TWO TOP-NOTCH RACES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 534, 11 December 1928, Page 16

TWO TOP-NOTCH RACES

SATURDAY WITH THE VIC’S Tlie Victoria Cruising Club is to be complimented on the success of its two handicap races for mullet boats and open yachts on Saturday. It was a good idea grouping the boats into the two general sections, and two worth-while flotillas were thereby assured. „ _ The handicapping of Messrs. G. Parker and G. Mobberley in the mul-let-boat division, and that of Messrs. A. \V. Perkins and H. F. Crowl was very well calculated, and despite the difficulties in assessing the capabilities of the various classes some very close finishes were recorded. A fresh northerly coming right into St. Mary’s Bay gave skippers something to think about in getting out of the eastern entrance to the boat harbour without collisions, and it says a good deal for the crews that foulings were very few. , It had been originally intended to start the events from a flagship, but finally the Harbour Board’s jetty was utilised. A mark-boat was anchored about three chains west of the wharf, and it was generally agreed that the line was too short, in view of the large number of starters in each race. As a result, some confusion was inevitable. In the mullet-boat race Celox and Wairere came to grips, and the former, which, by the way, was on starboard and the other on port, lost her bowsprit and had to pull out for repairs. A little later the 14-footer Marie got the worst of an encounter with another and also broke her bowsprit. She continued to race, however, and performed well in the circumstances by coming ho mb in eighth place out of a squadron of 15. Alex Matthew’s, who again sailed the new Sanders Cup aspirant, Val, handled the craft with judgment and was very pleased to be placed first on corrßCted times. The little yacht seems to be better in a good breeze than in quiet airs. Just after finishing, one of the V boats making for her moorings almost became involved in what looked like being an ugly accident. A dinghy was foolishly being rowed in the track of the racing fleet, and in it was a passenger, in bathing attire, with his back to the oncoming yacht. To those on the jetty it seemed as if nothing could prevent the swift-moving bowsprit from transfixing the body of the passenger like a sabre. But with a split second in which to act the skipper of the yacht jammed down his tiller and the bowsprit slid past the lucky dinghy man about near enough to take the sunburn off his arm.