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ePaper created 2014-06-11, 13:05:34 | version 1.30.01
92 the Balsa core Stewart 34 was, in my opinion the ultimate blend of materials for the new boats. They were immensely strong and easily brought to the mean weight required for the wooden boats and we went to great lengths to ensure that at the end of the hull and deck construction any one boat was the same as the one before. Later on, any minor differences were adjusted as a result of the basic swing test that was developed,once again an example of the owner’s commitment to the class and achieving equal boats. A number of enthusiastic owners came forward for these new balsa core versions, Roy Dickson, Peter Spencer, Jim Davern, Don Lidgard,Mick Cookson and Ken Davern to name a few.In the early Citizen events equalization of a mixture of variously constructed timberandglassboatswasalwaysaproblem.Someparticipantsevenhadtocopewithskegruddersetups,muchtotheembarrassment of the skipper concerned in the pre-start. But things evolved thanks to the owners commitment to the event and gradually the fleet became more and more equal.The arrival of the new glass boats in the fleet undoubtedly made the task much easier. There were many hours spent in establishing and the developing the event with the usual problems facing all those involved, most centering around funding but also including rules development, event format, protests, financial assistance to skippers and crew, equalizing of boats and sails,television coverage,the list went on. The early Citizen series were live on TV1. A unique situation that always astounded our counterparts at other events but one that came with a few hooks, especially when the wind died or swung and racing was delayed. It was however an advantage that enabled the event to become well known in New Zealand. I recall Eddie Warden-Owen telling me once that he was amazed when he was touring after an event and he climbed out of his car down King Country way asking a farmer for directions. The farmer recognized Eddie from the television coverage and started chatting knowledgeably about the Match Racing.It could only happen in New Zealand. Doc Williams and Peter Montgomery were tremendous supporters of the Citizen series and were pioneers in many ways with the development of the live coverage of racing.I recall being Peter’s comments man one telecast.I would give myself a one out of ten for that performance.The one is for showing up. With profile there was an opportunity to raise greater sponsorship funding. There were always heavy demands on the Citizen budget and additional funds were raised through sub sponsors.On the sailing side there was a need to make the boats more equal withthesupplyof mainsails,thengenoasandthenspinnakersbythesponsor.Astheeventgrewinstatureandthecircuitdeveloped and became more competitive there was a need to provide travel support for visiting skippers and crew. So in the Red corner we tended to have the Stewart 34Association looking after the owners interests,preparation of the boats and the welfare of the event,and in the Blue corner,the R.N.Z.Y.S with the sponsor and the link to the rules and the race management and also the welfare of the event.As a Chairman of the Match Race Committee for nearly ten years, taking over from Jack Alison in 1984, I recall many serious“discussions”with Bill Miller,Warwick Brown and other owners of Stewart 34’s as we tried to walk a fine line between giving to the Owners what they needed and being able to attract the highest calibre of skipper to the event with the limited funding we had available. This is not to say that Citizen Watches as the inaugural sponsor did not do everything in their power to keep up with the financial support. The fact was however that as the event became instantly successful and as those involved tried to make it a perfect event from an equipment point of view, it consumed dollars. Add to this the fact that later on the TV bubble burst and the coverage stopped being live or free and had to be paid for and reality soon struck home. Despite the heated discussions I would like to think that all those involved in the establishment and development of the event and the development of the Stewarts as a match racing fleet will look back on a considerable achievement.It is also encouraging to note thattheStewartsarestillattractingtopfleetsinveryequalboats.Bythetimetheequipmenthadbeendevelopedwithidenticalsails and equalized weights it was considered up with the very best from a sailing perspective. Despite the many differences of opinion onarangeof issues,collectivelywegotthereandallinvolvedcanbeproudof someof themostwonderfulmatchracingcompetition that has or will ever take place in the Waitemata Harbour. There were some spectacular sailing moments and some better forgotten. For me the most notable was probably one involving Russell Coutts in a match against Rod Davis when Russell, fresh from his Olympic Gold performance, misjudged the tide and T Boned the committee boat.No one was seriously hurt but some pride took a mauling.