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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
78 The Squadron made an attempt to improve the system to insure that boats and owners were treated fairly. Each skipper was required to post a $500 bond,which was refundable when the boat was returned in its pre-race condition. The owners were given $1,000 or the equivalent in chandlery vouchers, to cover‘normal wear and tear’, with $500 given to the stand-by boats. In theory, this seemed like a workable solution to previous year’s issues. In reality, there were still problems. As Richard Endean pointed out to me, the skippers were anxious to get their bondbacksotheycouldheadhomeaftertheregatta. Inspectionsweresometimes hasty at best. Some of the stresses imposed on the boats when they had been pressed hard in the races didn’t actually show up as breakage till subsequent races. To cover their lack of representation on the 1985/86 Match Race committee, the Stewart 34 Association sent a twenty-one-item suggestion letter to the Squadron on 14 August 1986,after the event had been sailed for that year. Richard Endean personally answered it in a three-page reply to all the Stewart owners involved, on 5 October 1986. In the third paragraph, Endean wrote that“the Stewart 34’s had fulfilled their role admirably over the years and should continue to do so.” On the last page however, he changed course a bit saying“it was also suggested that the most workable solution was to find a sponsor to fund a fleet of ten boats which would be available for match racing and the International Series. This suggestion has considerable merit and will be seriously investigated by theYacht Squadron in its efforts to protect the status of its International Series. In the meantime it is our wish to continue to work closely and as harmoniously as possible with the Stewart 34 owners to maintain the present position of our series and to plan any changes which become inevitable.” Endean was clearly stating the inevitable, while walking the fine line and attempting to placate the Stewart owners. The Squadron was running into headwinds raising funds to cover the ever increasing costs to run the Citizen. Warwick Browne of Citizen Watch said that in order to continue its support of the event, the Squadron would need to organise sub-sponsors, as the budget for the event was approaching six figures. The Squadron and the NZ Yachting Federation reluctantly agreed and adequate funding for the 1987 was raised. While the merits of sponsorship were argued in the rooms of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in Auckland, some of the beneficiaries of that “necessary evil” were using it to place New Zealand on the map as one of the top sailing nations. Chris Dickson was at the helm of the “Plastic Fantastic,” the first fibreglass America’s Cup yacht, in Perth, Australia. His father, Roy was the crew manager and trainer for Team New Zealand for the 1987 Challenge. Most of the other Team New Zealand crew had cut their match racing teeth on Stewart 34’s in the New Zealand Trials, the Citizen Watch International Match Racing Series, or both. 1987 Chris Packer, Rick Royden and Mick Cookson were the top three sailors in the New Zealand Trials and went on to sail in the Citizen. If New Zealand’s America’s Cup efforts benefited from Stewart 34 match racing, then certainly Stewart 34 match racing also benefited from the America’s Cup. After the 1987 America’s Cup, many of the crew flew across the Tasman to take part in the Citizen. A top skipper/crew lineup, combined with stronger-than-average breeze made for a brilliant contest. Rod Davis sailed an immaculate series, winning all of his matches. His upwind helming skills were impeccable and in two matches he came from behind to win. The match between Rod Davis and Peter Isler was probably the closest and most exciting match races ever American Peter Isler, winner of the 1986 Citizen Breeze Tommaso Chieffi on Passion was unable to get by Peter Isler on Prism Sea Spray