff, and thus causing a foul with her spinnaker. Protest uphold. Bay of Plenty protested against Tornado (Wellington) for making an illegal luft and making contact with Rose Marie. The grounds of the protest were that Wellington was the overtaking boat and failed to keep clear.—Protest upheld. FLOATING JUDGE’S REPORT The Floating Julge. Mr A. K. Griffith, who was on the official launch, saw the I whole thing from a good position, but j it was impossible owing > the bunched j boats to say who was responsible for ! the general mix-up He could see the leeward and weather boats. Marlborough was the weather j boat next to Nelson. He saw those two boats in contact. He also saw the Canterbury boom contact the weather shroud i f Bay of Plenty. All five boats were practically in a line with Marlborough in the weather position, the ) order of the boats to leeward being ’ Nelson, Canterbury. Bay of P'ent.v. and j, Wellington Wellington luffed Bay of: Plenty twice, and Rose Marie responded to the luff both times. Marlborough ' 1 | cleared the buoy first, but not before ! j ; Marlborough and Nelson had contacted i f It appeared at one time that all the boats were contacting each other. In ! his opinion the mix-up was caused by a ’ failure to respond to a luff. The chairman. Mr Griffith, agreed j with Mr Stevens that the luffing started , from the Wellington and Boy of Plenty I boats, but somewhere along the line j there was a failure to luff. ! The Wellington v Bay of Plenty case I . was taken first. C V. Stutter. Wellington skipper, i ’ -tated <hat his luff was deliberate to make Bav of Plenty give way but it j did not do so on the first occasion. He ! made sure of contacting Bay of Plenty j on the second occasion. , R Mackrell. Bay of Plenty skipper. I said he responded to Wellington's luffs. ! 4 The reason for the contact was that he i ’ had no further sea room towards Can- i P terbury. the next boat. Wellington was i never far enough ahead for her spinna- ' „ , ker boom to touch Bay of Plenty’s jib. I t ! Mr L Stevens said all were aware j i that the case had to be decided on the ! ? j evidence. In the first place the floating , ' j judge said that Bay of Plenty respond- ; | ed to Wellington’s luff, and that on the ' | second occasion Bay of Plenty could j not respond owing to the proximity of ? i tne Canterbury boat. He moved that ' {the Tornado protest be dismissed, i Mr T Flood seconded the motion which was carried I Canterbury’s case against Bay of Plenty was dismissed as the committee f held that Rose Marie had no searoom » and was unable to avoid Canterbury. In evidence in the Bay of Plenty case ? versus Wellington, the Bay of Plenty » skipper. R. Mackrell. said Wellington j was the overtaking boat. Rose Marie having established a clear lead on Tornado at one stage of the run. As the s overtaking boat Wellington should have 2 kept clear, making the luffing illegal , Nevertheless. Rose Marie had luffed in . response to Tornado. The reason for , not luffing higher was that there was , no room between Rose Maria and t Marita which were already i.i contact. , The Canterbury skipper. E. Beau- . mont. said he did not think the Well lington boat was the overtaking boat. , as she was about level with Rose Marie all the way to the buoy The Bay of . Plenty boat was unable to miss wit- , nesses’s boat owing to lack of room. The Nelson skipper. A Hargreaves. . stated that at no time on the run did Rose Marie ever establishe a clear lead | on Tornado. The Wellington skipper. C. V Stutter. , said that from the starting line and . the point of contact the Rose Marie . never secured a clear lead of Tornado. > He twice luffed Rose Marie. He definitely fouled the Bav of Plenty on the first luff. Rose Marie failing to re- . spond. His spinnaker boom pressed i hard on Rose Marie’s jib on the first , luff. * The Marlborough skipper. C Flood. | said that at one stage on the run to the i first buoy Rose Marie had a clear lead on Tornado The Wellington boat then ; caught Rose Marie. 1 The floating judge also considered that a clear lead had been established Bay of Plenty’s protest was upheld by five votes t;o four. After hearing evidence it was established that Marlborough fouled Nelson, and the Nelson protest was upheld. Nelson's second protest was then made. The Nelson skipper. A. Hargreaves. * said when the boats came out of the : mishap right on the mark just before ; the Nelson boat rounded Bay of Plenty j contacted Nelson on the mark. Tauran i ga’s spinnaker boom contacted the Nel- ! son boat. He did not see who was on the leeward of Bay of Plenty In the j position he was in he could not luff. j The Bay of Plenty skipper. R Mack- 1 cell, said that after fouling Canterbury ! they could not go either way Nelson ! came through and fouled the Bay of j Plenty spinnaker boom, the Rose Marie | not having any wind, and not being able to make a move. His boat was \ being forced round by Tornado's spin- j naker boom. The Canterbury and Wellington skippers were also called, and Nelson and Bay of Plenty were recalled Hargreaves said Rose Marie had plenty of wind and ' sailed on to Mayfair, and the Wellington j skipper said that Tornado broke contact with Rose Marie 40 yards from the buoy. | It was moved by Mr H. G. Stutter and seconded by Mr R. Highet that the Nelson protest be upheld on the evidence heard. The motion was carried by 5 votes to , 4.

It was then decided that the Marl- > borough. Wellington, and Bay of Plenty boats be disqualified, and that j the points for the race be allotted: j I Marita 6. Mayfair 5. POINTS TABLE The following points table for the five races and the total poitns approved

that Wellington still had the right of 1 the decision of the committee in the second race resail when Tornado was disqualified for not being away from the slipway when the five minute warning flags were raised, and in which race no official time was kept.

for each boat ere as follows:Race 1 2 , 3 4 5 Pts. Bay Plenty 5 6 5 (> 0 22 Nelson ... 4 4 3 3 5 19 Canterbury 3 0 4 5 6 18 Wellington 6 0 6 4 0 16 Marlborough 2 5 2 2 0 11 The Wellington delegate pointed out j