AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 246, 23 October 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

AQUATICS.

Bailey Bros, are rigging Mr Fitter's new 30-footer yacht, which was to be launched to-day. Her sails, which were ordered from Lapthorne, the celebrated English maker, arrived from London this week. The new craft will probably be called the Meteor.

The new 30-footer yacht Kotin, built for Mr Dufaur, was launched from Logan Bros.' slip this week and is now being fitted up for the season's sailing. At Ponsonby Mr Bach's yacht Isfrael has been put into the water for the season and is being placed in thorough order for the summer's sailing. The old favourite, Manola, is being put in excellent order for the season and may be expected to show some of the newer yachts the way around. Mr Bluck's new auxiliary gasoline yacht was launched from Logan Bros.' yard during the week. She presents a very shapely appearance in ! the water, and looks an ideal pleasure boat for those who prefer the somewhat prosaic certainty of the screw. She has been named the 'Norseman,' and is being rigged as a yawl, with 'leg-of-mutton' mizzen. It is doubtful whether Mr Henderson will fit out the Volunteer this season. The Rita will again be in commission. The Zinita is being fitted out for the season by Mr C. P. Murdoch and his sons, and has been supplied with a new mast.

Messrs Jagger Bros.' new 40-footer yacht Thelma is having the finishing touches put to her hull and internal fittings in Logan Bros.' yard, and will be supplied with her spars and launched shortly. Mr Wiseman's yacht Matangi is to cruise this season as usual, and the necessary preparatory work wilL be carried out on her shortly. The vigorous policy pursued by the management of the West End Rowing Club is to be continued during the coming season, judging by the start that this popular club has made already this season. The committee have ordered the third ami fourth clinker gigs from Melbourne, to arrive here in November. It has also been decided by the executive of the club that the first round of trial fours .should be held on Saturday next, October 30th, and the second and final rounds on the following Saturday, November G. Invitations for the latter date will be issued during the coining week to supporters and friends of the club. The committee expect to send two crews for most of the gig races at the forthcoming Ponsonby Regatta. The boat ordered during the winter arrived by the Waihora last Sunday. An order for two handsome pleasure boats for the use of honorary officers and members will be placed in a few days, and the whole of the plant is in first-class order in anticipation of the comingseason, which in aquatic circles promises to be an unusually busy one.

A new one-rater yacht built by Mr James Sinclair to the order of Mr Perkins, of Christehureh, was launched at Lyttelton on October 5. The little craft is intended for the estuary, and is an addition to the fleet of the Christchurch Sailing Club. She is similar to the Waterwitch.a craft that has made a name for herself owing to her sailing qualities. Her length is 2Gft llin over-all, or 18ft on the water line, with a beam of Bft and draught of Ci.:; she is sft deep and is provided with a dagger-shaped centre plate weighing ISOlbs. She spreads 280 square feet of canvas, and is rigged with a boom and gaff. The little craft will certainly have a big turn of speed and is the ideal type of boat for the light wf'crs of the estuary.

At a meeting of the committee of the Union Rowing Club, Christchurch, held lately, the circular from the Otago Rowing Association as to holding {he next New Zealand championship there was discussed, and the following motion was unanimously carried:—'That in view of the celebration of the jubilee of Otago taking place next year, this club supports the holding of the New Zealand championships in that province, and recommends that the regatta be held on Lake Waihola.'