SNAPSHOTS OF SATURDAY’S RACING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 214, 29 November 1927, Page 16

SNAPSHOTS OF SATURDAY’S RACING

Ideal weather conditions prevailed for the Takapuna Boating Club’s combined cruising and harbour races held on Saturday afternoon. A fresh, but not too fresh, sou’--westerly breeze gave the skippers, particularly of the small craft, a chance to show their powers at tho tiller, and some good seamanship was displayed, though no really outstanding performances were put up. • e •

The cruising race for the H, L and N classes produced .an exciting finish, and revealed excellent handicapping. Spray got in to the destination only four seconds ahead of Awatere, anil on the corrected times Spray won from Marie by a solitary second. Awatere lost second place by two seconds. Better handicapping would be well nigh impossible. It seems certain that Awatere would h*Lve won had her owner set a spinnaker early in the race, but there was none aboard, neither had he a leader with him.

Although satisfactory entries were received in the larger classes, the number of boats which faced the starter was partly disappointing through one cause and another. No launch race was possible owing to the paucity of

entries, and several of the yacht events had much of the interest removed by reason of the poor field of starters. This was noticeable particularly in the combined race for the B, C and E classes.

Seven boats were scheduled to start, but only Rangi, Moutere and Mahoe got away to time. Ladye Wilma came along three-quarters of an hour late owing to having got stuck in the mud, and did not actually cross the starting line. Of Little Jim, Wairiki and Eulalie there was no sign.

In the mullet boat classes 13 nominations were received, but only nine entrants started. Mowai, Waima, Starlight and Waitere 11. were the absentees for some reason. Celox, which blew out her mainsail before the race, procured a temporary one through the generosity of the owner of Speedwell, and was able to start after 45 minutes’ delay and sail to a good finish.

Although 12 entries were received in the M, V, S and Star classes combined harbour event, only half that number contested the race, which was thus robbed of a great deal of its interest. Mawhiti finished seven minutes ahead of Drone, which crossed the line 2m 11s in front ot Mistral. It was a straggling finish, and Mawhiti had things practically her own way throughout the race. Corrected times saw Mistral change places wiiTi Drone.

The T. X and Y combined race attracted only five entrants, of which four started. At first this looked like being a cioso and exciting battle, but Linnet’s skipper “gambled on the M rong tack” and threw away his chances of a win. Kismet arrived home ovS ahead of Marie, and Romp came third 10m 20s later. Linnet brought up the rear 14m 30s after the winner had finished.

class. Takapuna’s own class, was responsible for the appearance of five out of the meagre six nominations. T. revic was the defaulter. This race was also a procession. Comet led all the way round the course and romped homo with 3m 56s in hand from DelPhine, which came in 5m 47s ahead of Kitty. The result of this contest shows tne difference in the way these onedesign craft were handled, and how the judgment of the young skippers varied as their experience in the man- i ©•lenient of these little boats, I