THE FOURTEEN-FOOTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18448, 9 January 1922, Page 7

THE FOURTEEN-FOOTERS

THIRD TEST RACE. Tlio third of .the senes of races instituted by the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association was sailed on Saturday afternoon. Soon after midday the wind went' into the north-oast' and gradually strengthened to a nice full-sail breeze, and held steady during the progress of the toco. The enjoyable weather conditions and the excellent sport provided by the nine closely matched boats made the day a memorable one for the yachting enthusiasts and a large gathering of tho public. Very soon after the start it become evident that M'OullochV Heather, lost year’s champion, was going, to meet a reverse, and though her skipper sailed with determination and skill, he was unable to bring Hns boat into line with the' vanguard. The boat struck a bank'off Waverleyj bending her centre-board, and did not sail so well thereafter. Her pace was also affected by a new sail. . Mr Hanlon’s Eunice, sailed by Wiseman, put up a sterling performance, tiwugh in the second round Mr Speight’s Winifred, with Kollett at tie tiller showed an excellent turn of speed, pulling up a Ices of nearly a minute and a-nalf on _ Eunice, and racing home neck-and-neok with the winner. ... Both boats gave an exhibition of sailing of outstanding merit, and it took all tho nautical skill of the veteran Wiseman, to cross the line by the eight seconds the time, records credit him with. • The racing was under the control of Commodore Holler, who had with him the association secretary, Mr J. D. Cameron, and the special Sailing pointed to carry out these fixtures. YiceCommodore •' Waters superintended the Otago Yacht Club’s fiharo in the fixture, and Messrs Jenkins Broe.’s Isabel'and Mr Macphcrsort’a Eureka were at tho service of the authorities. _ The start was timed for. 3 o’clock, and all the boats crossed immediately after, gunfire. Spinnakers were set to'port for the run to the topi mark, and the boat# were eo closely matched that it was iihpomiblo to separate them until they close-hauled far the boat down to the club, then it was found that Heather lin'd worked into the loading position closely followed by tho Eunice, Winifred, and Squib. .When the boats broke back on the Peninsula shore it was apparent that the Heather, could not hold her lead, and she was rapidly passed by Eunice with several, other boats closing up on her. The position of the leaders became—-Eunice, Winifred, lope, Agnes, Squib, Heather, and so it held to the lower mark.

Eunice had trouble with, her spinnaker" in fact, the spinnaker work generally was not of a very, high standard, lona being ah outstanding exception. On thb run up lona gained on the two leading boats, passing Winifred and turning the top mark m •second place. On the beat down to. the starting line Winifred regained her, position and. Heather displaced Squib, ■ the first round finishing:— ■ Euriice ... Ihr ICanin 13seo ... 1 Winifred ... Ihr 17niin 23seo ... | lona ... ... Ihr 17min 43seo ... 5 Agnes ... Ihr 19min 22see ..'.4 Heather . Ihr 19min 50sep , ... 5 Tom Thumb Ihr 21min 30seo ■ 6 Squib . Ihr 21min 50seo ... 7 Gleam . Ihr 23sec 15ihin 8 Yalriiai Ihr 24min 50seo ... 9 On the boat down to the lower buoy aU interest centred in ’ the contest between Eunice and Winifred. ; Abreast of Ravensbourne" both boats -were together,_and so they raced for the lower buoy. Winifred turned the mark first, and jibed without noticing that Eunice was close-hauled in. front of her bow. Wiseman haying the right of way-declined to alter* hi* course, so Winifred was forced to close haul again in order to*"6lear her rival. Winifred was timed to be 23seo ahead of Eunice here, and both l boats'indulged in a blanketing match. Winifred rounded the top mark 2soo ahead of Eunice.'and the boats luffed each other down to the finishing line. The finish looked to the spectators about a dead heat, but the; official times give Eunice the verdict by eight seconds. _ •_ _ , The following are the* finishing tintes.; — . Eunice 2hr 26min 14seo ... 1 Winifred ... 2hr 26min 22seo _. 2 lona i...* ... 2min 28seo Oseo -.1 3, Tom thumb 2iir 29niiu 53seo Heather ... 2hr 33min 46seo. ... 5 , Agnes .... 2hr 37min 29seo >. ,6 Squib Immediately after the race the association met, and after fully considering the case decided to award one point each tp Eunice and Winifred, and ordered _ these two boats to sail off against Heather in the finals. 1 -'■■■■ The finals will start on Monday at 4.30 p.m. oyer the Yacht Club course, and will continue each day until the winner is selected. - ' ‘ . The defender must be nominated by the end of the present week, as the rules require that the boat must be named 21 day* before the contest, which is set down for February 4 to 11. ' ,