SAILING

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21111, 12 March 1934, Page 6

SAILING

| THREE BOATS CAPSIZE WOMEN'S RACES AT LYTTELTON The three sailing races lor women skippers, held by the Canterbury Yacht and Motor-Boat Club at Lyttelton on Saturday afternoon provided plenty of excitement and thrills, there being no fewer than three capsizes and one instance of a man overboard. Fortunately smart rescues were made in each case, and the boats salvaged. The girls who were in the water were not in the least alarmed. Three races were started in quick succession, a race for 14-foot boats, a j race for 12ft 6in boats, and an open I class for large yachts. The conditions were very trying, with a strong northeasterly wind and a steep, choppy sea, almost breaking at times. Man Overboard The first incident occurred in the 14-footer race. Ellin, sailed by Miss Kathleen Brown, was standing into the entrance to Purau. When almost ready to go about, the owner, J. T. Hobbs, went forward to make some adjustment, when the boat dipped sharply after riding a big sea, and he was thrown overboard. The Elfin was rounded up and Mr Hobbs was picked up without difficulty. Unfortunately, while in the water he lost his glasses. Elfin resumed in the race, but retired before the finish. The first capsize was that of the small Z class boat, Merganser, sailed by Miss Mavis Gilray. In mid-harbour, opposite Sticking Point, the boat was struck by an extra heavy squall and heeled right over. E. Rasmusscn, the owner of the boat, with another youth and the girl clung to the upturned boat. The girl, being a good swimmer, and equipped with a safety vest, was comparatively safe and comfortable, despite the tumbling seas. The launch Sunbeam was nearby and went to the rescue. The approach was made difficult by the heavy sea, but the girl was taken aboard within three minutes of the capsize, the youths following. Tlie Sunbeam took the overturned boat in tow, but after 20 minutes the big seas caused the tow-line to part. Lifeboat to the Rescue A large and powerful motor-life-boat from the Shaw, Savill, and Albion liner Tamaroa, in which some of the officers had been cruising about the harbour, then took over the work of salvaging the boat while the launch look the crew, who were beginning to feel the effects of their immersion, to the boat harbour. Meanwhile, a mile further down the harbour, near the Parsons Rock buoy, two more of the Z class boats had capsized. They were the Ma Peru, sailed by Miss Barbara Dowell and the Wairuna, sailed by Miss Olive Hobbs. Launches and other sailing boats were quickly to the rescue, the crews picked up, and the boats righted and taken in tow. The only boat to finish in the Z class was Rascal, sailed by Miss Peggy Graham. The races resulted as follows: — X Class Irene (Miss Agnes Brown) .. 1 Colleen (Miss Shaw) .. 2 Huia (Miss Ziska Zander) .. 3 Jean (Miss Zita Brassel) .. 4 It was a close contest between Irene and Colleen, with Huia showing up occasionally. Won by 20 seconds. Elfin (Miss Kathleen Brown') and Avenger (Miss Olga Sergison) retired. Class Rascal (Miss Peggy Graham), scr 1 The only boat to finish. Open Class Hakari (Miss Jean Hobbs), 14min 1 Marangi (Mrs F. Collins), scr .. 2 Yvonne (Miss K. Burbery), 12min 3 The two big keelers, Marangi and Yvonne, both reefed down, made an imposing sight, especially when close hauled. The weather just suited them and Marangi put up a good performance, being beaten by the limit boat, Hakari. by 3min 55sec on her handicap. Hakari, a C class boat, has been a consistently good performer this season, and was ably handled by Miss Ilobbs in the race on Saturday. BANKS PENINSULA CLUB The Banks Peninsula Cruising Club held a sailing race yesterday for the Scott Memorial Cup. The course was from the moles at Lyttelton, round the whistling buoy, thence to Port Levy. The race resulted:— Yvonne (H. Norris), 43mln .. 1 Mana (45min) .. ..2 Waimana (T. Harkess), scr .. 3 Linnet (C. Allen), 76min .. 4 Marangi, Waiata, Pern, and Kiwi also completed the course. CHKISTCHUUCH CIAB uf tin- t hvislcliu:ih Sailing av.d Vower-Ucat Club v. ere a busy mh'L cmi \wth a junior raco scheduled for S&turdny afternoon ami the reFaii ot « postpoio'd combined cinss arranged for yester* <lny movuinc:. Thi- result, however, avrs dis»there tvero only two *u* t;i''S in tin- junior vhco, and th« conibiuncl class y;i:i declared "no 1 rare" aftc:' an extraordinary Burccssiou of mishapr. j Tlio ontrnntß in the junior raro were Play, j mato (T. HassiiU) and Kedwing U>. Stem- i nifr), tho former conceding the latter eight, minutes. Thero an ebb tide and n fresh easterly when the boats ores god tho line to saii once round the Skylark-Avon course. | I'layniato went into tho load immediately | and continued to increase it, finishing about seven minutes abend of I>d\vin£. but it could , not. make up the difference iti handicap. Th<» 1 result v:i:<: Tlodwin- . ~1 Playmate '2 Combined Class The i-umbnird da>?» iace, mailed yosterday mGM.ihfc, attracted n fair entry, but owing to the capsizing Uipplo (W. Bromley), i' \wis automatically declared "no race." in-., ides thi* occurrence the MiUa of thrc* otlur boats were Te Arai (A. T. Uoufid) w,i;> unfortunate enough to rip h r mi another boat'> boom beforo ih > race bewail, t'yiruet (D. ijr»vc*tuu) wa* dorblv unlucky, i'.y running: into tho tripod pib\ Tymnet, hroUb her iunst and toro hev sail. .M\ra (\V. Mauchlan) al;>o was in dlihciilties at the Skylark Island pile, and to;- her sail. This race will airnin bo res-ailed on a date to be? decided. The club lias Very us,fm-■uinnttt ihiH M»as«»n owinp tu tho fnloKod pOht |MM:ement ot' duo to bad; weather ami capsizes.