AT HE SIGN of THE PENNANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 23, 19 April 1927, Page 7

AT HE SIGN of THE PENNANT

(By

KEELSON.

WEEK - EN’D CRUISING Notwithstanding the unfavourable weather predictioiis on the eve of the Easter holidays, the barometer began to rise again on Good Friday, and held steadily righit through the weekend. Yachtsmen have been very fortunate. Not only has the weather remained fine, but a good, steady, wholesail breeze, veering from south to southwest, has prevailed each day, allowing the boats to shift around to various parts of the gulf in comparative comfort. Kawau as usual was the most popular cruising ground for both yachts and launches—somewhere in the vicinity of one hundred lying in Mansion House Bay and Bon Accord Harbour on Saturday. Several visited the Thames and Coromandel, but these places are not quite so well patronised nowadays. The bays of Waiheke again attracted a large fleet, those of the smaller classes predominating. Easter Sunday night, with a beautiful full moon and the sea like glass, was taken full advantage of by numerous launchmen, who were to be seen out from the various bays with a full complement of the fair sex aboard. SANDERS CUP MEASUREMENT There appears to be a great deal of dissatisfaction existing in Lyttelton at the present time among the owners of 14ft. one-design boats. During the contest far possession of the Sanders Cup this year, one heard

so many rumours in reference to the measurements of boats as to make the whole contest appear a farce. Some of the arguments put forward by the knowing ones were, in my opinion, ridiculous, and it was very plain that in some instances they had not even seen, out of water, the boats with which they were finding so much fault.

ouch statements implying that the* “Rona” did not comply were absurd. '£ learn that the hull of this boat hae not been altered in any shape or form from the day she left the boat builders’ hands, some five or six years ago. During the contest in 1924, the moulds were tried on the Rona in Wellington in the presence of the visiting yachtsmen, and they found to fit very accurately with the exception of a very slight variation in the camber of the keel.

The Avalon, too, was a target for the critics. “Keelson” witnessed the moulds being tried on this boat also, and can vouch for her eligibility. True, the Rona and Avalon differ slightly for’ard, but there is no discrepancy at the mould points. Local boatbuilders agree that providing good dry timber is used in construction, and well fastened, that it is very unlikely that this class of boat, which is generally well looked after, will alter beyond the allowable margin. Proof of the similarity of the two above boats is manifest to anyone who has followed their performances. CHRISTHURCH COMPLAINT The question lias beeai asked whether these rumours were circulated as. a sort of counter, in anticipation of trouble over the Betty’s measurements. This method of criticism is to be deplored, especially during these contests; but it would seem from a letter which appeared in a Gihristchurch paper that the owners of the three leading 14-footers there have adopted a definite attitude, and on present appearances it will take -some straightening out. The championship race mentioned in the letter, was held on the Saturday following the Sanders Cup contest, and was open to all on©- design boats, the winner receiving twenty pounds; second, ten pounds; arod the third boat five pounds. The Batty, which was the only Sanders Cup entrant to compete, won by eleven minutes from Usher. The letter is signed by F. Dobby (Usher), W. A. Miller (Iona), and S. Sinclair (Linnet). They say that, knowing they had no chance against the Betty they would have pulled out of the trials only for the fact that the money had to be raised locally. “We decided that if the Dominion council did not question ‘Betty,’ we would not compete against her again.” Referring to the Wellington crews, the letter goes on: “They have gone home wiser and poorer men, and, like us, they will be among the missing when the trials start next year.” A LOCAL PROTEST We have here also a letter from a local enthusiast: “To the Editor. —Much has been sau y lately about the Sanders Cup winm , v Betty. May I ask why the Auckla owners of the challenging boats e year allow the unequal competitio n t 0 proceed, without a word of prote “They must realise that such a # thing as one design in Sanders boats is hardly likely to eventuate, w 1 4en certain plans, etc., are adopted, an d almost immediately afterward s a boat is built that does not co *nply, and is passed as eligible. “I witnessed in the jnce of eight others a girth measurem n t of Betty, and saw that she varied with the design approximately four >4 inches for’ard and is also out amids /lips and aft. “This talk about li Witness certainly is correct, but do no t lose sight of the fact that the further you creep under the design, n the smaller will be your boa" which means less timber, nails, etc “Locally the class is dead. Why? The answer is no t hard to find, and I, like many .more, expect to see the Patiki class racing for the Sanders Cup in a ye Ar or two.” —I am, etc., MOSS.

01/FICIAL CLOSING DAY. On Saturday next the official closing will be held. Classes A to N make Islington Bay their destination, while the smaller classes will race over harbour courses. On Saturday week the Victoria Cruising Club holds its annual cup day fixture. All races will be sailed over harbour courses.

TAMAKI REGATTA NEVILLE NEWCOMBE CUP IDEAL CONDITIONS With spinnakers set and Tunning before a steady east-north-east} foreeze. in brilliant sunshine, the thirte<»n boats that started in the race for the Newcombe Cup at the Tamaki Yacht Club’s regatta yesterday made a particularly fine sight. The breeze was light early in the afternoon and several boats unable to get down to the starting line, off Kohimarama pier. It freshened later, however, and some close finishes resulted. The entries in all events weds light, owing to the number of boatfs still away on Easter week-end crulises in the Gulf. Local boats of the S, T, Y and X classes sailed for the Neville Newcombe Cup, starting at 3.10 p.m., in conjunction with their class races. Arihana, the only Z class entry, which was handicapped with Y class, led across the line slightly ahead of Alert, Kismet and Mizpah, who were closely followed by Nyria, Marie, Sea Breeze, Valencia, Vera, Sea Sleigh, Jupiter and Lancia, in that order. Kismet went to the front early in the race and established a lead which she held until the finish, crossing the line a good ten minutes ahead of Jupiter and Sea Breeze, which were only separated by three seconds. The finishing times and placings were: Neville Newcombe Cup Kismet (scr.), sh. sm. 43s Valencia (14m.), sh. 26m. 2s .. 2 Joipiter (2m.), sh. 15m. 48s. .. ., 4 ~ 3 Sea Sleigh was about minutes behind Lancia (post entry), a t the end •of the first round of the <§ class race. She made good to the,/extent of five minutes, but was not, Stble to overtake ♦her opponent. Vace resulted: Lancia (scr.), Sea Sleigh There v£re five starters in the T class r a*ee and only one in the X class, bo it \vas decided to sail the Nyria <2Sm.) in with the T’s.

The champion Kismet maintained her reputation for speed and crossed the finishing- line 17 minutes ahead of her rivals, thus winning both events. The results were: Kismet (scr.), sh. sm. 43s 1 Marie (3£m.), sh. 22m, 32s 2 Mizpah (7m.), sh. 27jm. 21s 3 The Y class provided an exciting finish. Sea Breeze, -which was leading at the end of the first round, was gradually overhauled by Jupiter and on the run home, from St. Helier’s Pier the two were together all the way, Sea Breeze crossing the line only three seconds ahead. The placings were: Sea Breeze (Bm*.), sh. 15m. 455. .. 1 Valencia (14m.5h. 26m. 56s 2 Jupiter (2m.), £h. 15m. 48s 3 Bigf/er Class Boats Four L bloats only started in the race for H. ft l and N classes, Louisa and Mowa crossing the starting line together, just ahead of Malua, with the Lipt' jn Cup winner, Lucille, last. Lucille, however, soon made up for lost tir Ae an d led round the Bastion light 1 jeacon. Ma 7 ,ua, however, overhauled Lucille towa j-ds the end of the firjst round and cam je home five minutes ahead of her, the # result being: T (7m.), 4h. 43m. 2s 2 Lucille (scr.), 4h. 43m. 12s 3 Mowai did not finish. Entries for the President’s Cup proved disappointing, only two patikis sailing in this race. Manene was slightly ahead of Maroro over the line and the two kept close together and rounded the Bastion in the same relative positions. On the beat up to Bean Rock, however, Maroro drew away, increasing her lead as the race progressed and finished an easy winner by nearly five minutes. The times were: Maroro (scr.), 41i. 42m. 16s 1 Manene (scr.), 4h. 47m. 8s 2 Three V class boats entered for their class race. Pixie, a post entry, being allowed a 16m. handicap. Drone lead all the way from Magic and came home an easy winner. Pixie did not finish. The results were: Drone (scr.), 4h. 54m. 9s 1 Magic (3m.), sh. lm. 29s 2 There were no entries for the Star class race and so the event was cancelled. Race for Non-class Fours Only two of the five original entries in the rowing race for non-class fours, for the Kixon Cup, started. Auckland and Waitemata were close together most of the way from the St. Helier’s Pier, but Auckland gradually drew away. In the short, choppy seas both boats shipped a considerable amount of water, Waitemata’s bow disappearing completely about five lengths from the finish. At the same time a “crab” was caught.and the race resulted in an easy win for Auckland.