SAIL AND POWER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18940, 10 December 1929, Page 3

SAIL AND POWER

By

“STEM.”

Sanders Cup Trial. Still as good as e\ T er is the only conclusion that can be reached after watching Betty’s sailing in the first Sanders Cup trial at Lyttelton on Saturday. Up to the time when Colleen retired, near the end of the first round, Betty was walking away from both Colleen and Usher and finished about seven minutes ahead of the latter. Her sailing was beautiful to see. She seems to glide over the water while other yachts plough through it. The wind was very boisterous, calling for very careful handling. lan Treleaven mixed the right amount of daring with his caution and did not allow the heavy gusts to put him off form. He made only one obvious mistake—that was when Betty missed stays off Diamond Harbour on the first beat up, but the water was very broken at the time. Otherwise he understood his boat thoroughly and she seemed to respond perfectly to him. The conditions made a test of a particular kind. It remains to be seen if Treleaven can make as good a showing when it comes to following fluky airs—the power to do which has won many a Sanders Cup race. The course did not make a very thorough test of the crews, for, though intended as a windward and leeward one, it comprised only a broad lead and an easy beat. Probably it would have made no difference to the result, but it would have been interesting to see what the crews could do on a dead beat and a spinnaker run. Much will depend on the capability of the spinnaker hand. Treleaven has stood Canterbury in excellent stead for a number of years, but if, as is likely, he skippers the representative boat, another good man will have to be forthcoming. Colleen’s display was very poor indeed. She only held her own against Usher off the wind, where one expected to see her do very well, and on the wind Usher came up to and passed her. Shortly after she lost her jib. It is rumoured that Colleen will come out with a new set of sails, which could easily be an improvement on her present set, but there is much more in a yacht’s than the suit she wears. For on* th; ig, Frank Collins seemed to be jan m..g her constantly on the beat and was playing with his sheet and tiller far too much. _ Eliot Sinclair sailed a good race in Usher, although she was not expected tc do well.

A disappointment was Fred Morrison’s failure to get Secret round. Although Secret has no chance but a sporting one, Morrison is a very heady yachtsman and many people would have liked to have seen .him sailing. Saturday’s conditions would have suited Secret as well as any. Pleasant Point Club. All the yachts which took part in the third race of the Pleasant Point Yacht and Boat Club for the Ostler Cup got a severe buffeting. The violent west wind was too much for the Takapuna boats, which were unable to give much account of themselves. Strains and minor damage were inflicted all round. U and I was driven right under and Grayling’s rudder was broken. The day suited Valmai best of all, but, when in a good position, she ran aground and lost five minutes. However, she took second place behind Echo, with Scamp third. The strenuous conditions were reflected in the time—s9min 45sec, 12min 15sec slower than the time for the previous race. Points scored in the three races already sailed are:— Echo (W. Clancy) 22. Scamp (R. M’Clymont) IS. Valmai (W. Dodd) 17. U and I (A. Clements) 13. Question (R. Pickford) 11. Grayling (J. Harris) 8. Cutie (E. Bromley') 5. Eight more races are to be sailed. Time at Sea. Time at sea is counted in watches of four hours each, and two of two hours, in order to alternate the watches. They are arranged thus: First watch, 8 pm till midnight; micldle watch, midnight till 4 a.m.; morning watch, 4 a.m till 8 a.m.; forenoon watch, 8 a.m. till noon; afternoon watch, noon till 4 p.m.; dog watches—4 p.m. till 6 pm., and 6 p.m. till 8 p.m The watches are marked by bells, one bell being sounded for each half hour from the commencement. For instance, in the middle watch there would be one bell at 12.30 a.m two bells at 1 a.m., three bells at 1.30 , am., four bells at 2 a.m., five bells at 2.30 a.m., six bells at 3 a.m., seven bells at 3.30 a.m., eight bells at 4 am. For the bells, the two dog watches are worked as one watch. Makogai Regatta. Displayed in Mr S. Tredennick’s shop at the corner of Canterbury and London Streets, Lyttelton, are a number of photographs taken at Makogai Island, the leper station in the Fiji group, where the late inmates of Quail Island are now being cared for along with about four hundred others, mostly islanders The photographs include three > iews of the yachts owned by the inmates The yachts, which measure between ten feet and twelve feet, are fitted with native outriggers, and carry sets of sails similar to those used in New Zealand waters. No fewer than thirty of these little craft are to be seen lining up for the start of one of the races. The race was won by a boy who previously resided in the Napier district. One photograph shows a group o 1 twenty-five Fijian male dancers in their native dress, who gave a fine display of their art at the start of the regatta. Another shows the dwellings of Will and Jim, two of the Quail Island lepers. In a letter to Mr Tredennick one of the Maoris who went to Makogai from Lyttelton states that, though the weather is very hot on the island, they are very contented and are doing well. FIXTURES. December 14—Canterbury Outboard Club, open handicap of three heats for the John Burns Trophy, and scratch race for boats of 16 feet or over. December 14-—Christchurch Sailing and Seamew Cup races. , December 14—Pleasant Point Tacht Club, Ostler Cup race. December 27—Tauranga Regatta Club s

meeting at Tauranga, outboard races. December 28—Brighton Power Boat Club, 3 p.m., Lyttelton to Governor’s Bay. fan riary 11—Brighton Power Boat Club, 3 p.m., Lyttelton to Whistling Buoy. January 25—Brighton Power Boat Club, 3 p.m., all-comers' race, Lyttelton to Governor’s Bay