BRIGHTER THAN EVER

Evening Star, Issue 19805, 2 March 1928, Page 13

BRIGHTER THAN EVER

FUTURE OF SANDERS GUP RETROSPECT OF REGENT RAGING [By Fou’aed Hand.] What of the future of the Sanders Cup? Not from its earliest days has the outlook for the future been so rosy. Free from contention, tho Stewart Island contest welded the good-fellow-ship existing between the various provinces, and those yachtsmen who were lucky enough to have booked accommodation at Halfmoon Bay will make sure that their provinces are represented in future contests. Socially the Sanders Cup racing of the years to come will bo happier every year, and now that George Andrews has announced that Betty is to bo retired a more even class of Rona boat will be competing. From the racing viewpoint the contests to come should be great successes Betty’s presence in another Sanders Cup field would have frightened every other province out of the event. Betty has been proved a wonder boat, and wisely she has been withdrawn from racing. For one boat to win the cup three years in succession is a record which will take much beating. Since Betty commenced her phenomenal career many yachtsmen have held that she has not complied with the Rona design. Such statements have not been proved, as the boat has not been measured since she loft the builder’s shed. Yet Mr Magnus Smith, of Lyttelton, recently caused a small sensation in the yachting world by declaring that Betty does not comply to the design. Mr Smith measured Betty and gave the certificate, and naturally everyone is now wondering whether he meant that Betty did not comply before she was launched or whether she has altered since. But Betty’s freakish performances at Stewart Island this year open up the old controversy. Betty romped away from the field in the first race, won tho second, was then beaten by Avalon, and then won the fourth. And only a freak boat could have beaten Avalon in the final race. Betty was under Avalon’s lee, and try as he did George Andrews could not outmanoeuvre J. Patrick, the Auckland skipper keeping Betty off the wind. Then Betty raced away. Like a racehorse competing against a tortoise she sneaked from under Avalon’s lee, and with an amazing burst of speed shot a long way ahead. Working up to the weather position was easy for Andrews after that phenomenal heat. It was Betty’s speed which won the race. ALL CREDIT TO ANDREWS. Avalon is considered by experts to he a model of Rona. She is perfectly equipped, too; yet Betty made a hack or this boot. Betty’s movements through the water are different from those of the other competing boats. She works the jobble with ease, while in any breeze up to full sail she was easily the fastest. Rona was considered the wonder boat when she won two consecutive contests. Betty has won three contests in succession, and therefore must be called the master craft of the small yachts of the dominion. Without entering into any debate on her eligibility it must be stated that George Andrews deserves every credit for his boat. Built by an amateur, she has outclassed boats built by leading professionals. George Andrews has indicated his intention to retire, for next year at least, from the Sanders Cup contest. Yachtsmen will welcome Betty’s retirement, for she would spoil the contest if started, but they do regret Andrews’s retirement. Tho Christchurch skipper has been the outstanding figure in the cup contest since he made his entry three years ago. For a man to build a boat and skip her in her three wins of a much-coveted trophy is indeed a proud record, and it is not one which the unassuming Redcliffs man will boast of. Andrews is a quiet man, generally liked by yachtsmen for his character and willingness to help. With Betty discarded, there will he a fleet of 14-footers in tho dominion capable of providing some exciting racing. Properly sailed and rigged, Avalon, Eileen, Murihikii, and Wellesley (although the last-named pair arc below standard) would make a fairly even match. In any case, the racing would be much closer than it has been at the past two contests. However, several of the provinces intend to build new boats for the next contest, which promises to be a record beater.

A WILLING DETERMINATION. Avalon was not fast enough to beat Betty. She was splendidly sailed, and not even J. Patrick, who won with Desert Gold at Dunedin five years ago, could prevent Betty from slipping away from his lee. Avalon scored one irin. It was a blustering day, and tho Auckland boys were happy when they saw tho black clodus and heard the wind piping early in the morning. ’lncy were determined to pile on every stitch of canvas, no matter how strong the breeze. Their resolve was to make it a great race, or go under in the attempt. However, it was only a fullsail breeze, and at no time did Avalon tremble under the force of the southerly. Betty was truly beaten that day by a keen crew.

EILEEN’S EXCELLENT SHOWINGS

Otago had every reason to be proud of Eileen and her crew. The boat was

decidedly unlucky in not notching oik win when the breeze was fickle. Bui like Avalon she was throughout not up to Betty’s pace. Eileen showed upsnr prisingly well in the heavy stuff; n I'act, Otago supporters were anxious that the wind should blow merrily, i’oi the experts believed that Eileen would be a great heavy-weather boat. Eileen is very fast to windward, but before the wind she w.i< the slowest boat at the contest. George Kellett sailed admirably 7. Ho worked some excellent points, and the boat’s disappointing showing in the final race was in no way due to his handling. The boat was sluggish under conditions which should have suited her to a nicety; on the run, particularly, she dropped back rapidly. Eileen’s mainsail was setting badly" at the peak in this race. The canvas was corrugated, and could not be shaken out. Perhaps if the sail were dampened and then placed out in the sun to dry some improvement would be effected. It was a pity that Mr E. Leech, of Ravensbourne, Eileen’s amateur builder, and Mr Percy. Hunter, who formed the boat’s syndicate, and also spent much time in assisting with the construction, were not able to make the trip to Stewart Island, as, with other Otago supporters, they would have been delighted with Eileen’s showing. SOUTHLAND FAILS AGAIN.

Even the Stewart Islanders had little faith in Murihiku 11., and the boat certainly raced poorly. She is clearly below standard, even allowing for her crews not being up to the fine points of the other crews. The islanders do not train enough in the 14-footers. Plenty of men are offering for the crews', but the islanders just fail to reach the winning post first. The performances of Murihiku 1J- were below Sanders Cup standard, it is generally believed in the south that Murihiku IT. is not good enough to beat boats of the merits of Betty, yet allowance must lie made for the handling, In one race, the crew was far too heavy, while in two other races the yacht was not sailed properly. No skipper can hope to work to windward perfectly when he is not continually watching his sails. ’I he first principle of heating is to sail by the sails and not by the helm. One skipper, in particular, was continually looking anywhere hut at his sails. If Southland had been successful in winning the cup yachtsmen and the general public throughout the dominion would have been elated. The Southland crews have travelled over 7,000 miles to win the cup, and the expenses have been met by a few, so the islanders wore really deserving of a win. WELLESLEY’S BROKEN KEEL. The performances of Wellesley It., Wellington’s challenger, were surprisingly poor. In the preliminary tryouts before the racing started Wellesley 11. was outpaced by the other boats, and in the racing proper the form was unchanged, the boat competing tor three lasts and a fourth in a five-boat race. Some yachtsmen blamed the boat, others the crew. Admittedly the fault could not be ascribed solely to the boat, which is true to design, and yet finished over twelve minutes behind the winner in one of the races. And, again, the crew cannot bo blamed for Wellesley’s failure. The skipper and his mates seemed intensely keen, and no glaring faults were noticcaole m their handling. "Wellesley was leaking badly in the early races, and she was fitted with ropes far too heavy for these light craft. ' But after the Smith Cup race, in which George Kollett scored a flukey win for Otago, it was found that Wellesley’s keel was almost split in two. “ For-ard Hand ” inspected the boat two days before, and no faults were then detected, even the cracked lands having closed up. There will he much argument over Wellesley’s failure; yet no conclusion will be reached. A DEBATABLE PROPOSAL. Following ou Betty’s superiority over the pick of the Rona bouts from other provinces, a proposal was made by Mr J. Hislop, donor of the Sanders Cup, that a contract should bo signed by one builder for the construction of a boat for each province. The boats would be built at the same time, and the provinces would again draw for boats, which would ho named Otago, Wellington, and so on. By this proposal, claims Mr Hislop, the boats competing at the contests would be as near an even class as it would be humanly possible to build them. He further proposed that, after three years, the provinces would again draw for boats. There is much to be said for Mr Hislop’s proposals, and much to lie said in opposition, and the Otago delegates opposed it strongly at the conference. Each province likes to race a boat of its own build, but has there been any adverse sentiment expressed against Avalon, Auckland built, which represented Hawke’s Bay last year, or against Murihiku 11, also Auckland built. Even Otago won the cup with a boat built in another province. The boat was the lona, launched from the shed of Magnus Smith at Lyttelton under the name of Tom-tit. That, surely, is a reply to any opposition on the matter of provincial sentiment. But “ For’ard Hand ” has no difficulty in seeing the opposition that will be raised by the various associations to another province obtaining the building of the fleet. Kir Hislop has made his proposal out of love for the sport, and hopes for its future, and he, for one, would undoubtedly be pleased if another builder outside of Auckland was successful in obtaining the big contract. Proposals have been made that George _ Andrews would be welcomed as the builder; one owner in the south was_ almost decided to approach the Christchurch owner skipper and place a commission for a boat. However, Georgo Andrews assured the writer that he would not undertake to build a boat for a private owner or an association. Mr Hislop’s proposal will he discussed by all yachting associations throughout the dominion. Even if it is rejected, some other scheme might be evolved from the discussions to bring about the creation of a fleet of boats built of the same timber and under the same conditions. The associations, it has been proposed, should attend to their own riggings and sails. Despite its apparent disadvantages, Mr Hislop’s proposal is the best yet put forward to solve tho problems of the associations throughout the dominion. But, allowing that one or two provinces will probably build new boats, the racing at the contest in 1929 promises to he more close than it has been at the past three fixtures. STEWART ISLAND'S ADVERTISEMENT. Stewart Island received its biggest boost to date by being the venue of the Sanders Cup. Everv visitor was enthralled with the beauties of bush, mountain, islands, and waters, and captivated wih the unbounded hospitality and goodwill of the island population. To say that the visitors had a wonderful time would not be saying sufficient. One and all enjoyed every moment of their stay, and the islanders, too, were happy at the success of plans for entertainment and in accepting the hand of gopd-fellowship extended by the visitors.;