SANDERS CUP TRIALS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18897, 20 December 1924, Page 9

SANDERS CUP TRIALS.

Sir,—ln a report published in your columns of the first Sanders Cup trial race " Spindrift " says of the new boat Dulcie: "In some quarters good things were expected of her, but she never fulfilled the hopes •of her admirers, and before the fleet had gone very far she soon became a back number and gave up." Now, sir, this is not a fair statement of the facts. Dulcie was forced to retire from the race because her platecase had worked loose and was leaking badly. The fault is none of the builders, for he was misled by the specifications provided with the official plans. It is stated that the plate-case may be secured with six wooden knees or six iron knees of a certain size. The builder had had no previous experience of plate boats, otherwise he would have known that six iron knees of the sizo specified are quite insufficient to make a water-tight' job. Dulcie retired, then, because of a minor flaw in the which has since been rectified. It is scarcely fair then that she should ho labelled a " dud " before she lias had a chance to prove whether she is a " crack." Rona registered no wins in her first season, you may remember. It may bo of interest to remark that both the official measurer and the original dosigner of the llona class regard the Dulcie as conforming more nearly than any other boat to the Rona plans; a feather in the cap of an amateur? Dick Deadeye