AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 95, 22 April 1922, Page 18

AQUATICS.

(By SPEEDWELL.)

The Easter holidays were not marked by very good weather, strong breezes and plenty of rain being in evidence on the first two days, Sunday being a little brighter, and Monday the best of all. A number of yachts and launches made for Kawau on Thursday evening, and spent the time between Bon Accord Harbour, Waiwera and Mahurangi Heads; others well content with Arkle's and Silverdale, while a few of the largest yachts got as far as the Barrier. Restless visited Kawau, going on to Waiheke Passage on Sunday, and Viking, Ilex, Rawene, Moana, Ladye Wilma, Waione, Little Jim and several launches went across the Gulf to Coromandel, and Te Kume, but Waiheke was easily the most popular resort, the regator held at Cowes Bay on Saturday barog

the chief attraction, nearly 100 boats of all sizes lying in this popular bay on Saturday, when the regatta was in full swing.

The Waiheke Regatta was originally held in Arran Bay about 25 years ago, the prime mover in the matter being Mt. Croll. There was only one event, a race for yachts of all sizes! There we~e over a dozen entries, including Ngaru, Ida, Rogue and Spray, the winner being Mr. Lind's new 2i-rater Daisy. The prize, two sheep, donated by Mr. Croll, were cooked "Kapa Maori" by some natives from the top end of the island, assisted by Mr. J. C. Webster. A liberal supply of schnapper, potatoes and kumaras, all cooked at the same time, were included in the banquet, which was shared by all alike. A dance followed in Mr. CrolPs ho'ise in tha southern end of the bay, those who could not squeeze inside being content with a view of the proceed>nes from the veran-. dah on the hillside adjacent. From this, small beginning the regatta, which was always held on New Tear's Day, developed into quite a popular fixture, dinghy events and other side-shows: being added, which drew visitors in great numbers!, as many as four steamers being necessary to convey the Auckland portion, while Thames and Coromandel sent their quota as well as all the settlers for miles around.- The yacht race was the chief attraction, however, and the best of our cracks competed. Like many" other events, its prestige gradually wnnel, and when it was removed from Cowes Bay, which became its headquarters when the wharf was built there, the fixture lapsed for ten or twelve years. A small but hard working committee of residents, with the assistance of a well-known Auckland enthusiast, determined to revive the regatta this year and consi Icrinjj the short notice and the unfavourable weather, they are to be congratulated on their success. The programme consisted of three sailing races, three launch races and the usual dinghy events. The entries for therfrrsfcratce include- Queenie, Speedwell, Maybelle, Celox, Waitere and Ma-ru. After a close race, Waitere won by 25 seconds from Speedwell, which was only 33 seconds ahead of Queenie, the first three boats finishing in 58 seconds in corrected time. The race foi boats under 22 feet brought out Marie, Valeric. Lovelurht, Whiapu, Welcome Jack, Ngaro, Ngaru and Lorna. Valeric did not start, but all the others did, the winner turning up in Lovelight, which beat Marie 'by 48 seconds on corrected time, with Lorna third, and the old-timer Welcome Jack a close fourth. The race for boats, IS feet and under, drew Scout, Colleen, Ventura, Sea Gnome and Sea Nymph. Secret, whose Marconi rig suited the squally weather conditions, sailed very well, and won easily. Colleen being second, and the 14-footer Sea Gnome third. It was hardly the weather for 14 footers, and the owners of Sea Gnome and Sea Nymph are to be congratulated on their pluck in going so far from home. There were several offers to tow these two boats home, but they both came back by themselves. The prizes in these events were £3, £2 and £1. The race for launches over nine knots proved a great go between Defender (ex Scripps III.) and Ngawari, a V-bottom 24-foot day boat, built by Collings and Bell this season. The other entries were:— Millie, Esme and Jeunesse. Defender, Esme and Ngawari got away on even terms, and sent the spray flying as they raced for the first mark off Ponui Head. Defender, with a large party on board, was doing about 14 knots, and finished three and a-half minutes ahead of her smaller rival, but the first prize went to Esme on time by the narrow margin of ten seconds from Ngawari, with Defender third, exactly one minute later. The event for boats under nine knots was won by Stella, which also annexed the first prize in the race for settlers' boats. The competitors for the men's dinghy race were so numerous that the event was pulled in three heats and a final, while all the other events were keenly contested. Some amusement was caused by a competitor in the boys' dinghy race, who lost an oar soon after the start. He promptly dived in after it, swam back, to his dinghy, scrambled in and set off after the others, only just failing to get placed. As usual the settler's pair oar was a good tussle, which was accentuated by a series of fouls, which were unavoidable in the crowded bay, each competitor Ibeing more or less hampered in this Tespect. A concert and dance was held in the pavilion in the evening, when the prizes were duly handed over by Mr. Wilkinson, who thanked the competitors for supporting the regatta in a practical way by racing their boats, also the many friends tvho had subscribed to the prize fund, and assured them that the regatta would now be an annual event, an announcement which was Teceivcd with applause. As some doubt existed in the minds of the committee as to which was the most suitable day, New Year's Day or Easter Saturday, a vote was taken to decide it, resulting in an overwhelming majority for Easter.

The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron held a race for 14-foot onedesign boats last Saturday morning, when Iron Duke, Joan. _Syria and Rangi competed. There was a fresh breeze from the south, and a very close race ensued between Iron Duke, Rangi and Joan. Iron Duke, with Lord Jellicoe at the tiller, took the lead soon after the start, and rounded the Ice mark with a lead of 15 seconds from Rangi, 19 seconds from Joan and 1 minute 37 seconds from Nyria. On the beat back to King's wharf Nyria capsized off Orakei, but the other three made a very close race. Rangi managed to weather Iron Duke on the first board, Joan also getting past her off Orakei. although only a few lengths separated either of them. The race was called off on completion of one round, the finishing times being:—Rangi, llh 3m 15s; Joan, llh 3m 17«: Iron Duke, llh 3m 255, a matter of 10 seconds covering the three boats. The winner was sailed by her builder, C. Wild It is expected his Excellency will again be at the tiller of his boat in the North Shore and Victoria Club's race? this afternoon.

A correspondent asks if ws „now what conditions govern the race for the America Cup as far as towing is concerned? He is of the opinion that the British boats are towed -cross to New York, while a friend holds they cannot he towed at all. In a way they are both incorrect. The conditions as first laid down did not allow for towing, and the old-time schooners and cutters made the passage across the Western Oce-tn under their own canvas without a thought of a tow. When, however, the modern racing cutter came on the scene, the question of towing was brought forward by the Britishers, and after much controversy it was agreed that challengers could be towed in calms only. •For this purpose the steam yacht Erin always accompanied the Shamrocks, and whenever the wind died away she passed a two rope aboard and kept her going until the breeze made again. Shamrock IV. was slowly making her way towards ■New York on August 4, 1914, being in the vicinity of the Bermudas, when the news of the declaration of war was flashed to those on board the Erin, which at once towed Shamrock to Bermuda, and afterwards on to New York, where she was hauled out and stowed away till the end of the war. Nobody quibbled over this matter, but under ordinary conditions, the deed of gift only allows a challenger to be towed during a calm.

After returning to town on Monday evening, Thelma left again on Tuesday for the remainder of the week, Man-c'-War Bay being her headquarters. Waiapu, Queenie and Maude T. wore at Cowes Bay all this week. Winsome was also away all this week, Arran Bay being her anchorage. Pirate 11. cruiseto Coromandel and Kawau, returning to Thames on Tuesday. The keeler Cooee is again in commission as a yacht after a spell of over fifteen years at fishing. A good go took place on Monday In the WlaLhdke Passage between Hex, Restless and Moana. There was a hard sou-wester blowing, and the spray was flying as the three stood out from Cowes towards Ponui. Moana was sailing very well, and beat the two yawls up to the Sisters in the lumpy water. Waiheke was easily the most popular irc3ort during the Easter holidays. This wa3 partly due to the attraction of the regatta at Cowes Bay, and to some extent due to the threatening look of the weather on Thursday night and Friday morning, which deterred many from going further afield, but it must be admitted that this -'sland, some 30 odd miles around, with bays every halfmile in parts, and never more than a few miles from a safe anchorage, has a charm of its own which is being recognised by yachtsman and week-endors generally. From Ostend, down pwst Awaroa. and the many fine bays in "the passage" right round to Hook's, there were small groups of yachts and launches lying at anchor during the whole of the holidays, and it will be only a question of time whe„ the foreshore of each bay will te bjilt on, giving healthy recreation to many thousands of city dwellers who recognise the men'? of this very accsssible resort.