A CRACK NEW ZEALAND YACHT.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XVIII, 30 April 1898, Page 534

A CRACK NEW ZEALAND YACHT.

We are enabled this week to give our readers some pictures illustrating the first race between the Auckland yacht Meteor and the Sydney boat Bronzewing, in which the former gallantly upheld the honour of Auckland For the first hour the race was a drifting match, there being scarcely a breath of wind. After a mile had been covered in this manner both vessels were together, when a puff of wind came along, which the Meteor made the most use of, and got a slight lead, which she never lost. As both boats stood over to Vanclause, the wind came in from the E.N.E., and gradually freshened. The quality of the visitor was soon apparent. The Bronzewing was badly handled, and she was fitted with a borrowed jib, which was too long in the hoist, and which she had eventually to discard. On the board to (leorge’s Head the Meteor increased her advantage. A heavy ground swell rolled in across the Heads. With Smelley’s Point abeam, the Meteor had hoisted her balloon jib, and passed Manly buoy 3min 26sec ahead. On the beat across to the Pile Light she increased her advantage by another couple of minutes. When before the wind the Bronzewing set her spinnaker, and Meteor not following suit for some time after this improved the local boat’s position by a minute at Fort Dennison. From this out on the second round Meteor gradually outdistanced her rival. The times of the finish were: — Meteor, Ghrs 4Gmin 58 see; Bronzewing, Ghrs 58m in 35sec. The Bronzewing’s time allowance was .':min 56sec, and thus the Meteor won by 7min -Msec clear. The Auckland boat, which was sailed by Mr T. Ryan, of Auckland, the wellknown yachtsman, was splendidly handled throughout. Mr Ryan, in addition to knowing how to handle a yacht, can wield a pencil or brush with equal dexterity-. As an illustrator of’ Maori subjects he has been particularly successful. Many of his pictures have appeared in these pages.