Yachting Notes.

Free Lance, Volume XV, Issue 817, 25 February 1916, Page 25

Yachting Notes.

By Skipper.

A splendid north-west wind favoured the Port Nicholson Yact Club for the two sailing events set down for last Saturday. In the first-class yacht race there were eight entries, viz., Rona (scr), Wairere Galatea, Viola, and White Wings (7min each), Muritai (12min), Windward (14min), and lolanthe (19min). All started but the White Wings. The Rona at once went to the front and remaned there throughout. The Wairere spoilt her chance at the start by hanging under the wharf too long, otherwise the send-off was the best I have seen. On the beat to Korokoro, the Rona went to windward of the whole fleet. All the boats shook out their reefs when once round the buoy, and came home at a merry pace. The finiishing times were: —Rona 4.43, Wairere 4.51, Viola 4.57, Galatea 5.5, Muritai 5.5£, Windward 5.3, lolanthe 5.6. The corrected times place the Rona Ist, lolanthe 2nd, and Wairere 3rd. There was not much sea, and the wind under the shore at the northern buoy was very tricky. This is the fourth time the black cutter has finished first past the wharf, and the skipper is justly elated. A yachtsman who was on one of the competiing boats has a great liking for the Galatea. She wants handling, and one of these days will get home unexpectedly. The second-class race brought out five boats, viz., Rawene (scr.), Lizzie 6min), Nancy Stair (Bmin), Amai (12min), and "Mini (27min). All started but the Amai. A splendid start was effected. The Rawene at once went to the front and rounded Jerningham first, and also the Korokoro buoy first. The Nancy Stair was, however, doing remarkably well, and picked up some ground on the run down. The finishing times were: Rawene 4.51, Nancy Stair 4.55|, Lizzie 5.6. The Miru did not turn up until about an hour afterwards. The corrected times place Nancy Stairs Ist and Rawene 2nd. Skipper Kiernan has piled up a good lump of points for the aggregate, having finished first four times. The skipper of the winning boat deserves credit for his win, as he had only a crew of two, and has always been a consistent performer. A launch race was to have taken place for the Te Ruru Club Rose Bowl. Only two launches entered, the holder preferring to stand out and give other boats a chajnce, as he had won the trophy three times. Ralph Millman and W. Brooke Taylor have both entered their craft, and the race will come off some time during the week. Young Elton has bought the yacht Venus, which has been laid up for a good spell. The new owner got rather a shock when he went to get his boat. He found that some one had been there the night before and "pinched" his engine. It is to be hoped the police will succeed in tracing the thieves, as this sort of thing has been going on for some time in Wellington. The launches Dauntless, Resolution, and Boris left Te Awaite at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 21st, and after a good passage over, arrived here as follows : Dauntless, 1.45 p.m.; Resolution, 2.20 p.m.; and Doris, 2.45 p.m. They encountered hardly any sea in the rip. The weather in the Sounds during their stay of two weeks was exceptionally good.