How ihe Waitangi Yon the Championship.

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 840, 2 February 1895, Page 17

How ihe Waitangi Yon the Championship.

It was scarcely safe the night before the championship yacht race in Wellington, writes our special correspondent, to express the opinion that the Auckland yacht Waitangi had any show against the Lyttelton crack and forcner champion, the JJascotte. Everyone believed the race was a moral for the Southern boat, except, indeed, a few cynical Aucklanders, who talked Waitangi until they were in danger of being slaughtered, but who were nevertheless more than willing to back their opinions if money had been forthcoming. But it was not. Mr Logan insisted on entering the Waitangi as an Auckland boat,claiming that she did not pass out of his hands till after the regatta, so that the championship falls to the credit of Auckland this year. The start took place in almost a dead calm, and was po badly managed that the Waitangi and Mascotte were left together under the lee of the wharf, while the old Maritana and the Pastime got away together with. all canvas set and just filling out under the pressure of a mere catspaw of wind. It was fully four minutes till the Mascotte and Waitangi drew out from the shelter of the wharf, where they were becalmed, and then they also ielt the faint northern breeze—if you could call it even an apology for a breeze —and commenced to go ahead. • ■ • The yachts were quite a contrast —the Waitangi shapely and of fine lines, and with considerable freeboard, and the Mascotte also built on a pretty racing model, but with less of the style of the greyhound about her, and lying lower in the water. The Mascotte being of the greater rating was to allow the Waitangi four or five minutes. But to return to the race. Race did I call it ? Why, it was a mere procession. Ere the boats had travelled three hundred yards, the wind came out from the southward, and the yachts heeled over to a pleasant breeze -which occasionally freshened up a bit but which at no time gave any reason for complaint on the score of want of wind. The course meant a lead down to the point, and then several boards were necessary to round the buoy inside the Heads. From the moment the yachts first felt the breeze, the Waitangi tripped away from her doughty opponent, and both on the lead and close-hauled fhe showed a turn of speed that must have astonished the Wellington yachtsmen. The buoy at the entrance was reached about an hour after the start, and then the Waitangi was well ahead of everything, and her kites were out, and she wns running before it acrosstheharbourtoPetonebuoy. The Mascotte was next in order. • • • As the yachts passed the northern end cf Soames's Island, I took their time and found the Waitangi to be four minutes and a-half ahead, and then they were only an hour and a-half out. Yachtsmen wjU readily understand what an advantage that was. The buoy once rounded, the yachts were again close-hauled, and with a glass one could see that the Waitangi was laying a better coruse than her southern opponent, thus disposing of the claiiii ot the Mascotte partizans that their boat would be better on a wind. I timed the yachts again after their second long board, and the Waitangi was then six minutes and a-half ahead and going away from her rivals like a racehorse. But wbj describe the race further ? At no time was there any change in the state of things. Every mile showed the Waitangi so much further ahead, and when the gun proclaiming her the winner was finally fired, she was 29 minutes in advance of the Mascotts. Our old friend the Maritana was about an hour in the rear. With time allowance, the Waitangi therefore won from the Mascotte by about thirtyfour minute:. —what a thrashing in a yacht race ! • * Logan, senr, sailed the Waitangi himself, and was warmly congratulated on all hands upon his victory, which was very popular. Though the Wellington people thought tjie Mascotte invincible, they were nevertheless very glad to see a locally-owned yacht triumph over her. The Mascotte people are slow to admit defeat, and claim that their yacht requires heavy weather, in which she would prove the better boat. -\. You can, however, take this straight tip from me. — blow high or blow low, the Waitangi will win every time. She is about the best yacht Logan has ever built, and that is saying a great deal.

A turf-scribe's lot, like the l bobbj's is not a very happy one, when it comes to that part of his screwed —tipping winners. On paper, previous to a day's racing these anticipations may look very nice. They look like winners, and are voted good picks. But when the outsiders, who had ' no show,' romp home, and the good ones labour chains in the rear, those 'tips' which had so fine an appearance a few nours ago look Jike — well perhaps I'd better not say.