The painting depicts the race for the New Zealand Championship with the Pastime, in the foreground, heading to the windward mark, a buoy anchored off Worser Bay, Wellington. She is carrying a huge 1345 sq ft of sail area, with main boom hanging well over the stern, a jackyard topsail, staysail and large jib flying from a very long bowsprit. Pastime is 42ft loa and 7.5ft beam. All of the crew are sitting on the windward rail except for one crewman in the cockpit on the leeward side ensuring that Pastime will clear the 57ft Waitangi, that is sailing past with spinnaker set after rounding the Worser Bay mark in first place. This was Waitangi's first race since her launching on 13th December 1894.

Further in the background is the 53ft Mascotte, about to tack and lay the windward mark, which is behind Pastime's mainsail. Mascotte's crew are preparing her spinnaker on the foredeck ready to hoist it when they round the mark.

Cloud shadows cross the water just behind Waitangi and over Worser Bay, in the right hand background.

Pastime led the fleet of 4 yachts, including the Maritana, from the start off Queens Wharf, until the beat from Point Halswell to Worser Bay, when she was passed by the Waitangi and Mascotte.

Waitangi won the race and 100 pounds prize money, followed by Mascotte, Pastime and Maritana. Pastime was built by Malcolm Miller in 1866 at Lyttleton and was the champion South Island yacht until the race for the New Zealand championship sailed at Wellington, January 22nd, 1891, when she was beaten by the newly launched Mascotte.

Pastime has just undergone an extensive restoration and is expected to race, once again, against Waitangi at Auckland.