AQUATICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13015, 4 November 1905, Page 7

AQUATICS.

A committee meeting of the Dovonport Yacht. Club will be hold on Monday evening. A general meeting of the North Shore Yacht Club . will bo hold in the Council Chambers, Devonport, on Friday next, at eight p.m. The North Shore Rowing Club hold trial fours at Cheltenham Beach on Saturday, afternoon next. Entries closo at the clubhouse on Thursday, at eight p.m. The committee of the North Shore Rowing Club expect a shipment of Oregon pino practice oars in the course of a fortnight from Messrs. Dawson, of Sydney.,- v One of the social facilities afforded, by the members of the North Shore Rowing Club aro the billiard tournaments provided by the committee. The winner of the recent tourney was Mr. J. Murray, after several interesting games. , . . Several ot the yachts are already m commission for tho coining season, and if the weather is at all favourable a large number, of them will be launched during next week. Ida. Commodore Murdoch's yacht, went for heV first cruise of the season last Saturday, going down to Drunken Bay. Ida has been much improved since last season, and is expected to sail much faster than she, lias ever done. ' » Quite a nuinbci of motor launches were out in the harbour last Saturday and Sunday, including the Union, Napier, and Slim Jim. The opening of the motor launch season takes place in tho harbour on Thursday next (King's Birthday), and it is expected that there will be a large muster for the opening ceremony. - • • > ■ • ' The oil .launch Matareke was placed in commission for tho season last Saturday, and officiated as the starter's boat for St. George's Rowing Club's opening trial fours. Mr. Whitley .and his sous, have got the launch into splendid order, arid she looked quite a picture as she paced up and down the harbour on Saturday. After the trial fours the launch went' aown as far as Home Bay. Six George's Rowing Club opened the. season at Judge's Bay last Saturday afternoon with an " At Homo" and trial fours; There wa3 a large attendance of members. and their friends 01. the occasion, and the ladies' committee arc to be congratulated upon the results of their efforts to make, the function a success. > i was sorry to see such poor entries for the races, only six crews competing. This is a mostunsatisfactory &tate of affairs in a club with such a large membership as St. George's possess, and is certainly very little ' encouragement for tho officers of the club to | give their time and labour in their efforts to i push the club along. - At, a meeting of the Oaehunga Yacht Clubit was decided that they should hold a race on the opening day,' instead of having the usual procession, and also that as tne season goes on to havo an excursion, for the special benefit of vice-presidents and club supporters. The date for the opening day has been fixed for Saturdav, November 18, and is looked forward to with great intortet by tho junior, members of the club. ■■■'■ The North Shore Rowing Club opened their season last Saturday afternoon. Nine crows entered for tho trophies presented by tho club. The first, three heats were won by crews stroked by W. Logan, W. Swinnerton, and N. Smith. . Thane crews rowed in the final heat, and caused much excitement by the determined manner each tried to take the lead. After a fine sprint by Smith's and Swinnerton's crews, Smith's gained second place, the heat bs-ing" finally won in good, dashing style by three-quarters of a length by' W. Logan (stroke), B. Rowsell, L. Hunt, A. Powley.' The condition of tho water was goad.,' ■ ■ _ ■ •' ■ ■ ■ T . No less than eight members of the Napier Sailing Club, including the commodore and the vice-commodore, are now up for election as members of the Royal New Zealand Squadron.„ To show that the Royal New Zealand Squadron is alive to the fact of looking after and catering for motor launches and racing, a notice of motion has been handed in by the commodore, ''That certain of the club rules Ik? altered to fit in with and' . suit motor launch owners, etc.','., A general meeting of the squadron will be held on Friday, the 17th inst., at eight p.m., to deal with the matter. .!-■ Messrs. Jones and Coleman, photographers, etc., have presented the-squadron with a photographic shield illustrating the departure of the Rawhiti lot Sydney.- ■ Mr. Dcmuster, a member of the. Prince Alfred Yacht Club; Sydney, has presented an enlarged photograph of his yacht IPetrel to the squadron. Yachting moil will remember that _ the Petrel is a locally-built boat. The secretary of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron informs me that, the fixture cards for the season are now in hand, and . will be sent out in the course of a few days. Amongst other races has been one put on for the Nelson members, to bo sailed at Nelson, under the control of the port captain, Mr. C. Y. Fell. . I hear that the engine for Rear-Commo-dore Alexander's new oil yacht will not arrive in Auckland till Derembei. so that the i yacht will hardly be ready by Christmas.. i West End hold trial fours next Saturday for gold medals presented by Mr. R. G. M. Denny, Collector of Customs, Tonga. The generous donor has given the trophies to be competed for by members who have not previously won a prize, , and the races are being looked forward to with a great deal of interest. Entries close to-day, and crows will b» announced early next week. The trial fours hold last Saturday for the valuable trophies presented by Mr. T. Peacock, patron of tho club, produced some good racing, and the winners had to go all they knew to win the cove.tod prizes. Including the veteran crews, West End had 68 men rowing last week. As usual, the events were got through without a hitch, though the races were jut© starting, owing to the unfavourable weather. .■The well-known yacht Aorere, the property of Mr. J. C. Spedding, is to be put up to auction on Saturday next by Mr. T. Mandeno Jackson. The yacht was built some years ago by Messrs. Logan Bros., to the order of Mr. C. B. Stone, who owned and sailed her for many years. The. yacht was then sold to her present owner, who is about to resell her. NORTH SHOIIE~YACHT NOTES. . Saturday was a general launching day at Devonport. At the western end the Ida, Iris, and Mavourneen were put down. The Ida through the courtesy, of Messrs. _ Bailey and Lowe, who placed their oil launch Bluebell at Commodore .Murdoch's disposal, was towed to her moorings. She was out for a sail on Sunday, Drunken Bay being the rendezvous. The Iris, on floating, had her mainsail bent on at once, and proceeded to lu>r moorings at the eastern end, while, owing to the westerly breeze, the Mavouinecn had to beat to her moorings under jib and trysail. ,I'hoNgatir? (Vice-Commodore I rater). wa- ' launched on Saturday from the eastern end

of Devonport, and on Sunday,, for the nut; time, flew the vice-commodore s flag oi' Devonport Yacht Club, the flawing greatly; admired. ; She .went for a spin -tie liar hour, tho moorings being reached about ban past four p.m. ..<-• . • , , rl _., n The Wairiki has had a lot of work clone to her during the;winter, H^:. cabin being decorated with oil paintings, -etc. She. nas new sails, being out on' Saturday, and buiuu> in company with the Ngatira. , v The Janet : was launched on Saturday, ana is looking very well this. year. Messrs. Sutherland are to. be congratulated on f tlie fine order in which their craft is. . | £ Thistle was launched on Monday, and is tnis year to bo moored at the eastern end. _ a lot of work has been put into the Thistle during the past winter, the cabin has been completely renovated,, painted, etc, the iniu burnt off, and repainted.- She is now i grand order. The Wairere was launched on .Saturday, and on. Thursday proceeded for a cruise. The Rewi was out on batui. clay, and had an interesting go _withtiio Olympia in the rough., water. The Lewi proved herself the better boat, particular on the wind. The Olympic wants more ballast. She, . sailed, very well on bunclaj afternoon. L . . „ ~ At the last committee meeting ot tno Devonport Yacht Club, the question of being represented on the Auckland Annual Kegatta Committee was discussed, and Messrs. J. B. Graham, A. Sutherland, and J. Louis were elected as delegates from the Devonport Yacht Club. It would be as well were other clubs to do the same, as if the yacht and sailing clubs support the Regatta Committee a.success must be made of the annual . regatta... ' '_ ._. "' ~ , AUCKLAND ROWING CLUB. • The following: - crews were submitted by tno captain (Mr. J. Lovett) at .the- committee meeting on Wednesday to., represent the, Auckland Rowing Club at the forthcoming -'regattas:— Senior fours: A. J. lorshaw, U. O. Hughes, W. J. Lovett, G. Gnffenj- Heavyweight juniors T. Davis, J. He laby J. Carpenter, ,W. Franklin. Light-weight juniors (under lOst): A. Fleming, C. Murray, L. Clark. H. Cleal. Heavy-weight maidens: G. R. Hogan, S. J. Hellaby, F. Cooper, W. Fleming. Light-weight maidens (under lOst); R. B. Young, A. Bright, J. Stevens, T.Harris. „ ■. t . . ' , At tho committee meeting, held on Wednesday evening, the captain, deputy-captain, and secretary were instructed to draw up. specifications, etc., for the purchase of two now pair-oars, and it is hoped the club will bo in possession of these boats in the course of a month or two. , . Tho second trial fours will be held on the 18th inst. PONSONBY REGATTA. The Ponsonby Regatta Committee propose placing a speed race for motor launches on the regatta programme, and if this is clone it will undoubtedly prove one of the finest races ever seen on the Waitemata, for there will bo at least five boats competing, each .boat representing a different engineering firm, which will certaintly odd great interest to the race.. It is understood that a local firm is importing a motor engine capable of doing 20" knots,' while several other firms aro building now launches capable of attaining very high speeds, and the meeting of the«=o different launches will bo looked ; forward to with groat interest. The committee aro working very hard to further the success of the regatta, and according to the collectors' reports they have the sympathy of the public, who are subscribing and helping to make this popular function a brilliant success. , .. ; ■■■/■•■ Lvxx,.