YACHTJNG

BY "MAINSAH"

SEASON OPENED R.P.N.Y.C. FUNCTION OLD MEMBERS ENTERTAINED To invito the yachtsmen of earlier days to the opening function of the R.P.N.Y.C. on Saturday afternoon was undoubtedly a good move, and the members must have been gratified 10. see how'the veterans entered into the spirit of tho occasion. Colonol G. F. C. Campr bell' and Mr. C. W. Tanner were two of the visitors who recalled the days when sailing was-one of. the foremost sports in Wellington, and they, were' listened to with'closo attention.; ,'" ; ' A good omen for the club's season .was the clearance in the' weathci) which lasted just long enough: to-.enable the programme to be completed/ Much amusement was caused by the landing nf a "pirate crew" under "Captain /dd" and the discovery of several „uxes of "treasure," one of which contained "£70,000,000." The merriment was renewed when -the leader announced that they had decided togo in for politics as a more remunerative form of piracy. Among the Evans Bay boats which came round the boat harbour were the launch Wai-Iti, which brought the commodore of the club, Mr. C. Holmes, .and the secretary, Mr. C. Lindsay; the Illinois, the Kio, the Little Haste, and Mr. Durant's launch' Felix. On the return journey the Illinois struck' trouble in the fresh southerly While at the entrance to Evans Bay and capsized. Her crew were in the water for only seven or eight minutes', the Wai-Iti coming up and taking them aboard, and towing the Illinois ashore near the White Lady. She was taken back to her moorings _ the next, day. Opening Days. This afternoon the Worser Bay and Heretaunga Clubs are opening their respective seasons. The Paremata Club will follow suit to-morrow, there being several races on the revised programme. First-class boats will race at 10 a.m;, and the second-class craft at 11 a.m. An open handicap for outboarders will start at 2 p.m., and at 3 p.m. the patron (Mr. F. Brady) will declare the season open. The ceremony of christening the Rona boat Miss Josephine, formerly tho Queen March, of Auckland, is set down for 3.30 p.m. ■'-' The Port Nicholson Motor Boat Club's first races of the season (outboard events) are being held "this afternoon, and to-morrow the club's first picnic for members aud friends will be held. In the event of the weather being u».favourable, • the Heretaunga Club's clubhouse will be placed at the disposal of the motor-boat owners, and buses will leave the boat harbour at 10 a.m. for Petone. The Heretaunga- Club's generosity in ,this connection has been much, appreciated by the P.N.M.B.C. members. With the Outboarders. It is understood that Mr. E. Banish, owner of the smart outboarde'r Miss Elto, intends to bujld another speedboat shortly. It will probably be somo weeks before the new boat is seen in action. Miss Elto, which was formerly all white, has been repainted in black and white stripes, which give her a very unusual'appearance. ;' ' ■ Rumour has it that Miss' Hoover, from Evans Bay, is going to Christchurch, where sho will be in charge of Mr. F. White. Mr. S. Ramsay is having another speed-boat built by Mr. J. Miller, of Lyttelton. She is an 18ft Vbottom outboard cruiser, and is already well under way. Al6 h.p. motor is expected to send her along at about 17 knots, and the control will be from a car type steering wheel in the : cockpit, an arrangement which promises^ to become popular in boats. of this size. The new boat will probably be named Miss Hoover also. Outboarders which will probably be seen at Paremata to-morrow will include Miss Raleigh 1., Miss Raleigh 11., Miss Elto, and. Miss Hoover. These four speedsters from Evans Bay should provide interesting sport in competition with the Paremata Baby and other outboarders at Paremata. The Miss John Jamioson and Miss Lockwood may also compete. A party of Evans Bay Club members is assembling ■ at the clubhouse at 9 a.m. to-morrow, and will go up to Paremata in motor-cars. In Evang Bay. The launch Onopua, which was severely damaged in the recent southerly, has now been ro-planked, and will be seen under power in Evans Bay shortly. The new owner of the 14-footer Buna is hard at work, and expects to have her afloat in the near future. Mr. T.. E. Mellor's Nautilus will' be ready for the water in 'about a fortnight. The Kewpie was out sailing on Sunday. Boat Harbour Jottings. This afternoon the first series of races on the E.P.N.Y.C. programme are being contested. First and second-class, 18ft and under, and Jellicoe . class events will be the order. ... Several boats left the boat, harbour on Sunday, the beautiful weather making for almost idehl .sailing conditions. The Windward, Linnetj Marangi, Viola, Mini, and Nanette wereamong, those ' which left their moorings. ' A further meeting of R.P.N.Y.C. boatowners will be held early noxt month to finalise arrangements for the race at Christmas time to Tory Channel for tho Seabird Cup. The Datum Point buoy was to have been placed in position this week if the weather was favourable. Both tho Wellesley I. and the Wellesley 11. have been thoroughly overhauled, and arc in good trim for the busy season ahead. Work has been commenced on tho Galatea, and she' may bo slipped! this week-end. It is rumoured that she may race this season. Another' Speed Boat. Now under construction at Mr. B. J. L. Jukes's yard at Bnllcna Bay is a. 21ft speedboat with a 51't 3in beam. She is owned by Mr. O. Cottrell, and will be powered with a 6-cyliuder SO-h.p. marine motor, which i$ expected to give her a speed of something like 30 ni.p.h. She is a Hacker design square-bilge, V-bottom craft, and work on her is well in hand. With Miss Blenheim and Leander, tho n*w boat will make the third speedboat in Wellington, and it should be possible to stage races between them. .. ' • ' Arranging the Trials. Canterbury and Otago have already decided on the dates for their respective Sanders Cup trials, and it seems desirable that tho local association should take a similar step in order to have the selection of boat, skipper, and crew finalised by Christmas. There are rumours that Marlborough will enter a boat for the Sanders Cup contest, says the "Otago Daily Times," Interest in the contest seems to have awakened across Cook Strait, for it is reported that several Picton residents aro anxious to havo a boat built by Mr. E. E. Lane to represent Marlborough in the next contest, and there is 1 said to be every prospect that this will be done.