YACHTING MISHAPS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19799, 21 November 1927, Page 8

YACHTING MISHAPS.

FOUR BOATS CAPSFZE. MANY EXCITING INCIDENTS. An unusually large number of mishaps marked the official opening of the yachting season ia Auckland on • Saturday. A fresh south-west wind was blowing and the crews had a lively time. At the start of the race tor 26ft centreboard bdate the Takapuna onerdesign boat Delphine got in the way of Wait ere 11., which overturned the little ;'fiattie" and dragged her some distance down the harbour. Meanwhile the Delphine's crew of t,wo lads was picked up by a launch, and wh«n Waitere 11. was able to free herself of the Delphine, the latter was towed alongside King's Wharf and righted. It was then found that the "flattio" had broken her mast. • . . . When the boats racing in the same class as Waitere 11. had reached Judge's Bay, Spray carried away her mast at the crosstree. A launch went to her assistance and towed her to her moorings in St. Mary's Bay. In the race for class M., 18ft. patikis,, Manene capsized shortly after rounding; the Sandspit beacon when leading Mawhiii by a few lengths. The mishap was caused through her jib getting foul. Her crew was picked up by the hire launch OliveW and landed at Devcnport. On the run from Resolution Buoy to the Sandspit beacon, the 16-footer Arattt overturned, her crew being, picked up by a hire launch, Racing in class T (14ft. boats), the Rex broke her mast shortly alter passing the eastern tide deflector. The 18-footer Surprise, which was hav. ing a very close race with the Drone, carried away her rudder gudgeon. This rendered Surprise helpless and she was driven agaras the eastern tide deflector and had a hole knocked in her side. A hire launch went to her assistance and lowed her to the launch steps. Just before tho start of the race for the big keel yachts Wanderer cracked her mast and had to run back to her moorings in Mechanics' Bay. The first-class keel yacht Thelma broke her gaff just before rounding North Head arid about the sama time the B class yacht Rangi blew ou " her mainsail. While gybing at North Head, a rope from the kecler Nga Toa caught one of her crew, Mr. J. Inkster, round the throat and threw him overboard. The yacht was quickly rounded up and Mr. Inkster managed to. get on board again. La te f m tho race Nga Toa split her mainsail, hut continued in the race and finished the course.