YACHT RACING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22900, 1 December 1937, Page 22

YACHT RACING

CORNWELL CUP CONTEST . ... . i FIFTH TRIAL DECIDED i SUCCESS OF THE SWISH A BY SPINDRIFT The Cornwcll Cup trials were ad- j vanced a further stage on Saturday j afternoon, when the fifth of the series was sailed off Bastion Point. Fourteen boats started in a light south-westerly J breeze, but before they had gone very far the wind came from the south and J freshened, v J. Lidgard, in Benny, led the fleet for about halfway round the course, but experienced a soft patch, and at least seven boats caught and passed Bennv. It was a beat .after .the lighthouse had been rounded, and the boats that finished first were those that stood inshore out of the tide. .1 be others worked mid-channel, and linislfed from 4m to 8m after the leaders. The winner, Swish, sailed by 11. Robb, defeated the second boat, Te Utu, B. Boyd, by the narrow, margin of 14 seconds. Of the five trials held, Bailey has two wins to his credit, and Mason, Brookbanks and Robb one sixth trial will take place next Saturday. BOATS CHANGE HANDS OVERHAUL OF RAINBOW The announcement that the A class keel vacht Rainbow had changed hands was very favourably commented upon, especiallv among owners of A class boats, who are looking forward to trying conclusions with Rainbow under racing conditions. The yacht is to be thoroughly overhauled, and it will bo some time before she will be ready to take the water. Her new owners, Messrs. F. and W. Cloke and 1. and J.. Patrick, are very keen yachtsmen and, once Rainbow lias been put into racing trim, she will be a regular competitor among boats of her own class. For this season she will retain her present mast and spars, but next season her owners will probably revert to her original sail plan, which provides for a larger mast, spars and mainsail. Sir. Frank Cloke, who was responsible for the purchase of Rainbow, was formerly part owner of the Speedwell, and later owner of the X class boats Desert Gold and Avalon. He is also an enthusiastic supporter of the Orakei Basin Model Yacht Club, and has designed and built some fast models, including the Crusader, Avenger and Verner. The B class keel yacht Kotiri, lately owned by Mr. L. D. Nathan, has been purchased by Mr. B. McCallum, of Devonport. Kotiri was launched at Lidgard's slipway on Friday and towed across to the Devonport Yacht Club's slipway, where she was hauled out to undergo an extensive overhaul. The A class keel yacht Ariki is being fitted with a 32 h.p. engine. The motor is of the outboard type, and has been converted into an inboard It will be installed under the cockpit and the shafting will protrude on the port side. A special left-hand folding propeller has been cast and if necessary it can easily be removed. The attachment is so small that it is not expected to retard Ariki's progress to any great extent when racing. RACES NEXT SATURDAY HARBOUR AND CRUISING EVENTS Harbour and cruising races will bo held by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club on Saturday afternoon. The keel yachts, mullet boats and class V will race to Awafoa Bay, Waiheke, and the M,. 14ft. classes and naval whalers will compete over harbour courses. The starting times are as follows:—Naval whalers, 2.22 p.m.; V class, 2.30 p.m.; L class, 2.38 p.m.; koel yachts and cruiser class, 2.46 p.m.; 14ft. classes, 2.54 p.m.; M class, 3.2 p.m. Mr. J. A. Kyd, commodore of the Howick Sailing Club, left for Sydney last week and will be absent from New Zealand for three months. The 18ft. SI class boat Maratea, which was raced by Mr. Kyd, has been purchased by Mr. S. Kissling. The 14-footer Wixie M, which took part in the combined harbour races arranged by the two Manukau clubs on Saturday afternoon, accounted for four first prizes. Sho started in both clubs and in addition competed in the resail of the. opening day race 3. Wixie M lost a few minutes at the start owing to crossing the line before gunfire, but soon made up the leeway by working the tide to the best advantage. The 18-footer Mystic, which was holding second position, hit a mudbank and damaged her plate, causing her to retire.