YACHTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23647, 3 November 1938, Page 5

YACHTING

By Rudder

FIXTURES Saturday.—Opening of season at Vauxhall; second Sanders Cup trial* second Cornwell Cup trial. November 10.—Ravensbourne Club's opening. FIRST BLOOD TO EILEEN Eileen, last season's Otago challenger for the Sanders Cup, drew first blood on Saturday when the 1938 trials were commenced, and she and her crew thoroughly deserved the win. " Butch " Cuthbert made no mistakes and sailed a very consistent race in weather which suited Eileen admirably. Those yachtsmen who saw the trial are unanimous in their agreement that it was one of the best held on the harbour for many years. Although overhead conditions were poor—heavy showers swept over the course practically the whole afternoon—it was an ideal day for racing, the wind being fresh from the south-west and with just enough variation in force to keep all the skippers on the alert. Any one of the leadins boats might have won on the day, and the positions of the leaders changed often during the two rounds of the windward and leeward course. Eileen's performance was even more meritorious than it appeared on the surface because the crew was kent hard at the pump throughout the race. The boat sprang a leak when out in a two-reef breeze during the week, and in the trial the water was over the flood boards for most of the time. Without wishing to minimise in any way the excellent performance put up by the crew of Eileen, there is no doubt that Lynette was the unlucky boat. With just an ordinary share of the fortunes of the race she should have won handsomely but troubles

never came singly and everything seemed to go wrong for her crew on Saturday. To start with, Cyril Pettit took the starting buoy on his wrong hand at the beginning of the second round and lost valuable time before the error had been rectified. She had a handy lead at that stage and was flying away on the run, with, par accidents, the race well within her grasp. Pettit has sailed that course 50 times if he has sailed it once, and there can be no excuse for a careless mistake such as he made. The taking of buoys and marks on the right hand should be second nature to a skipper of his experience. Even then she made up her leeway on the run to Chains s and staged a great tussle, board for board, on the beat back up the harbour, Lynette had again taken the lead just off the Castle beacon when her bowsprit came adrift and her leading jib was useless until the sprit had been lashed in place. A man had to sit for'ard and hold it in place for the rest of the journey. To cap everything, her spinnaker boom went overboard and Lynette finished the trial with her crew endeavouring to hold the balloon out to catch the breeze, as she went for the line 30sec behind Eileen. . . Avenger, sailing in her first trial in Dunedin, went well in the light stuff, but she did not stand up so well to the heavier weather during the latter part of the race. In- the first round she was sailed particularly well by W. Mason, who has a boat capable of doing even better than she did on Saturday, especially in light breezes, and it should not be long before she is occupying more prominent places in the trials. Mason, incidentally, has R. Reynolds, a former Otago representative, as his for'ard hand. Considerable interest was taken in the performance of the new boat, Ripple, sailed by W. Wray, but on Saturday she was disappointing It will naturally take some time for her crew to get the "feel" of her and when they become more accustomed

to handling their new charge she should do better. Ripple has nice lines and looks capable of plenty of speed. She was further handicapped on Saturday by the fact that the rain soon soaked her new suit of sails, with the result that her crew could do little with her. Val has had her bows fined down during the winter months and will probably do better. She sailed well jn the early stages, but fell away in the heavier weather in the latter part of the race. McLean and his crew are as keen as ever and if will to win means anything Val will occupy more prominent places in future trials. One thing is certain—that the crew will not suffer from lack of practice. Evelyn was well handled by R. Todd,, who showed remarkable improvement during the races last season. She did better in the lighter weather. She took Ihe lead on ihe run to Challis's in the second round, but on the final beat against the freshening breeze she did not stand up to it so well—her crew seems to be on the light side—and she was passed by Eileen, Avenger and Lynette. Her speed on the second run, however, was remarkable. She was in fourth place. 67sec behind Lynette, the leader, when she rounded the Kitchener street pile, but she was in the lead by 40sec at Challis's, having passed all the others boats ahead of her. The old Eunice made a reappearance in trial races on Saturday. She was made on the same moulds as Heathei at the same time, and was well known when she was owned by Mr A. C. Hanlon. For some years she has been up at Karitane. She was late at the start of the race and did not actually cross the starting line, so did not show up at all. THE TAKAPUNA TRIAL The first Cornwell Cup trial, sailed at Port Chalmers on Saturday, was won by Popeye, skipped by W. Watson, with Tere (J. Wilson) second, and Runa (T. Camp) third. Six boats started, the others being Oakie (J.

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Todd), Val (A. Innes), and Taka (Simpson). The winner opened up a big lead during the second half of the first round and maintained it to the finish. Watson took her up under the shore, while'Tere and Runa stood out and struck the ebb tide. Popeye sailed right away from the opposition at this stage and from then on had the race in safe keeping, finishing about 9min ahead of Tere. Taka, incidentally, struck trouble on her return journey to Mussel Bay after the trial and finished up by capsizing and smashing her mast and mast box. The second trial race will be held over a triangular course at Mussel Bay next Saturday, the draw for boats being as follows:—Watson (Tere), Camp (Oakie), Wilson (Popeye), Todd (Val). and Innes (Runa). OPENING OF SEASON The yachting season in Otago will be officially opened on Saturday at the Vauxhall Club's clubhouse. There will, as usual, be a procession of yachts and launches, and a few short speeches, while afternoon tea will be provided by the Vauxhall Club Committee. The second Sanders Cup Trial will be held in conjunction with the opening, the race being timed to start at 2.30. It will be over a triangular course from the club shed to the Kitchener street pile and down to the Castle beacon. It is to be hoped that the official ceremony will be well patronised by yacht and launch owners. In the past the latter have not turned out in very large numbers, and it is on them that the success of the procession depends OTAGO YACHT CLUB In an endeavour to create more interest in yachting, the Otago Yacht Club has decided to hold a regatta this season, and it will probably be early in March. M. Bachop and S. Simpson have been' appointed as handicappers for yachts, and all club races this season will be held under the Mark Foy system of handicapping. A. Cameron, M. Bachop and H. Latimer have been appointed as Sailing Committee. NOTES The official opening of- the Ravensbourne Club will be held on November 19. and a Cornwell Cup trial race will be sailed in conjunction with the function. The combined clubs' picnic, which was dropped about three years ago, will be revived this season, the date being provisionally fixed for February 5. The picnic was generally held at Company's Bay, and this locality will probably be used again. OBITUARY Yachtsmen who took an active interest in the sport some years ago will regret to learn of the death at Wellington of Mr A. J. Bloxham, who was in business in Dunedin as a hatter and mercer about 20 years dgo. He and Mr Bannister were the first owners of the well-known keeler Thelma, which still graces the Harbour with her trim lines. Together they had her brought down from Auckland about 1895, when she was just off the stocks, and under their ownership the vessel met with great success in races "Watty" Briggs. of the old Leader, skippered Thelma for Messrs Bloxham and Bannister The boat afterwards passed to Mr A. Knewstubb, and was ultimately purchased by Mr Challis who still has her She has had very few owners for a craft of her age Prior to buying Thelma Mr Bloxham and Mr Bannister were part owners of the old Ruru, a fine-keeler, which came originally from Lyttelton. HANDICAP TROPHY The generous action of the Vauxhall Club in presenting the association with a cup has made it possible for a trophy to be competed for in connection with the Sanders Cup trials.. It was sug:

gested last season in this column that some form of competition which would add interest to the trials might be an encouragement to those crews who turn out week after week, knowing that they have little chance of winning any of the races, and it is pleasing to see that the Vauxhall Club has found its way clear to present the trophy The cup will be Dresented to the crew gaining the most points in the trials, and the points will probably be allotted as follows: —Five for first, three for second, two for third and one for a start The system of points will be finally decided at the association meeting on Monday night. The yachts will be handicapped before each race. Lynette (lmin) was the winner on Saturday, with Eileen (scr) second and Evelyn "(2min) third. Lynette gained her victory on corrected times by only 30sec. Eileen being 29sec ahead of .Evelyi*... . .;. • „ ... :.• .■/ -, s.. s.