The annual Young 88 match-racing regatta on the Waitemata harbour in the 1990s attracted the best sailors in the Class as well as a number of other top yachtsmen from New Zealand. However, how many people remember that the first Young 88 match-racing contest took place, not on the Waitemata Harbour but on Lake Pupuke?
It was a celebrity occasion to promote a ‘water wise’ youth programme and it took place in March 1987 when Young Magic and Meltdown locked horns over a triangular course, crewed by their owners, two lady mayors and KZ7 crew fresh from the America's Cup challenge in Perth.
On board Young Magic were the Mayor of Auckland, Catherine Tizard, the owner, Roger Land and Mike Quilter, Kevin Shoebridge, Alan Smith and Julie Mizzen. Meltdown's crew included the Mayor of Takapuna, Wyn Hoadley, the owner Paul Manning, and Lynda Haynes and Brad Butterworth. The only details of the race that remain are of a closely-fought start with Meltdown getting the upper hand and going on to win comfortably.
In September 1987 and 1988, the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in Picton ran match-racing regattas using pairs of Young 88s, H28s and Compass 28s loaned by the Charter Link Company of Marlborough. QCYC invited teams from Dunedin, Oamaru, Christchurch, Nelson and Wellington to complete for a trophy donated by Roger Land. The Young 88s used were O.B.I. and Rix.
In 1989, the Young 88 Owners Association approached the RNZYS to run a match-racing contest for its members and the first contest took place over the weekend 17-18 February 1990. Twelve boats were entered. Each carried a participant from the Squadron’s youth training programme on the stern to act as an on-the-water observer, calling overlaps and ‘mast abeam’ situations while Squadron members manned the committee and umpire boats.
The races were held in the area between Kohimarama and Rangitoto in light 5-15 knot north-east breezes. The racing on the Saturday was conducted in two divisions with the top two boats in each division contesting the finals on the Sunday. Few of the helmsmen had previous match-racing experience so, not surprisingly, the pre-start manoeuvres were at first very cautious: but they became more self-assured as the series progressed.
An additional rule in the sailing instructions providing disqualification for both boats involved in a collision was observed but did not distract from the closeness of the racing. In her division, Danger Zone (Harry Dodson) won five races ahead of Bandicoot (Leslie Egnot) with four wins. Panama Jack (Rohan Lord) won five races in the other division but not before some close tussles with Babe (Fiona Taylor) and Legless (Peter Illingworth).
The finals on Sunday featured contests between Danger Zone and Panama Jack for first place and Bandicoot and Legless for third place. The contest for first and second was over quickly. In the best of three, Danger Zone beat Panama Jack by one minute and forty-five seconds in the first race and by almost four minutes in the second. The contest for third and fourth was close with Bandicoot winning the first race by twenty-five seconds, Legless winning the second by fifty-two seconds and Bandicoot winning the third race by just twenty seconds. The results were:
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First - Danger Zone, Harry Dodson and Paul Manning
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Second - Panama Jack,Rohan Lord
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Third - Bandicoot, Leslie Egnot.
Harry and Paul were off to the national match-racing championship later in the year.
The following year, the regatta was held on one day with the boat winning the most matches to be declared the winner. Eight boats entered and at the completion of the day’s racing, Danger Zone and Flash Gordon had each recorded six wins out of seven races with Smoky and the Choirboys close behind on five wins. Since Danger Zone had beaten Flash Gordon in their match, she was declared the winner. Results for 1991 were:
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First - Danger Zone, Harry Dodson and Paul Manning
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Second - Flash Gordon, Allen Kearney
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Third - Smokey and the Choirboys, Martin Wylie.
Once again, Harry and Paul were off to the national trials.
In 1992, the regatta was held on Saturday 16 May. For the first time, it was held on the "sprint" course directly off the Westhaven breakwater. Ten Young 88s competed and the competition was tougher than ever. The intention was to have a full round robin of nine races but after seven races, the race officials were beaten by darkness.
Conditions were challenging all day with the first match in five knots of breeze and other matches during the day in twenty-five knots as squalls passed through. Harry Dodson and Paul Manning (Danger Zone) were clear winners for the third year in a row with seven matches won out of seven. Three skippers were tied on five wins (Simon Patchett, Dean Barker and Alan Kearney) but a count back decided the final places.
Other competitors were Doug Elder (Sweeney Todd - 4 wins), Grant Turnbull (88% Proof - 4 wins), Martin Wylie (Babe - 3 wins), Chris McMaster (Khunjar - 1 win), Lincoln Thompson (Smoky and the Choirboys - 1 win), John Muir (Young Magic - 0 wins). Prior to the regatta, thirty skippers and crew were prepared for the sailing with a tactics seminar by Roy Dickson and a rules session from Russell Green. The results for the 1992 event were:
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First - Danger Zone, Harry Dodson and Paul Manning
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Second - ColorCote, Simon Patchett
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Third - Panama Jack, Dean Barker.
Yet again Harry and Paul went off to the National Match-racing championships.
The 1993 contest was held on February 7th, again on the sprint course in full view of the Squadron’s clubrooms. The weather was fine with breezes varying between 0-12 knots and shifting between southerly and easterly quarters, thus necessitating course changes later in the day. This year, Harry Dodson and Paul Manning were absent, having sold Danger Zone to Derek Batts who renamed it Triple 8.
The day provided close racing and many supporters' boats were on the water to cheer on the eight competitors. Rod Davis gave a very informative seminar on match racing prior to the contest. Results for the 1993 contest were:
- First - ColorCote, Simon Patchett
- Second - Sweeney Todd, Doug Elder
- Third - 88% Proof, Grant Turnbull
Who will win in 1994?
(Published in February / March 1994 newsletter)
Editor’s note: The results in the final two years of this regatta were:
1994:
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First 88% Proof Grant Turnbull
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Second Young Magic Rohan Lord
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Third Crowded House Stu Bettany
1995:
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First Breakfast Rob Salthouse
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Second Crowded House Stu Bettany
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Third First Class Jeremy Lomas