AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 218, 13 September 1924, Page 21

AQUATICS.

i (By "SPEEDWELL.") There were many calls last season for | he blue prints and plans of the small American hydroplane type of racing aunch known almost universally as the .largaret 111. Although only one or wo were actually built last year, we mderstand that four or five have now jeen built and will race during the •oming season. It is to be hoped that >ne or two local clubs outside the Power 3oat Association, will put a race for this dass on their fixture card. Of the new mats nearly all hail from the northern ihore. Whether it is that the daily trip icross the harbour at the 8 or 9 knot ;peed of the various ferry steamers engenders a desire in the youth of these .arts' to get a boat of their own with ;ome speed we do not know, but the fact 'emains that quite a number of small :ast boats have originated from the imateur builders of Devonport. including diss Devonport and Miss Xorthcote. This year the Margaret type of lfift boat ha; igain attracted several, and we learn ;hat R. Mouat has one built and is now .vaiting for her engine, a Pierce-Budd, ivhich exactly fits the 151 cubic inch .•apaeitv for which this class was originUly designed. T. Harrison, of Stanley Point, i? having another of this type built by Col. Wild. She is nearly ready for her power plant. J. Robertson, of Takapuna, is building another boat from the Margaret plans, which will be powered with a 100 h.p. X.O. Curtis airplane engine. C. Armiger, of Lake Road. Devonport. also has a hull well underway, but the power plant is not yet decided on. In addition to these four of the Margaret type, R. Maserield, Dt Clarence Street, Devonport, is building a 32ft by Bft V-bottom cruising launch from an American design, which will have a 30 h.p. engine. E. Patterson, of Jubilee Avenue, is at work on a 30ft cruiser, which should be finished by the early part of the season. Considerable interest is taken locally in the rig known variously' as Marconi, Leg-o'-mutton or Burmudian. This latter name is the correct one in the writer's opinion as the rig was used on the sailing boats used in the Bermudas for many years before it became popular with racing men in England. The merits of this rig for small boats are beyond any doubt, but the question arises as to 'what is the largest boat to carry it to best advantage. The following article from '"The Yachtsman" may throw some new light on the matter. "The fact that the 12-metre boat Vanity, after having been dismasted on the. Clyde, is to be fitted with a Bermudian sail, after adopting the gaff mainsail to begin with, is strong evilence in favour of the Bermudian rig for racing craft. Although the Bermudian mainsail has become universal with the smaller classes, considerable difference of opinion has existed up to the present as to whether it was more efficient than the gaff mainsail for the twelves. Mr. J. R. Payne's decision to adopt this Tic no doubt in close consultation with the designers. Messrs. W. and liJfß. F'fe. may be deemed to practically settle this point. "The arguments in favour of the Bermudian sail arc that there is less weight aloft; that the gear is much simpler; and that the sail sets in one continuous sweep instead of being broken up by the gaff. So far as the first named oi these advantages is concerned it is thi dead weight aloft which may give trouble. That is to say the weight is rigidly held by shrouds and stays and cannot give to the motion of the vesse' in a seaway, thus rutting an enormous strain on the standing gear. "With the gaff mainsail and a topsai! set on a pole mast, which is equK-alen l to a Bermudian mainsail, the mast if the only rigid member, although th« topsail yard gives very little. The gaff however, is free to move as recards it! outer end, hence only half of it can b( regarded as rigid; but even on this basi: the deadweight aloft would come oui less with the Bermudian rig. aithougl the appearance of the high mast 13 api to lead one to the opposite conclusion The saving in spars and gear is alrnos' obvious. The gaff, the topsail yard, ane the jackyard are eliminated, togethei with the peak and the topsail halliards the topsail sheet, and the topsail tack The Bermudian sail is very similar h form to the lug-sail, which has alwayi been considered a better driving sai than the gaff mainsail for small craft On this basis the Bermudian sail shouk be better for larger vessels than th< gaff mainsail so far as speed is con cerned. In the small craft the lugsai is more difficult to handle in a blow but this objection does not apply to thi Bermudian. Judging by the casualtie. on the Clyde, the risk of dismasting i: equal with either rig. Vanity, with i gaff mainsail, and Heira, with a Ber mudian rig, both having had the stic! blown out of them. Lastly, the Ber mudian sail should lead to considerabl saving in fitting out and in maintenanc over the gaff mainsail. Coming to th possible drawbacks, we have to conside the effect of the higher centre of effor Df the Bermudian sail compared wit that of the gaff mainsail, and the move ment of this centre forward mor rapidly when reefing. The effect of th higher centre of effort is to cause a boa to lie over to a greater angle and to pu her head down when running. Th greater movement of the centre of effoT forward when reefed, compared wit that for a gaff mainsail, either five lee helm or demands a bigger reductio in the headsail. These are the onl drawbacks so far as we can see fo racing craft, but when the Bermudia sail is considered for cruisers othe points arise. There is the possibility for instance, that the single halliard wi get foul aloft or carry away. Wit young and active paid hands such cor tingencies might not be of much const quence, but in the smaller craft, manne by amateurs, or with middle-aged pai hands, some difficulty may be exper: enced in getting to the top of the his mast to clear the halliard or reeve = new one. Again, if the halliard fouls, i might be impossible to get the sa down. In a sudden squall it is alwav possible to ease a vessel by lowering th peak of a gaff sail. It is" true that th Bermudian sail might be fitted wit roller reefing gear, but even so th vessel could not be eased so quickly." Mr. Chas. Sundstrum, owner of th 40ft cruising launch Xorana, wa3 electei commodore of the Otago Yacht an Motor Boat Club at the annual meetin on Thursday. Mr. Sundstrum was th recipient of many congratulations, in eluding wires from Messrs. A. Burt, J B, J9j__»tea mmj 9t___r ___c_fc__o4 friend!

The Lipton Cup, that very valuable j and artistic example of the British silversmith's workmanship, is no longer to blush unseen in the vault of its caretaker, but will be placed in the handsome cabinet in which the trophies of the I Royal X.Z. Yacht Squadron at present repose. The Alcarana Club, holder of the trophy, asked the Squadron to allow it to be shown there, and with the permission of the Ponsonby Club, to whom the cup really belongs, this request was I acceded to. This will be the second Lipton Cup to be placed in this cabinet. The cup sent out a few months back by Sir Thomas tn Mr. Kliot Davis is the other one. This is for competition in j the 14-foot Jcllicoe class. By the way, the collection of trophies now on view at the squadron rooms is well worth a visit. The annual meeting of the X.Z. Power Boat Association will be held in the j clubhouse on Wednesday at 7.:50 p.m. ! After the business meeting concludes, the annual prize-giving will take place, to be followed by a social and dance. —quite an extensive programme for one evening. At the last meeting of the Akarana Club mention was made by the comino- : dore and others of the risk of damage to the starter's launch, by competitors fouling her in their eagerness to get a {rood start. The opinion was expressed that this might be avoided to some extent by putting the starting line at an angle. In the case of south-westerly winds, for instance, the mark of the outer or lee end of the line might be laid up the harbour a little instead of square off the end of King's wharf. Another suggestion was that a floating spar buoy be used as the actual mark on the outer end of the line, the starter's launch being moored a length or so outside, but in a • line with this buoy. Perhaps the safest ■ course would be to use such a buoy on 1 the otiser end of the line, and for the launch with the officials to take up a , position fairly close in to the wharf. In nine cases out of ten, boats will keep :as far from the wharf as possible, and J this fact might help the matter. It is j little use to threaten the competitor j which hit the mark boat with disqualifi- ! cation, as the fault often lies with one lor more boats, several lengths away, who I fail to give the necessary water for the j nearer boats to round in. This is not j to say that the rule disqualifying a boat ; for fouling a mark should be waived, but the disqualifying of a boat or boats does not help to mend matters when damage has been done. The question j | wants looking at from several sides, and ! 'no doubt a solution will be found. , ' I i

j The Victoria Cruising Club elected all j sub-committees including handicapping sailing, finance and social at the first meeting held last Wednesday. The I much-vexed question of sealed handicaps in the launch events was discussed and it was finally decided to obtain the opinion of owners on the subject. It i was resolved to send a letter to Sir. J iB. Johnston, urging him to reconsidei hi 3 present decision not to seek re-elec-I tion as chairman of the Yacht and Motoi i Boat Association. A smoke social wil jbe held in the clubhouse next Tuesday I evening. I Professor R. J. Scott, of Christchurch I a very well-known yachtsman, and at ' authority on ali matters of yaolr I architecture, is on a visit to Auckland I Professor Scott, amongst other craft I owned the 5-rater Yvonne when sin | trance to Dunedin. It was caused b; ] hurdled the retaining wall at the en ' a heavy squall of wind which came v] : without warning early one mormn< ! when some six' or eight boats hai i gathered for the start of an ocean rac ! from the Heads to Timaru. Before sai \ could be got off Yvonne she was drivei : over the wall, being almost on her bean i ends ar the time, but the yacht suffere Ino serious damage. The Ponsonby Cruising Club will holi 'their twenty-fourth annual meeting i. the clubhouse, St. Mary's Bay on Thiir» j day evening. The report states tha the membership has increased from 29 to 49S during the past season. Eigh j days' racing was held, and £704 distr: i buted in prize-money, in addition t numerous cups and other trophies, value |at £4")0, the total being easily a elu : record, and only second to the Aucklan | Anniversary Regatta. Overtures hay j been made by the club to the Aucklan !Barbour board for a boat harbour at Si I Mary's Bay, but the board's decision ha "not yet been made. Additions to th | clubhouse are contemplated shortly, th I sum of £300 being in hand for tins objeci I All the social functions of the club hay ' been most successful, and have been th ■ i means of adding to the revenue in n ! small amount. "Regret is expressed tha i the rice-commodore (Mr. W. J. Reid> rear-commodore (Mr. W. Willetts), an. Hon. secretary (Mr. S. Dryland) will no j seek re-election. The balance-shee ! shows a credit balance of -1-SS, in audi i tion to the sum of £262 at tne credit o : the clubhouse fund. Altogether thi ' club is in a very prosperous condition i thanks to the good work or past a'-n present officers, and it is to be hopei that good men will again be placed n ' the positions of honour (and —inciden tally—.hard worl_k _ ■ - .

1 London Cry won the Goodwood Stakes in such ready style that he was being cheered to the echo long before the winning post was reached, and the King immediately hurried into the paddock to .vatch the good-looking son oi Call o' the Wild being unsaddled. London Cry found the going to h"s liking, and I »as always moving easily, Archibald riding a well-judged race on him. Making the loop London Cry was in the last half-dozen, but coming into sight a mile from home he began to move up, and below the distance he was lying third to Mizzen Mast and Boddam, ana he passed the last-named the moment ! Archibald called upon him for an j effort. ! With Mumtaz Mahal among the four I competitors for the King George Stakes iat Goodwood on July 30 (says an ! exchange), the race naturally engaged | much attention. It must be sad of . the Aga Khan's grey filly that she has I never looked quite s well" and s' c won, I thoii2h ail out, to defeat Equator, j Showing a.l her usual alacrity at the j gate, she soon drew out many lengths ; clear, but weakening ::i-ide the disi lance and hanging away to the left, ' she was only just clear of Equator as ! they passed the judge. One was glad !to see thi= charming filly again picking iup the w nning thread, bii: her performance proved my eontentoin that, ; though able to win ovi r six furlongs, ! five is her best dist?nce. i One of the greatest jockeys ever | astride a Imr-e was probably lost to j racing when Earl Sande. conceded to be the best or" present-day riders, was thrown from his mount in the first race here on August Ii says an American writer . His left leg was fractured both - above and below the knee, and experts 1 say Sande will never ride again. Jockey i Dawson, who was injured in the same spill, was later reported to be only . slightly hurt. C. Disbman nnd E. Gorman also fell, but escaped injury. Racegoers have long deplored the policy of . the Rancocas stable in allowing Sande Ito ride in races for two-year-olds, such as the one m which he was injured, as 1 they invariably produce much rough ; riding, owing to the fact that the | majority of the jockeys are inexperi- ; enced apprentices, and "to-day's accident occasioned no great surprise among the ; regulars. Sande became internationally famous last season when he rode Zev ito victory over Papyrus in the special international match race. He had previously made a record with a string of I brilliant victories, which were responj sible for his selection to ride in the big