SPEED AND SPRAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 231, 19 December 1927, Page 14

SPEED AND SPRAY

POWER-BOAT RACES TWO WINS TO MY GIRL Attaining a speed of 15 knots, My Girl won both the big handicaps decided by the New Zealand Power Eoat Association on Saturday afternoon. Racing on the boat harbour by the speedy outboard motorboats completed a spectacular day’s programme. The larger launches raced over a course extending from the boat harbour wall to the Chelsea pile beacon and back, and the distance once round was exactly three nautical miles. Conditions were hardly ideal, as there were very stiq seas beyond Point Erin, where the full force of the westerly was encountered. Plunging into clouds of spray, the speeding launches made a very impressive sight as they covered this part of the course. The main race of the day was for the Burt Cup, the donor of which, Mr. A. Burt, was an interested onlooker throughout. At the conclusion of the day’s programme three cheers were given for Mr. Burt by the launchowners and officials SCRATCH BOATS OUT Declared handicaps fo.r the Burt Cup race, in which each boat had to be steered by a lady, were: Tarua and Maibe, scr.; Tasman, 2min; My Girl, 2min ssec; Lady Margaret, 2min; Adelaide, 9min; Monanui, 9min; Edwina, llmin. Edwina and Adelaide did not appear and Maibe had damaged her propeller, and could not race. Tarua could not secure a lady to handle the ship, the water in the upper part of the course being so rough that the offer of a small girl had to be declined. Of the four boats that started, My Girl was handled admirably by Miss E. Waldron, who followed a good course, and beat Tasman by llsec. At the helm of the Tasman was Miss P. Wiles, while Mrs. Fenton had Monanui, which was third, and Mrs. H. O. Wiles handled Lady Margaret, the last to finish. CRUISERS' RACE Starters in the cruisers’ race, twice round over the same course, were Tarua, Tasman, My Girl, and Lady Margaret. Handicaps.—Tarua, scr.; My Girl, 4 min; Tasman, 4min 22sec; Lady Margaret, 15mi'n. Lady Margaret was manoeuvring when her number dropped, but lost very little time. Tasman got away smartly, and My Girl sped quickly in her wake. Tarua, the scratch launch, made the best start of the day. MARK BUOY SINKS In between the dispatch of the Lady Margaret and the other launches the turning buoy sunk, and Mr. S. Hanna, secretary of the Power Boat Association, had to take its place in a dinghy. He and his companion were subjected to a brisk tossing as the wakes of the competing boats converged. Lady Margaret was first round, with My Girl next, and Tasman very close, Tasman turning nicely. Tarua, taking a wide sweep at the buoy, had picked up slightly more than two minutes on the first round.

On the second run to Chelsea Tarua appeared to crack on the pace, and was frequently lost from sight beneath clouds of spray. My Girl had by this time overhauled Lady Margaret, which stopped when half a mile from home. My Girl now had a long lead from Tasman, with Tarua gaining, but out

of the hunt. Lady Margaret restarted in time to beat Tarua for third place. Result. —My Girl, Mr. Waldrcn, 1; Tasman, Mr. Spencer, 2; Lady Margaret, Mr. Wiles, 3. Also started: Mr. G. B. Warman’s Tarua. OUTBOARD MOTORS MISS AKARANA FOR RUSSELL Elimination rials to decide which boat should represent Auckland at the Russell regatta were the first events of the programme for outboard motorboats, of which there was a quite imposing parade in St. Mary's Bay. Notable among the new arrivals was the Dambox, a craft of the sled type. Like the other boats, she attained a high speed, but experienced engine trouble during the afternoon. ELIMINATION TRIALS The elimination trials were conducted in two heats, Opit, Jeff Elto, Dambox and Kurly Kale starting in the first. In th© second the starters were Emi, Rose Marie, Miss Akarana and Cigar Box. The first heat resulted in a win for Opit, and the second saw Miss Akarana win rather easily. As Miss Akarana was of a higher rating than the others, a final was not run but it was agreed that Miss Akarana should represent the club at Russell. The open handicap was won by Opit; Emi, 2; Agar Box, 3.