YACHT RACING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21951, 7 November 1934, Page 9

YACHT RACING

GENERAL HANDICAP EVENT WINNER WELL HANDLED OMATERE CHANGES HANDS BY SPINDRIFT The weather conditions were ideal on Saturday afternoon for the Richmond Cruising Club's general handicap sweepstake race. A strong breeze from the south-west was blowing before the start of the race, but by 3 o'clock there was only a full-sail breeze. Several of the skippers, anticipating the breeze holding throughout the afternoon, decided to reef at the last moment and were late in starting. The direction of the wind gave the boats a run, a beat and a broad lead. Two new 18ft. V class boats, Atalantu 11., and Mimic, made their first appearance. The former, a round-bilge boat, made a good showing on and off the wind, but had the misfortune to carry away her rud-

der alter leading the fleet on the first and part of the second round of the course. Mimic, a square-bilge craft, gave her crew a rather lively time shortly after starting and she took no further part in the race.

The 1 Ift. V class boat Raider sailed remarkably well and it was only after a keen struggle that the 18-footer M artha S. was able (o beat Raider round the course. On the completion of the first round Martha S. had a lead of 9s from Raider, but in the second round Martha S. increased her lead by over a minute. The J6-footer Nnmu, which started .'im. late, made up a lot of leeway in the second round and finally finished -m. 50s. after Martha S. The winner, Wakanui, was well handled by her youthful skipper B. Kitchener, and thoroughly deserved the

first prize. The new 42ft. keel yacht which Mr. A. Couldrey. of Northcote. is building for INIr. J. Mitchelson, is expected 1o be launched to-morrow afternoon. Her owner has decided to call her after his former boat Little Jim. The Wakatere Boating Club will hold, a general handicap off Narrow Neck on Saturday, starting at 3 o'clock.

The M class boat Manene has been equipped with a new suit of sails and was trying the mainsail out last Saturday . Wellington Proposal The owners of keel yachts belonging to the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, Wellington, are endeavouring to work the system of self-adjusting handicaps, under which each boat submits three handicaps for light, moderate and heavy weather. These handicaps are then adjusted or agreed to at a meeting of boat-owners and an arrangement of increased handicap inaugurated depending on the winner of each race. The 18ft. V clas boat Daphne, formerly owned by Mr. G. R. Elliot, of Remuera, has been sold by Mr. R. H. Wood to Messrs. J. and S. Frankham, of Heme Bay. She will compete in the Richmond Cruising Club's races. The Manukau Cruising Club will open its season on November 24 with a harbour race for yachts and motor-boats.-The club's new building on the waterfront at the foot of Hill Street is Hearing completion and will shortly be ready for occupation. The 30ft. by Bft. 4in. launch Dawn, formerly owned by Mr. W. O. Skinner, of Whnngarei, has been purchased by an Auckland yachtsman. The boat made the trip to Auckland in the charge of Mr. L. R. Matthews, accompanied by Mr. W. Reynolds. Her actual time for the voyage was 12 hours. The Ponsonby Club The Ponsonby Cruising Club will hold a series of sweepstake races on Saturday' for classes H, L, and N; M, V, and S; T, X and Y and Z. All events will start and finish off the western reclamation, and will be sailed over .tha club's usual harbour courses. The well-known 26ft. H class boat Omatere, lately owned by Mr. M. Jones, of Stanley Bay, has been purchased by Mr. R. Eccles, of-Belmont. Omatere was built by Logan Brothers for Messrs. Oxenliam Brothers, and has a very lengthy list of winnings to her credit, including a number of championship flags and cups. Her record for the 1933-34 season was 12 first, three second and four third prizes, fn all her races last season Omatere was beaten across the finishing line only on two occasions—by Celox in the Richmond Cruising Club's regatta and In the ocean race from Auckland to Coromandel. She will be sailed by Mr. Jones for her new owner in some of the most important races this year and will moor in Stanley Bav.