A RECORD POWER LAUNCH RACE

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 987, 4 February 1909, Page 10

A RECORD POWER LAUNCH RACE

The match for £5O a-side, between the launches Eliza and Seabird, took place on Saturday and Sunday. The course was the longest yet run by any launch in the colonies, being from Auck-and to Russell and back, a distance of 240 knots.

The particulars of tne boats are: — Eliza; Length, 40ft.; beam, 10ft., 28.7 horse-power Kiwi engine, designed and built by Mr. J. H. Adams, of Auckland. Seabird: Length, 40ft.; beam, Bft. 9in.; 14 horse-power Regal engine.

Much interest was taken in the race and there was a fair amount of wagering on the result. The two boats started at 7.50 a.m. on Saturday morning, Eliza soon going to the front. She passed Tiri at 9.41, Rodney 12.20, Sail Rock 2.30, Bream Head 3.45, Tutukaka 5.35, Cape Brett 9.30 and Russell at 10.50. The Eliza rounded the buoy off Russell 48 mins, before Seabird, while on the return trip, in which some very lumpy water was met with, she got further ahead, being timed in at Auckland at 2.25 p.m., Seabird following at 4.38 p.m. Eliza’s average throughout was eight knots per hour. Seabird ran much worse than in the Rudder Cup race, when her average per hour was about 8 % knots. If she had done anything like this she must have won, but could only manage about a knot slower. This was partly caused by some weed getting foul of the propeller, a fact which was not noticed until some hours after leaving, when one of the crew went overboard and cieared it. From Sail Rock to Auckland (53 knots) she took hours, which means a speed of 8% knots, so that it is evident the rather rough water on the return voyage did not affect her. It is further said that Eliza, which had the services of Capt. McLeod, of the Clansman, steered a shorter course than did Seabird, whose navigating officer was Captain Quinn, of the auxiliary ketch Endeavour, the latter going outside Piercy Island owing to thick weather.

From Hobart comes word that the only entries for the ” Rudder ” Cup, which is this year under the management of the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, are the local yachts Maysie and Fairlie 11. As the course is from Queenscliff to Hobart, owners have most probably experienced difficulty in getting amateur crews. It is a pity one or other of the Auckland cracks could not have been sent across as they would have been fairly certain to bring back the cup. The Tasmanian Club have gone to a deal of trouble in the matter, and the poor entry must have been rather disheartening to the oflicials.

At Sydney recently a conference of delegates of the various Australian swimming associations was held, when representatives of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia were present.

The New Zealand Association cabled asking permission to withdraw from the agreement. It was decided to grant the request, and to substitute South Australia for New Zealand, and. to fix the penalty for non-representa-tion at future Australasian championships at £lO, to be paid to each of the associations holding the carnival at which such failure to be represented occurs. Western Australia, however, was allowed the option of being represented in Victoria in the season 19091910. The standard times for various championships were fixed as follows: —100 yards, 63sec.; 220 yards, 2 min. 40 sec.; quarter-mile, 6 min.; half-mile, 13min.; 1320 yards, 20min; miie, 27min.; 220 yards breast stroke, 3min. 25sec.; 100 yards breast stroke, Imin. 20sec.; and it was agreed that the championships be decided in each year between December 1 and March 14. The suggestion of a New South Wales representative as to the formation of an Australian swimming union to govern records, the representation outside the Commonwealth, visits of representative swimmers to Australia, and to at as a court of appeal, was also discussed. It was decided to recommend the formation of such a un.on to the associations.

As an outcome of the cutters’ race at the big regatta, there is prospect of a match between the Kiwi and the Lee for £3O a-side.

Entries for the Championship Regata closed last night, and constitute a record. The big aquatic function takes place at Mercer on Saturday week.

There is every likelihood of another match between Eliza and Seabird over a course to the Thames and back, about eighty miles.