SANDERS CUP BOATS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 414, 24 July 1928, Page 14

SANDERS CUP BOATS

SPEED LITTLE AFFECTED BY SHAPE VIEWS OF GEORGE ANDREWS “A great fallacy exists generally as to the relative, importance of shape in determining the speed of 14-footers. Probably not one per cent, of the difference in finishing times is due to any difference in shape between various boats.” That is the firm belief of George Andrews, builder and skipper of Betty, three successive times winner of the Sanders Cup. That conviction has been expressed by Betty’s builder more than once, and he reiterated it in a chat with “Bobstay” (of the Christ church “Sun” the other evening, discussing the action of the conference between the Christchurch Sailing and Power-Boat Club and the Canterbury Yacht and Motor-Boat Club in disapproving of the Auckland suggestion that boats should be measured at the contest. “It would be a pity,” said Mr. Andrews, “to see the success of a con-

test jeopardised through such an unnecessary and impracticable step as measuring boats at the contest.” He does not regard Betty’s success as anything to be surprised at. It was primarily due to his realising that shape was immaterial, and that the problem before him was to find other features that would increase a boat's speed and incorporate them in his design. “I had no opportunity to compare boats,” he said, “but my long experience of racing boats and close study enabled me to find a few more ‘points’ that make for speed, than the next man. “There are about 20 little items of build in Betty, which, if built into any old shape of boat, would make her just as fast.” What have Auckland Jellicoe-class men to say about Mr. Andrews’s startling opinions?