YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 109, 1 February 1935, Page 8

YACHTING

Inter-club Trophies to Evans Bay HEAVY CONDITIONS FOR SAILING' Previous Year’s Winner has Bad Luck

(By

Spinnaker. )

The inter-elub races sailed in Evans Bay last week-end proved a triumph for the Evans Bay club, for boats from the Bay were first and second in both the liiter-club Cup and the Idle Along championship. These events, together with the Duncan Cup and Tauranga Cup, were to have beerj sailed on Saturday afternoon, but the committee of the Wellington Provincial Yacht and Motor Boat Association, under whose auspices these races are run, decided that tin* strong north-wester and rather heavy sea made conditions unfit for yachting. Just what the yachtsmen thought of this decision was demonstrated by the fact that about a dozen centreboarders, including one or two seven-footers, spent the afternoon cruising round the bay. At half-past ten on Sunday morning, when the Inter-club Cup was started, both wind and sea were much heavier -than on the previous day. Just how bad they were can be judged from the results. Eight starters in the Inter-elub Cup, three finishers; I’B starters in the Idle Along championship, eight finishers. Port Nicholson to the Fore. June, a Port Nicholson representative, had the best of the start in the Interelub Cup, and held the lead for most of the first round. Kio II was creeping windward of her bn the first slog to Kio Bay, but Bolland pulled out on the first run. In the second round June began to drop back, until on the final run to the'Shag Point mark‘she was third behind Kotare and Kitty. Disaster. At this stage of the race there were but four boats left: Kotare and Kitty, of Evans Bay; June, from Port Nicholson; and Impudence, of Paremata. And even this number was depleted before the end, for June? which looked as if she were getting out of hand under the influence of her big spinnaker, performed a most spectacular capsize, leaving Impudence to fill third place. \ Kio II Soon Out. Kip II was one of the Evans Bay favourites for the cup, and everyone was very disappointed to see her withdraw so early in the race. However, Bolland had the bad luck to have his pump break, and with a big sea running he had no option but to abandon his leading position and retire. / Dick Julian’s Bad Luck. But the most unfortunate man in the race was Dick Julian, winner of the cup last season. To have been forced, like Bolland, to withdraw early in the contest would have been bad enough, but Julian sailed a great race with Kotare all the way, and on the last run to Shag Point was first 200 to 300 yards ahead of Kitty. From’ Shag Point he would have had a short lead to the bathing sheds, and a short heat to the finish; under normal circumstances Kitty’s chances of catching him would have been infinitesimal. However, opposite Burnham Wharf Kotare’s jib blew out, and with no fores 1 Julian had no chance of staving off Kitty s challenge; he did very well to finish but one minute behind her. Paremata’s Hope.

Impudence, which was the Paremata favourite —and. which, indeed, had shown her paces in no mean measure on Anniversary Day—also had a good' start, but in the heavy sea she seemed to slide away, and was very soon to leeward of the fleet. Her superior speed off the wind enabled her to .retain a good position, and, although reputed to be a light weather boat, she was one of the only three to finish.

Other Withdrawals. Besides Kio, Phantom also withdrew, while Rdb Roy, Idono and June capsized. Every boat had many narrow escapes from the same fate, and launches were kept very busy rescuing men and boats. Bad Start for Idle Alongs. Of the eighteen starters in the Idle •Along championship, there was none which had a good start. There were so many boats to windward of the line that those who were in a position to get a start could not see the discs. Mayfair From the Start.

Mayfair was the first to cross the starting line, and at no stage did it look like being anvone else’s race. During the whole of the three laps of the course she merely went further and further in front, and ran home a very easy winner. Only once did Beck strike trouble, when be missed the Shag Point mark on one occasion, but he was so far in front that it made no difference,

Golden Ray Goes Well. Evan Julian abandoned his new Idle Along, Gladys (perhaps' he did not trust the bowsprit), to sail Golden Ray in the championship, and sailed a very good race into second place. Mayfair and Golden Ray were the only two kauri Idle Alongs in the race, and it seems significant that they "should fill the places. Just Home. Pegaway was one of the eight Idle Alongs to complete the course, but only just. She just passed over the finishing line as a squall hit her, and she ungracefully capsized. The utility .of the class was clearly demonstrated when her crew quickly righted her and, with a cockpit full of water, sailed her in to the jetty.