SAIL AND POWER

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18992, 11 February 1930, Page 15

SAIL AND POWER

By

“ STEM.”

A New Cup Class? The possible abandonment of the j Rona design as the Sanders Cup class yacht is one of the subjects that may come up for discussion at to-night’s meeting of the executive of the Sailing and Power Boat Association. At a meeting of the Dominion Yachting Conference (held in committee at Auckland) the question of the size and type of yachts for future contests was discussed. Plans of the M class 18-footers (introduced a few years ago by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron) were laid on the table. Apparently delegates were much impressed and expressed the intention of bringing the question up at meetings of their own associations.

Measure Went By Moulds. The question of having the measurement of boats taken immediately prior to the Sanders Cup contest was discussed by the Dominion Yachting Conference. Mr C. H. Palmer (Auckland) said that he had been instructed to vote for the use of outside steel moulds. The object of this was to make it absolutely certain that no mistakes were made in the measurement of the boats. This was necessary and was a wise procedure. Mr J. T. Paul (Otago) strongly opposed the remit, stating that it was unfair and impracticable. It would mean that all boats that had previously been granted certificates by provincial measurers would not be allowed to take part in future contests if they failed to measure with outside moulds. This would at once kill the contest. He was not altogether opposed to the scheme applying to future boats built to take part in the contest. Messrs L. Smith and C. Holmes (Wellington) also opposed the remit, while Messrs C. Woodward and F. Collins (Canterbury), and A. J. Collings (Auckland) supported it. On the casting vote of the chairman the was carried. Comment From Auckland. Speaking of the manner in which the Sanders Cup was won, George Andrews said that Kellett showed superior judgment throughout and made fewest mistakes. When outsailed, he had exceptionally good luck with getting favourable changes in the wind. Patrick, the Auckland skipper, made mistakes in judging where to go, the weight of the wind and what weight to carry. As far as the boats were concerned, Eileen was the best of them and was sailed much better than last year. Asked about the run of the tides on the Waitemata, Andrews said that they were strong, but did not vary a great deal and could easily be judged. “As far as the actual racing was concerned there were only two boats in the contest—Eileen (Otago) and Avalon (Auckland),” commented the “New Zealand Herald.” “Now and again Clyde would flatter the hopes of her supporters by doing a little better than the others, but it -was always a passing phase, and she would again take her place at the stern of the Otago and Auckland boats. Clyde had arrived in Auckland with a big reputation, but she failed to live up to it. Her skipper stated that she had received rather a severe handling on the train from Wellington to Auckland, and he was inclined to think that she had been strained.

“ Eileen was handled with great skill and judgment by George Kellett in all her races. The skipper made no mistakes, and was too good for J. Patrick, skipper of the Avalon, who sailed his boat very much below his usual form. In the first race Patrick actually mistook the green light buoy for the white light buoy in Rangitoto Channel, and it was only when Eileen had rounded the white light that Avalon’s skipper discovered his error. It was indeed a serious one as it gave Eileen such an advantage that, bar accidents, the issue was never in doubt. Had Avalon sailed the correct course, however, it is doubtful whether she would have beaten Eileen, which was making better weather of it than Avalon in the rough water. Before the boats broke tacks after making a long board on port below the lighthouse Eileen was leading Avalon by about 150 yards and was pointing higher than her rival. Not only did Avalon’s mistakes prove costly to her. but it also misled Clyde, whose skipper followed • the Auckland boat, never for the moment questioning the rounding buoy. The skippers concerned had no one to blame but themselves for the mistake, as they all received and signed written instructions as to the course. “In the second race, which was won by Avalon, her skipper made the turn at King’s Wharf on starboard, instead of port, and it was only after being informed of his error that he rounded the buoy the correct way. This cost Avalon lmin 30sec, but she had such a good lead from Eileen that she was able to show r the latter round the remainder of the course. “The third race, sailed in a hard breeze, was the most thrilling of the contest. What appeared to be a run--11 E EH HI ® HI I*l BE! HI @3 ® ® HI HI IS EEJ SI i H H

away victory for Avalon was suddenly j i changed to defeat through Avalon capsizing just before rounding the Sandspit beacon. She then had a lead ot about three minutes from Eileen. All the Otago boat had to do was to play safe and sail the course by herself, both Clyde and Colleen having meanwhile given up. “The fourth and final race might < have easily been won by Avalon had : her skipper sailed the same course as < Eileen after rounding the Sandspit on the first beat up to King’s Wharf. ■ Avalon had a comfortable lead from . Eileen, but instead of standing up the harbour after getting some distance : across it she carried on and went after ■ Clyde, which had also stood well into Hobson Bay. Eileen and Colleen set a wonderful luff in the middle of the harbour and were able to lay the tide deflector and were soon ahead of both Avalon, and Clyde, which had to ease sheets to fetch the deflector mark. This unfortunate move on the part of Avalon was really the cause of her losing the race. Once in the lead Eileen maintained it and although Avalon did well in the latter stages she was unable to regain the lead, finishing 29 seconds astern of Eileen and losing the cup for Auckland. Many enthusiasts who witnessed the last race expressed considerable surprise at no action being taken by the judges when a foul occurred between Eileen and Avalon while the starting flags were up. although the gun had not been fired.” Slow Outboards. Does the Canterbury Outboard Motor Boat Club intend its race meetings to be public affairs; or are they a purely private entertainment? If the club wishes to maintain interest in its doings it will have to smarten up considerably. Last Saturday’s long delays were only worse in degree than what has been experienced previously. The officials are not to blame. When the races were finally started they _ were run off quite expeditiously. It is up to the individual members to take thought and care beforehand and make sure that they will not keep either their fellow competitors or the spectators too long waiting. Starting Yacht Races. A bright spirit on the balcony of the Christchurch Sailing Club the other Saturday afternoon suggested that it might be a good idea if the club took to the five-flags method of starting its races. It is a great pity that this system was not long ago made the only official (as it ought to be) method of starting races. No other method is ever used at Lyttelton, where there are generally fewer starters and better starting conditions. Estuary skippers at present get a five-minutes warning gun, a flag with half a minute to go and a gun to start. This leaves far too much to the skipper's imagination. Apart from that, it is bad training for championship racing, where the art of getting a good start benefits not only the man who gets it but also the temper of the officials and the nerves of the crew. Loose Ends. “The Sayonara Cup race between Victoria and New South Wales,” says an Australian yachting writer, -“can always be relied on to cause a peck of trouble. This year the selection of P. S. Arnott’s Vanessa is the casus belli. Test matches were to have been held among Norn, Vanessa and Rawhiti, but the owners of Norn and Rawhiti insisted ou being allowed to choose their own skippers and crew, if either of their craft was selected. The Selection Committee turned this down, and cancelled the test matches.” It may be some comfort to local yachting bodies to know that they aren’t alone in their troubles. Taking advantage of an interval in the racing programmes. A. T. Round has had his 30-footer Te Arai up on the slip for re-painting. Betty’s new home is with the Evans Bay Club, Wellington. She has been bought by W. H. Wagstaff, vice-presi- , dent of the club, who, says George An* drews, intends to place her at the disposal of younger members of the club for training purposes. Andrews says he is glad that Wellington has got , Betty, as it is the only port where , there is any regular Jellicoe class racing. Wellington now has six or seven of ’ these fourteen-footers.

Everyone will be pleased to know that George Brassell, the young Lyttelton yachtsman, is well enough to be sailing again. He turned out at the recent regatta at Kairaki, though he was not then fully recovered; but on Saturday he won the Canterbury Club’s Takapuna class race with his yacht Zita. He was given a very close go by F. Forman in Pauline, until the final round of the course, when Brassell drew away and won by a minute and a half.

FIXTURES. February 15—Christchurch Sailing Club, A and B class races. February 15—Canterbury Outboard Club, open handicap events, at Redcliffs. February 18—Cornwell Cup contest, Dunedin. February 22—Pleasant Point Yacht Club, Ostler Cup race, 1.30 p.m. February 22—Christchurch Sailing Club, junior members’ race. ’ March I—Christchurch Sailing Club, combined Life Members’ and Sea--1 mew class cup races. March I—Canterbury Outboard Club, open handicap events, at Redcliffs. March B—Christchurch Sailing Club, junior members’ race. March B—Pleasant Point Yacht Club. Ostler Cup race, 12.30 p.m. ■ March 15—Chrstchurch Sailing Club A and B class races. 1 March 29—Canterbury Outboard Club. ! races for B and C class shields, at Redcliffs. > March 29—Christchurch Sailing Club, combined Life Members’ and Seamew class cup races. April 12—Canterbury Outboard Club, open handicap races for President’s Cup, at Redcliffs.