Yachting

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 71, 24 March 1934, Page 20

Yachting

By "Mainsail."

SPIRITED PROTEST

CASE OF THE BETTY

"FERMENT BORN OF ENVY"

In the following letter to " Mainsail," a correspondent, "Log Line," makes a spirited protest against unfair criticism of the Betty, pointing to her great record and emphasising the indisputable fact that she fits the moulds in every respect:—

As the season draws to its close one can hardly visualise what may be next season's outstanding feature. Looking back over many years it is easy to recall when the mind of every yachtsman became arrested —the advent of the Betty, a Eona boat, a cabinetmaker's job without a cabinetmaker. Like a star she'was made to shine by her skipper. He knew his boat like a jockey knows his mount, and sailed her home a winner many times. The displeasure caused by their combined success did not take long to engender the characteristic ferment so often born of envy, and it has never ceased. Like molten lava flowing from its crater to all points of the compass it spread, crossing Cook Strait to the north and Foveaux Strait to the south. Still her record grew. At Patterson's Inlet, Stewart Island, Andrews and his boat were again successful. On one occasion, forgettiug the Sanders Cup, she went to Auckland to win an important eveut.

Wellington, the Capital City, had never won the Sanders Cup, so a local enthusiast secured this true one-de-sign « (that so admirably fits the moulds) whereby he might help his province where others had failed, and his purpose with some co-operation from yachtsmen was achieved. This success became the signal for an intensification of the ferment that had steadily dogged this glorious true design boat, and a malignant growth to ostracise her 'slowly but surely developed. Better judgment became prejudiced, then twisted and warped, and although her star has not yet set it surely will if she can be eliminated from next yecir's trials. But why, these ostracising tactics and malicious undercun-ents? Surely they are beneath the approbation of true yachtsmen. They are certainly not the traditions of the sea.

The Betty has been proved the truest one-design in Wellington, and if there are discrepancies it is in others you will find them, not in the Betty. The correction that is intended here does not apply to irresponsible youth; it is the bad example of their elders to n-hich attention is being called in the hope that the sport of yachting may yet reach its true fruition. This can be done by the Betty's defilers taking off their hats and hauling down their flag to Andrews, as better men have done.