AQUATICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 980, 17 December 1908, Page 11

AQUATICS.

THE RUDDER CUP RACE. WON BY THE LIMIT BOAT MARORO. The long-distance ocean race for the beautiful Rudder Cup presented by Mr. T. Fleming Day, editor of the New York paper, “ The Rudder,” was decided on Saturday and Sunday. The course was from Queen Street Wharf, round Sail Rock (between the Hen and Chickens group and Bream Tail Point), and back to the starting line. Fourteen launches were entered, and twelve started, these, with their handicaps (which were sealed), being as follows: —

Matareka, scratch; Eliza, scratch; Seabird, 7miri; Wanderer, 25min; Va-

nora, 57min; Kotiro, Ihr 2'imin; Waipa, 2hr; Alice, 2hr 20min; Floral, 3hr; Maroro, 3hr 30min; Petrel, 3hr 30min; Winsome, 3hr 355. The wind, which had been blowing strong from the ,south-west all the week, was still very fresh in the afternoon, and the “ rough weather ’ handicaps were decided upon. This, however, was a mistake, as the breeze died right out, thus suiting the small boats exactly. The start was at 10 p.m. at night, and was a good one, the new boat Eliza being a little late. Matareka and Seabird immediately took the lead, and when last seen off Rangitoto Reef were well in advance of the others. First news of the progress of the contest was brought by one of Mr. Cyril Bell’s famous homing pigeons, and yachtsmen at North

Shore were thus kept in touch with the struggle for supremacy. With the wind dying out, the sea was much lighter than was anticipated, and this upset the calculations of the owners of such hard-weather boats as Matareka, Wanderer, and Vanora. At Sail Rock, Sea Bird had drawn out a big lead, being 26min. ahead of Matareka, others close up being Alice, Wanderer, Maroro, Waipa, and Vanora. It was fairly steady plugging on the way home, with no sea to speak of. Seabird got further away from the others, being cheered as she came tearing up the harbour “on her own.” The times taken at the finish were as follows: —Seabird, lOhr 30min 10s; Matareka, llhr 23min 295; Alice, llhr 51min 355; Wanderer, 12hr 2min 455; Maroro, 12hr 3min 465; Kotiro, 12hr 7min 30s; Eliza, 12hr Bmin; Vanora, 12hr ISmin 295; Floral, 12hr 33min 265; Winsome, 12hr 35m 20s; Waipa, 12hr 40min 595; Petrel, lhr Imin 275.

On time, the placed boats are thus: Maroro (Mr. A. Matheson, N.S. Y. length 32ft, beam 7ft 9in; 15 h.p. Doman 1 Winsome (Mr. F. J. Cooper, R.N. Z. length 34ft, beam 7ft 2in; 12 h.p., Hercules 2 Petrel (Mr. W. C. Leys, R.N.Z. Y.S.), length 40ft, beam Bft; 15 h.p., ’Frisco standard 3 Alice (Mr. Chas. Bailey, jun., D. Y.C.), length 35ft, beam 6ft 7in; 14 h.p., ’Frisco standard 4 Floral. Seabird. Kotiro. Waipa, Vanora, Matareka, Wanderer, and Eliza are placed in that order. Maroro went well throughout, and she was of course aided by the light weather, with a heavy weather handicap. Still, she was the smallest boat of the fleet, and

her victory was a highly creditable one. Messrs. Hewson, Bartlett, Reynolds, Wright, and Stewart were the officers of the day. Seabird, which finished so far ahead, maintained a speed of 8% knots over the 105 knot course, showed good form, and proved herself one of the 'best boats which Mr. J. Reid has ever turned out.

Maroro, the winner, judged on past form, was very leniently treated by the handicappers. She was built by her owners, who have been warmly congratulated on the good performance of the boat. One of the most creditable runs was that done by Kotiro, which boat only has a 10 h.p. Union engine, and she hung on to the winner all the way, finishing less than four minutes astern of her. Just why she should have been asked to concede Maroro 2hrs. start it is hard to say. Mr. Hubert Dacre showed pluck in

coming down from Mongonui in the teeth of a south-west gale to compete. The Wanderer is a hard-weather boat, which would have made a much better showing in rough water. Matareka ran up to her boat speed throughout, but had no chance of giving away the handicaps. A fine feature of the contest was the fact that all the motors ran splendidly—a great test as to the reliability of the internal combustion engine.

ROYAL N.Z. YACHT SQUADRON’S OCEAN RACE.

On Saturday the senior club brought off an 85 knots ocean race, the course being from Queen Street Wharf, round

Canoe Rock (off Kawau) thence round the Calf (off Coromandel), thence through the Sandspit Passage, finishing at Matiatia. The handicaps were as follows:—Ariki, scratch; Viking, 25min; Ida, lhr lOmin; Heartsease, 2hr; Aorere, 2hr 15min; Kotiri, 2hr 20min; Rangatira, 2hr 30min. One is a little loth to remark on the handicapping, but this was a very poor one, as it was instantly apparent that with a broad reach over some sixty odd knots, the backmarkers had not the faintest chance of giving away such a handicap to Heartsease. Ida would have had very little chance with another hour tacked on to her handicap, and neither she or Aorere started. It was piping strong from the south-west when the gun went, and a good start was effected. Ariki showed the way to the North Head, but as the full weight of the wind was felt outside the big yawl Viking forged to the front and, going like a

steamer, she slowly left the crack cutter. Heartsease was ploughing along in third place, while Rangatira, a great light weather boat, dropped away last. It took Viking just three hours to reach Canoe Rock (26 knots), Ariki rounding four minutes later, Heartsease being 23 minutes further astern, and Kotiri 12 min. later. Here Rangatiri gave up and put into Kawau. Crossing the Gulf the sou’-wester had knocked up a fair sea and the Viking fairly smoked along in the hard blow, doing ten knots all the way across. In the dark the Calf was a difficult mark to pick up, and Viking, then nearly 12 min. ahead, mistook the islet and ran away to the leeward, the result being that before the mistake was discovered she had lost her lead.

Judging that it was no use chasing Ariki on a wind the topsail was taken off and she jogged hack to the finish without rounding. With the Calf astern the wind dropped and Hearts* ease, which had been making fast time, closed up a bit, while the little Kotiri, which had hung on most gallantly in the hard blow, was well within her time. It was a slow beat home against the tide to Matiatia, the finishing times being: Ariki, 4hr. 23min.; Heartsease, 4hr. 57min.; Kotiri 6hr. 3min. Viking got in at 4hr. 6min, and had she rounded the Calf must have been placed, although she could not have won. The North Shore yawl Heartsease thus won by 46mhi. from Kotiri, which beat Ariki by 40min. for second place.

RACES AT ONEHUNGA.

The Manukau Yach: Club sailed off the second race of the season on Saturday. The entries and handicaps were as follows: —Anahera, scratch, Heather, Im.; Manola, 5m.; Viking, 7m.; Clematis, 11m.; Edith, 22m.; Elsie, 22m.; Spray, 23m.; Edna. 25m.; Wave, 26m.; Signal, 35m.; Helen, 38m.; Mahinga, 41m.; Petrel 43m.; Amua, 46m.; Mana, 58m. Once in the lead Mahinga was never headed, eventually winning by 2m. 30s. from Edith, after which came Manola 6%m. astern. For the power launch race, the entries and handicaps were: —Freda (D. A. Sutherland), scratch; Edie (H. Short), scratch; Mikado (R. Caven), 2m.; No. 1 (J. Herrold), 2m.; Mani (E. Ritchie), 2m.; Emerald (G. Clark), 7m.; Syola (E. Morton), 7m.; Thistle (A. McLeod), 9m.; Rongo Tai (G. Swanson), 12m.; Grace (A. Jones), 14m.; Fasma (Breese Bros.). 16m.; Mildura (W. Grundy), 19m.; Runi (P. Farrell), 24m.; Startle (S. Barr), 28m. Freda finished first, with Grace second and Syola third.

THE NORTH SHORE YACHT CLUB.

The North Shore Yacht Club had a big programme to get through on Saturday no less than eight class events being decided. There was a spanking south-west breeze and some fast times were recorded. Owing to pressure on space it is only possible to give the actual results, which were as follows: — Class I: Wairere 1, Thistle 2, Peri 3. Class II: Emerald 1, Mystery 2, Sybil 3. Class III: Ranee 1, Maru 2, Gladys 3. Class IV: Hetty 1, Hilda 2, Welcome Jack 3. Class V: Mei 1, Merlin 2, Rawhiti 3. Class VI: Tangaroa 1, Why Not 2, May Belle 3. Class VII: Avona 1, Hattie 2, Norma 3. Class VIII: Dixie 1, Kupa 2, Rosma 3. Messrs. W. Sinton and H. Hill were officers of the day.

The races for the cup presented by Mr. C. A. Whitney to the New Zealand Power Boat Association were held on Saturday afternoon. The competing crafts were classed in two heats: Under eight knots and under seven knots. The results were: — First heat (under eight knots): Kelvin (Mr. Walsh), scratch, 1; Winsome (Mr. F. Cooper), scratch, 2. Second heat (under seven knots): Buffalo (Mr. D. Reid, scratch, 1; Eagle (Mr. L. Harris), 5m., 2. Final: Eagle 1; Buffalo 2; Roma 3.