AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 76, 29 March 1924, Page 21

AQUATICS.

(By SPEEDWELL.!

Last Saturday was an off-day on the. water, the first this season, the only

fixture being the Power [Hoafc Association's race to Kawau. The date had been jointly allotted to Hie Devonport Club, but having so recently held a big gala the committee, decided to drop this date. Thorn was a poor muster in the jiower boat race in spite of fair entries, only six boats starting and four finishing. Miss Alberta won by over an hour from Tarua, which had a little- trouble on the way down, while Kdwina and Grace Darling were an hour and forty minutes behind tlio winner. Miss Alberta was formerly known as Cavalier, her name lxun;x changed when Mr. Peter Smith bought 'her. Sho lias already won five moos from scratch this season. A number of yachts ana launches visited Kawau for tho week[end, and a very enjoyable dance, was held in the Mansion iloiise. on Saturday evening. On this occasion the lack of interest taken in the race by members of the >*.Z.I\H,A. was largely due to tho counter-attraction of the motor car races at Muriwai. Yet this U not altogether the cause.. Tiki', club has matters in connection w:ili motor bout racing almost entirely in its own hands, and, to say tlic least of it, i!m fact ot only lour boats completing the course in a cruising race oiiow* there must be something lacking. Tim event was not

advertked in the daily Press, but circulars were sent to all likely entrants by the honorary secretary, who also acts as handicapper, and his efforts in both capacities are never wanting. That purely speed boat racing does not appeal strongly to owners in Auckland is lather patent after past experience, although the time will come when it will. One would think that a cruising race tt> the most attractive and bestshelterjed resort in the Hauraki Gulf, with it social gathering in the evening, would have brought out at least twenty competitors. It is net very long since aioro than this number of launches started and finished in a race to Kawau. The entries in the Akaraua Club's launcli race only a few weeks before were cquaJßy poor, so the indifference is not eonliiied to any one club. The cause of the -unpopularity of motor boat racing is 'hard to define, but it should be found and Teinedied if possible.

TJbe Ponsonby Cruising Club hold a series of races this afternoon, the principal one being the annual race for the Lipton Cup. This is a challenge race for 22-footers, each entry 'being the note iuee of one of the local clubs. The boats which have been nominated by the various elube arc as follows: — Ponsonby Club, Forest Gold; Akarana Cltfb, ilarie (holder of Cup); Victoria Club, Valeria; De'vonport Club, Vartuna; Takapuna Club, .TCflJtf; Point

Chevalier Club, Mowai; Manukau Club, Doreen. The annual race for the Heweon Memorial Cup, open to 14-foot onedesign boats with junior crews, will also bo sailed this afternoon. The events will start and finish off We. Mary's Bay, the launch Fleetwing being the flagship.

Mr. Percy Carter, of Tauranga, lias been away cruising on the Northern Coast for the past two weeks in his launch Helen C. The party have visited all ports as far as Whangaroa, and after spending the week-end in Auckland, they left for home on Monday. Exceptionally fine weather and light sea breezes were met with throughout the trip, which was a most enjoyable one.

The racing season is drawing to a close, and has already finished in Wellington with last Saturday's races of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, when Ailsa won the final handicap for first-class yachts, Windward, the race for the second-class, and Oeisha the centre-board event. A "Joy Night" was held at the boat harbour last Saturday evening, organised in aid of the Sanders Cup'fund. Conditions were ideal for dancing, and the scene was gay with flags and lanterns. Sincera regret is felt in yachting and motor boating circles in Wellington and elsewhere at the loss of the launch Josephine. Josephine, which was the property of Mr, S. T. Silver, was dashed to pieces on 1 he rocks off Karaka Buy in Ihe recent gale. Josephine was 3(lft long, and averaged a speed of ten knots. Mr. Silver is a very popular member of boating circles, both among launchmen nnd yachtsmen. He generously placed his craft at the disposal of the Wellington Yacht and Motor Boat Association at the time of the Sanders Cup contest. She was used as an officials', Press, and starter's boat.

It. was under her stern that the muchdebated Rona-June fouling incident occurred. Josephine was built in Dunedin, being then known as Atalanta, l.inlt and Dwred by Mr. J. rjiHaii-1.-rs.

The Coromandel Regatta Committee J has approved of "Speedwell's" suggestion that a yacht race might be held from Auckland to Coromandel, starting # off the King's wharf at 6 p.m. on Easter I Thursday. We have been asked to I make the necessary arrangements, and the committee have guaranteed the ; prizes and will attend to the timing at j their end. Owners who will enter for i this event are requested to drop a line jto this office, and also say if (5 p. 711. ■or a later hour would be the most suitable time. It will be full moon and the 136-mile go should be taken in a real j eporting spirit.

I The remaining fixtures for tins season arc as follows:—llareh 29, Ponsonby Cruising Club; April 5, Akarana ', Yacht Club, general handicap for keel I yachts, championships for 26, 22, 20, [18, 10 and 14-foot classes, special race i for Captain Tom Ryan's trophy for the j IG-foot one-design class, also" launch 'race; April 12, final combined cruising irace for all clubs, with harbour races

! for the small classes; April 19 is Easter i Saturday, when a regatta is to be held

;at Tawhiti Bay, Coromandel; April 26, ', Victoria Cruising Club, general handi- ! cap for the V class for the McKnight ;cun. ..._. ..- -^