YACHTING

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 285, 6 January 1930, Page 2

YACHTING

ACTIVITIES ON THE 1NNER HARBOUR. RACING ON SATURDAY. The first heat of the Victoria Cup was sailed 011 Saturday afternoon, on the iuner liarbour, in a strong nortli west breeze. The race was sailed under sealed liandicaps and the following first-class boats faced the starter : — Sayonara (N. Harston). Kahurangi (I. Hannah), Illiuoie (Ian Gillie's), . Marooudah (N. Gillies), Veronique. (A. Johnson). Tlie boats got away to an even start, 3Iaroondah and Illiuoie being to windwavd. Rounding the sandspit mark tlfe positions were, Maroondah, lllinoie, Veronique, Kahurangi^ and Sayonara, From Poraite to Kopuki it was a beat and the boats were catching somo very heavy squalls. Illinoi© appeared to have trouble as a man had to go aloft and afterwards, when Veronique failed to give way when caught 011 the wrong tack. This gave 3Iaroondah a. good lead and Veronique went into second place. Kahurangi and Sayonara were some distance asteni, making a very close race of it. Just off the Kopuki peg the wind failed and nt this point lllinoie, catching a breeze from the north-west, ran into second place. 3Iaroondah was fortunate enough to get around the (ieg and, getting a breeze, ran into a good lead whilst all the otber boats were practicallv becalmed 011 the peg, unable to get around. Tlie wind coming out from the north-west saw Illiuoie, Veronique and Kauhrangi round in tliat order. The two leading boats were the only ones to set spinnakers, with the result that they drew away on the run down to the home mark. On the way to the sandspit, 3Iaroondah was some minutes ahead, but she was unable to lay the mark 011 one board, wliilst all tlie otlier boats went riglit through. There was little differenco in the positions until well off Flax Bav, when Veronique appeared to get some good lifts wliich put her ahead of lllinoie, and she also gained somewhat on Afaroondah. Kahurangi and Sayonara had also come up a little. Rounding Ivopuki for the last time, 3faroondali was in a good lead, with 3reronique and lllinoie close together. lllinoie set her spinnaker and qujckly overhauled and passed Veronique, which failed to add the extra sail. The wind was now very fresh from the ltorth-west, and it took the twq leading; boats all their time to hold on to the extra sail. 3Iaroondah finally broke tlie jaws off her spinnaker boom, just off tke first islaud. lllinoie, with her spinnaker under control, was coming down at a great pace, leaving all the other boats far astern, but off the island she also appeared to- liave trouble. as ihe spinnaker boom went up_ tlie mast, and, being unable to control the sail, it had to be taken down. Marooqdah stiH had a .good lead, althougli Illiuoie, on the run down from Kopuki, had gained two minutes. The Veronique, sailing a great race, came dowir with n good squall and crossed \

the line a good third, with Kahurangi and Sayonara following. The fiuishing times of the first three boats were: — Maroondah, 5hrs. 29mins. , oosecs. ; lllinoie, ohrs. 33mins. 45secs. ; Veronique, 5hrs. 3omins. 50secs. The 3Iaroondah sailed a good race and deserved first place, but as it was a sealed liandicap, it is not yet kuown wliich is the winner. lllinoie also sailed well, being very fast on the last run home, and the Veronique also deserves praise, as she sailed consistently throughout the race.