SAILING RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6096, 1 June 1881, Page 5

SAILING RACE.

The sailing race hetweon the Hattie May, Imp, Observer, and Madge, took place yesterday afternoon, and resulted in a victory for the latter boat. The start was effected by Captain J. McKenzie at 1.5 p.m. Three of the boats got away pretty well together, but the Observer was nearly two minutes after the others. It is thought the Madge's buoy-rope got across the Observer's forefoot, and caught in her centreboard. There was a good easterly breeze blowing. The Madge took the lead from the first, and maintained it throughout the race. The Daphne was rounded—Madge first, Hattie May and Observer almost together, Imp last, but close up. The Madge rounded the North Shore buoy some two minutes ahead of the Observer, the Imp being third, and Hattie May last. Shortly after rounding the buoy, the shackle bolt of the Observer's bußipkin drew, and although the crew triad to set a sail on a temporary stiek rigged from the spinnaker boom, it did not stand when she came on the wind, and she was thrown out of the race while holding an excellent position although Holland did his best to keep on. When running up, the Hattie May and Imp were close together, side by side, and rounded the buoy at the wharf in that position, the Imp being round first. When they were at the wharf buoy the Madge was close over to the Nortli Shore. The Hattie May's rudder-head carried away early in the race, and it was m ost di fficnlt to manage her. She was ballasted rather light, and her sail, a borrowed one, set very badly. Altogether her performance was the worst of her record. The Madge in the second round improved her position and eventually won by 6mins. •tSsecs. The finish was Madge, 3h. 3mins. 12secs.; Imp, 3h. lOmins.; Hattie May, 3h. 13mine. oOsecs. The winning boat was sailed by J. Bigelow, junior; the Hattie May, by John White; the Imp, by Ted Moore, and the Observer, by D. Holland: Mr. Waymouth thinks it very hard to be defeated by a fluke instead of on its merits, and challenges the Madge to race for £5 or £10 to-day.