- Model Yachting Association Refutes Charge of American Skipper in last International Race. G. Cuthbert Paine.
Model Yachting Association Refutes Charge of American Skipper in last International Race Editor, YACHTING: i his otherwise excellent account which appeared in your September issue, Mr. John Black makes the following state- ment: “The only unpleasant feature of the whole series occurred late in the forenoon races. The local man who acted as mate for Berlin, due to the illness of her regular mate, Herr Roloff, was seen to apparently throw his race to Gertrude. The case was reported to the Officer of the Day by an official, but no action was taken. This happened again later in the day, and this unsportsmanlike action cost the American challenger the cup.” As Secretary of the Model Yacht Racing Association, which organized these races, I was unable to reply until the matter had come before the Council and until we had heard from Herr Kruger, skipper of the Berlin. Now I request that you give this ae the same prominence that was accorded Mr. Black’s article. Mr. Black advisedly uses the word “apparently,” as an assertion of this nature requires a deal of proof. Mistakes occur and when a deputy is sailing against a clubmate it is easy to assert that a board has been deliberately lost. The man who helped Herr Kruger had assisted him the previous day and the German skipper asked him to act as mate when it was found that Herr Roloff was ill. It is common knowledge that Berlin was erratic and all her opponents (including Mr. Black) profited thereby. Had this been true only when she was opposed to Gertrude and when she was handled by Herr Roloff’s substitute, there might have been some grounds for Mr. Black’s remarks. I would also remind your readers of a fact that Mr. Black himself must be well aware of. The M. Y. A. makes all the preliminary arrangements and bears all the expense of holding these races, but in order that no competitor may have cause for complaint the sole control of the races is vested in an International Regatta Committee. In this case the committee consisted of Mr. Black (U. S. A.), Mons. Aubourg (France), Herr Kruger (Germany) and Mr. Cuthbert Paine (Great Britain). Once the stage is set and the racing started, the Model Yachting Association does not have the power to interfere in any way with the conduct of the races. If Mr. Black thought he had cause for complaint he should have laid it before this committee without delay, in accordance with the conditions under which this race is held, instead of making statements of this nature months after the event. Mr. Black proved himself a good sportsman and a good loser, and therefore, his present action is all the more surprising. I append statements by Mr. Cuthbert Paine, Officer of the Day, and Herr Kruger, skipper of Berlin, the German yacht. These are conclusive and the matter requires no further answer or amplification. C. N. ForGE Copy of Letter from Mr. Cuthbert Paine, Officer of the Day. Hon. Secretary, Model Yachting Association, Great Britain My attention has been drawn to a paragraph in Mr. John Black’s article in the September number of YACHTING in which he reports an incident in the last day’s racing. Mr. Black is mistaken in his statement that ‘no action was taken,” for on my umpire reporting the matter to me, I interviewed Herr Kruger and his mate, Mr. Jackman, asking for an explanation from the latter. He demonstrated to me that the gear of Berlin was so badly constructed that it was almost impossible to move a bowser on the running sheets and that the delay occurred entirely through his inability to make a proper adjustment. I then told him that it had been reported to me that he had deliberately held Berlin to give Gertrude a lead. He assured me that this was not so as he had no thought but to do his best for the skipper he was sailing for, and appealed to my knowledge of him as a sporting model yacht sailor to disabuse my mind of any such idea. I then told him that I would accept his statement but 68 that if any further report reached me I should report him to the Council of the Model Yachting Association. I then spoke to Herr Kruger who said that he and his mate had difficulty in making adjustments, but that he was perfectly satisfied with Mr. Jackman as a mate, both for his skill in handling the boat and general conduct. After hearing this explanation, which I deemed satisfactory, I allowed racing to proceed. | may state that no second incident was reported to me, nor can I learn that any such took place. I trust that you will communicate the substance of this letter to YACHTING as I feel that our character for impartial conduct of the international contests has been unfairly disparaged by Mr. Black. (Signed) G. CUTHBERT PAINE Extract from Letter of Herr Paul Kruger to Chairman, Model Yachting Association. ° I read Mr. Black’s account of the Gosport regatta in YACHTING and was most astonished, especially as on August 26th he wrote me a very cordial letter commencing ‘‘ My dear friend Kruger.” I have to give you the following information: On August 2nd after lunch, before starting the afternoon sailing, the Officer of the Day, Mr. Paine, told me that one of the umpires had reported to him that he considered Mr. Jackman, who was acting as my mate, had deliberately trimmed Berlin badly and delayed putting her off against Gertrude. The Officer of the Day asked me whether, under the circumstances, I] wished to continue with Mr. Jackman as my mate. | replied that it would look very bad if I took another mate when only a single afternoon’s sailing remained to complete the match, and that I wished to do nothing unpleasant, especially after the great kindness and hospitality that had been shown us. Mr. Paine replied that above all we were out for fair sport and that the best boat and skipper should win. Mr. Paine then warned Mr. Jackman that each time that Berlin met Gertrude he was not to interfere with the trim before the starts but leave this entirely to me, and that he was to be especially careful not to delay Berlin when she came ashore any more than was essential. If Mr. Jackman had previously held Berlin or delayed her, which I cannot credit as I was watching the sailing most keenly all the time, I am positive that he did not do so during the afternoon after Mr. Paine warned him. I think that Mr. Paine should be asked for his account of what transpired. I may add that I personally was very well satisfied with Mr. Jackman. It is neither fair nor good sportsmanship for Mr. Black to write in this manner in YACHTING after the event. He had the power of protest at the time had he wished to avail himself of it. (Signed) PauL KRUGER Annual Meeting of the Model Yacht Racing Association of America Bei Annual Meeting of the Model Yacht Racing Association of America, for the election of officers for the coming year, and the transaction of other business, will be held in New York on January 28th. Delegates from most of the clubs in the Association will be present. The Association, the only governing body for Model Yachtsmen in America, is composed of the following Model Yacht Clubs: Prospect Park M. Y. C., Central Park M. Y. C., Montclair M. Y. C., Boston M. Y. C., Rhode Island M. Y. C.; Detroit M. Y. C., Washington M. Y. C., Montreal M. Y. C., Ogden Park M. Y. C., Chicago M. Y. C., Toledo M. Y. C. The officers of the Association have about finished work on a — containing measurement and racing rules for Model acnts.
