OPEN SAILING BOAT-RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5372, 4 February 1879, Page 2

OPEN SAILING BOAT-RACE.

In accordance with the decision of the committee, the competitors in the above race mustered abreast of Queen-street Wharf at noon yesterday, in order, if possible, to bring the event to a conclusion, it having on the two previous occasions been called off in consequence of accident, and one or more of the boats having gone to the assistance of their comrades, as described in former issues of the Herald. There was very little fear yesterday of any such exciting scenes as were witnessed on Saturday, inasmuch as there was only a moderate breeze from the north-west, a regular " sojer's wind," as it is nautically termed,—a Isading wind both ways, and not so strong as to prevent; every inch of canvas being spread,— so much so that ui'iny remarked that the boat that spread the most canvas would win the race Such proved to be the case, for the Toy had a perfect cloud of canvas spread, and soon after the start it was admitted on all sides that, bar accidents, it was her race. We should like to have seen the wind such as to have made beating one way necessary, in order that the various qualities of the Toy (now styled by her friends the champion boat of New Zealand ") might have been fairly compared with boats that are known to lie well up to the wind Mr Bailey claims for his boat that, take her in any wind or weather, there is not her equal in any port of the colony, and he is open (or his friends) to make a match with aiiy other owner that thinks he as good a boat as the Toy. Captain Nearing, being the starter, was the post at the appointed hour, and the following boats put in appearance : Toy Brothers, Alert, Missing Link, Volante, Tui! Neva, Pembroke, and Sis. A very good start wa3 made, and as the boats got divided, it was seen that the Toy was rapidly shooting ahead, closely followed by the Missing Link, Volante, Brothers, and Neva. In this way the buoy at the North Shore was rounded, and leadin ,r up the harbour the Toy gradually increased °her distance, so that when passing the wharf she was Imin. -JOsees. a-head of the Missing Link, the next boat, with Brothers, Volante, Alert. Neva, Sis, Pembroke, and Tui close astern." Between here and Stokes's Point the Volante overhauled the Brothers and secured the third place, and went round the buoy in that order. Down the harbour the lot came, but it was more conclusive than ever that the Toy was steadily out-distancing her opponents, and even with time allowance they would fail to displace her. The interest was thus early taken off the race as to who should be first, and centred upon the boats thit were trying for second honors. It was seen that the contest was between the Missing Link, Volante, and Brothers, and as they often changed places, it was difficult to decide how they would be placed in the long ru.i, but the following is the finish, as supplied by the umpire, Mr. Marshall.

rn H. 11. S. 2 12 10 1 Volante ... ... 2 20 6 9 Missing Link... . . o 99 09 o Brothers Z 2 25 2 4 Pembroke ... ... 22820 5 4 lort 229 3 6 J eva 2 34 3 7 &1S 9 00 « o Tui did not finish. b The boats, according to measurement, we believe, will stand thus Toy, Ist; Brothers, 2nd: Missing; Link, 3rd ; Volante, 4th. A match has been made between the open boats Sis and Missing Link for £10 a-side, to come off at - p.m. to-day; regatta course.