SAIL AND POWER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18946, 17 December 1929, Page 6

SAIL AND POWER

By

“STEM.”

Colleen’s Fine Performance. The surprisingly good performance of Colleen in the second trial on Saturday, which was won by Betty by one second, should be an inducement to the association to sail the full three trials, as they have reserved themselves discretionary power to do. “Stem” would very much like to see Coljins and Treleaven change boats for a third race, but this, doubtless, would be impossible to arrange. Whether new sails made the difference, whether Collins has found a new and real “feel” for his boat, or whether he had an inspired day for following the wind, it is certain that Colleen’s performance was just as meritorious a one as that of Betty. Betty got the worst start of the three contestants, but at the end of the short run down to the Pile light was lying second. After ten minutes’ windward work Betty got the better of Colleen, and was ten lengths ahead off Purau. At the Purau mark her lead amounted to 30sec. Across to the midharbour mark Betty set a leading-jib and lost five seconds.

The long run down to the Pile light revealed the weakness of Colleen’s sailing.* Her spinnaker hand had the sail setting with the end of the boom too high. Consequently she rolled a good deal when planing from the tops of the seas and lost way. Betty, on the other hand, had everything drawing very near the water, and maintained an even pace.

It was under the cliffs of Diamond Harbour that Collins snatched the lead in a way which gave the spectators on the breakwater a real thrill. He

watched the wind and followed it while Treleaven was tacking? aimlessly further out in the harbour. From then on the two staged a first-class duel. Personally, “Stem” has never seen a better race. Fighting on the wind to the Purau buoy, one and then the other was in front, but Colleen led round the mark. By a curious trick of the wind it was possible to carry spinnakers from then on round the rest of the course. After several changes of leadership, Betty w'as first round the mid-harbour mark. The rest of the race was sheer jockeying. As each ran into the lead she tried to maintain her position by luffing, and the* one in the rear tried to blanket the other. This policy brought both so close inshore that they lost the wind and were almost becalmed, near the eastern end of the breakwater. Colleen got the wind as she lay a little to the rear and came level. So they raced almost to the finishing line. Colleen was coming ahead, and looked certain to win when the spinnaker lashing carried away from the end of the boom and she fell back, leaving Betty to win. Proposal for Dominion Control. The Wellington Yachting Association wrote to the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association recently asking if the Dunedin body was in favour of forming a New Zealand yacht and motor boat and outboard motor boat association. Suggestions were sought, and an annual conference was proposed. The letter was considered at Thursday’s meeting of the Otago Association. Mr W. O. Martin moved that the association instruct its delegates to the Sanders Cup Conference to confer on the subject with delegates from other centres. Mr F. Goodwin said there was little use for a national body at present. Mr J. T. Paul said recent incidents showed the need for a national body to control interprovincial contests. The rapid growth of the outboard sport also brought forward the need for a New Zealand association, as care would have to be exercised in the drawing up of classes. Mr Sell pointed out that if a dominion'body were formed Auckland would not have all the say, as in the Sanders Cup and the outboard championship at Russell. Mr Paul: Of course, it is absurd that the championship should be held yearly at Russell, although it is a beautiful place. The impression was created that if an association were formed, it should take over the jurisdiction of the various contests.

The motion was carried, it being agreed that the association would support the proposal if it were found practicable. „ The minute of the last Dominion Conference covering the motion requesting the deletion of Clause 3 (boat not to be interfered with) from the Sanders Cup rules was received from the Canterbury Association, which asked if Otago intended to frame another remit pressing for the deletion of the rule. The association decided to circularise the associations asking them to support the remit. Another remit for the annual conference is to be that the Sanders Cup contest be held alternately in different ports, irrespective of the winning province. The Otago association overlooked the fact that the Sanders and Cornwell Cups are vested in the Auckland association and Takapuna Club respectively, and the deed of gift would have to be altered if a dominion body were to control the contests. The northern bodies would probably not kindly accept an invitation to hand over the trophies. Otago Cornwell Cup Trials. Not since the meetings following the taking of the Cornwell Cup from the Otago crew at the famed 1928 contest has such a bitter discussion taken place at a meeting of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association as was staged on Thursday night. The Cornwell Cup was again the bone of contention, the report of the sailing judges on the selection of the Otago crew to challenge for the cup being strongly condemned by three delegates:— The report of the judges read:— “Five trial races were run in the Takapuna class, and bn the points system. Harris and Childs secured the highest, 28 points; M’Laren and Sell second, with 22 points; S. Bewley and Hook third, with 19 points; and V. Bewley and Tyrie fourth, with 11 points. Irrespective of points allotted, a secret ballot was taken amongst the judges, and the vote was unanimous for Harris and Childs. Accordingly we recommend them as Otago representatives in the Cornwell Cup contest.. The first race was sailed by one boat only, three points being allotted to M’Laren and Sell for turn, as no spinnaker was carried as they rounded the wrong marks on the wrong hand, and generally, sailing qualifications were bad.” Mr W. Sell said Harris had fouled in the second race, yet he had been awarded a win. The association was in for a bad time if it allowed that sort of thing to be countenanced. “The most ridiculous report I have ever heard,” was Mr W. G. Hewitt’s opinion of the report. The races were supposed to have been sailed under Y.R.A, rules, and the boys knew that they were on their honour to retire when they had illegally fouled another boat.

Although they were only trials, said Mr G. Bewley, the races should have been conducted with? greater care than club or regatta races. The observance of the rules was most important, and if Harris had known anything about the rules he would have retired when he fouled the Colleen. He should have been automatically disqualified from the race, yet he was allowed points. Mr T. Brookes said that the judges had acted rightly in deducting points from Harris’s total for fouling, for which nobody should have been disqualified. Mr Sell: There is nothing in that case. The races are run under Y.R.A. rules, and those rules must be abided by. Mr F. Goodwin said he interpreted the judges’ duty as being the selection of the two best boys to represent Otago in the Cornwell Cup. They had taken a just view of the foul. The boys had done wrong, and had been penalised. Harris had proved that he had been worth considering in the race by beating the field home. The boys in the first race should have been disqualified, as they rounded the wrong marks on the wrong hand. Mr Sell said the boys were unable to .read the instructions handed to them in the boat, as ink pencil was used. Mr Anderson: The boys were given their instructions clearly. Mr Sell: Well, let the secretary get out in the bay and have the orders called out to him. I do not think he would understand them. “Is the points system going to override the Y.R.A. rules?” was the pertinent question asked by Mr Hewitt. Mr Bewley said not one race provided a test which would give the judges cause to say who was the best crew. He moved and Mr Sell seconded that the report be referred back to the judges and that further trials be held. The motion was lost and the report was adopted. It was stated by the chairman that in the event of Harris failing to qualify for competition in the cup owing to his being over the age limit, M’Laren and Sell would be selected. That raised another argument, as the three opponents to the judges’ report failed to see how Sell could be selected as for’ard hand, when the judges said Childs was the best hand. To this the reply was made that M’Laren and Sell were a crew. “Well, my boy won’t sail,” declared Mr Sell. Commenting on the trials, “For’ard Hand’, writing in the “Evening Star”, says: “None of the trials produced a race worth watching or a test of the capa bilities of the crews, yet bv a system of points allocation the judges recommended Harris and Childs to be selected. In any trial the boat first past the judges, so long as it observed the rules, is the winner. M’Laren had two wins, and so was entitled to the honour. After watching the races, ‘For’ard Hand’ is certain that the material produced in the trials is not up to interprovincial standard, and the province can have little chance of winning the Cornwell Cup. Buit by their elaborate system of points, which ‘For’ard Hand’ cannot fathom, the judges have decided that one crew is better than another. No yachting supporter knows how the points are arrived at. Points, apparently, have been given for starting, rounding marks, rules, rigging and sail trimming, spinnaker, and finish. How five judges could be unanimous in deciding points for such particulars, and how joints could possibly be given for starting, rounding marks, and rules is beyond ‘For’ard Hand . All crews changed round in the boats, as is required by Cornwell Cup rules, and why were not the remainder of the rules enforced? A win is a win, so long as the rules are observed, and the method of calculation on technicalities is preposterous.”

Christchurch Club’s Races. A combined Life Members’ Cup and Searnew Cup race was sailed over the Heathcote-Avon course on Saturday bv fourteen boats from the Christchurch Sailing and Power Boat Club. A moderate easterly, high water and brilliant sunshine made ideal conditions. The racing was keen throughout, resulting in one of the finest finishes seen for a long time. Prior to the commencement of the race Secret was unfortunate in striking a submerged stake, which started a plank, making her leak badly throughout the race.

At 4.15 p.m. the final gun was fired sending the boats away. They crossed the line in the following order:—Secret, Seamew, Fidget, Ariti. They were well bunched. Shortly after the start, Ariti assumed command and held it on the run down to the tripod buoy, which she weathered ahead of Te Arai. Going down to Skylark Island, Te Arai moved up into the lead, with Ariti, Secret and Sea Pup strung out in that order. The Heathcote Pile was rounded in the following sequence: Te Arai, Ariti, Secret, Gazelle, Seamew, Naomi, Sea Pup, Sea Imp, Fidget, Playmate, Gadfly, Ngaire. Here the fleet stood back on the beat to Lighthouse reach. The more experienced made a short tack after rounding the pile to avoid the strong set and were able to make the long reach in one board. Te Arai turned the tripod at 4.3 p.m., leading Secret by 3min. The rest of the fleet, headed by Gazelle and Ariti, were making a great race of it. They rounded the tripod in a bunch, fighting hard for position. Over the Avon stretch the boats maintained their positions, with the exception of Ariti, who forged ahead of Gazelle. Standing in from the reach to the home channel, Gazelle weathered Ariti, otherwise the order was unchanged. The boats staged a splendid finish, crossing the line in the following order: — Naomi (R. Gormack), 19min, 4hr 25min 32sec, corrected time 4hr 6min 32sec 1 Sea Imp CP. Glanville), ISmin, 4hr 25min llsec, corrected time, 4hr 7min llsec 2 Gadfly (R. Beveridge), 20min, 4hr 28min 35sec, corrected time, 4hr Bmin 35sec t Ngaire (W. Gray), 26min, 4hr 32min 35sec, corrected time, 4hr 6min 35sec f The plaqings for the Seamew Cup were:— Sea Imp (F. Glanville) 1 Seamew (A. T. Round) 2 Sea Pup (A. Penn) 3 FIXTURES. December 26—Picton Power Boat Association’s meeting. 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. January 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. .