AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 7, 9 January 1926, Page 25

AQUATICS.

-(By SPEEDWELL.) The week between Christmas and New Year might well be termed "Regatta Week." seeing that in the six days of this period no less than four regattas were held. Commencing with Tauranga Regatta on Monday, Russell Regatta followed on Wednesday, and Whangarei and Cowes Bay Regattas on Friday, the Onetangi fixture on Saturday did not eventuate. The three big fixtures were very well patronised, especially Tauranga and Russell. Both were "favoured with glorious weather, very suitable for sailing and the many sideshows, and no. really too rough for the rowing events, of which there was a full programme. Whangarei had the hard luck to strike a very hard sou-wester, which blew so hard that only half the entrants in the smaller events and many of the launch races came to the starting line, while the rowing events were quite out of the question, and had to be reluctantly cancelled. This was unfortunate for the rowing clubs, as a larger number than usual made the round trip of the three fixtures, but it was taken in good part by all concerned. The sailing and launch events at Onerahi brought out the hardiest crews, and. with the exception of two or three boats, every one completed the course without serious mishap.

Tauranga was especially favoured with ideal weather, both for the ocean race and the regatta, and, judging by the record attendance and gate receipts, this fixture is becoming more popular each year, especially with the residents down the coast and inland, visitors coming from as far as Thames and Hamilton. The win of Yanitie in the ocean race was deservedly popular, and the generous-sized gold miniature should be a \"alued trophy of the race. TVairiki also well deserved her second prize. Yanitie was lucky enough to win the principal event on Regatta Day also, sailing a great race with Queenie. It is a pity more of this ela.-s (Tasmaniaii one-design class) of boat has not been built, as. they are big beamy boats for their overall length (33ft I and quite able to hold their own as cruisers or racers. The innovation of sending £ story of the progress of the race by aid of pigeons was fully appreciated by the sporting residents of Tauranga. and saved a lot of waiting at the finishing line by the official timekeepers. Yachtsmen were pleased to see Colin Norris able to put in an appearance for a few hours on Regatta Day, and all hope he will scon be completely recovered. The "ft class captivated the crews of the visiting yachts^ , and if time had permitted a series' cif sweepstake races was to have been. heEl, but owing to the wind dying away about 6" o'clock only one eventuated. The big round of entertainment planned for the visitors was carried out and thoroughly enjoyed, even the ride to Rotorua, where those on the back seats of the cars hit the roof pretty often. The majority of the boats, except Wairiki, left a day or two after the regatta and made north towards Mercury Bay, and so home. Early on regatta morning at 'Russell there was a fog bank over the Bay of Islands right down to Cape Brett, but about nine"Velock it cleared cff and the day was perfect except that the best sailing breeze set in during the afternoon after the yachts had finished. The wind was north-erly, and just right for the small events, but a few of the rowing boats swamped while waiting at the starting line for tardy crews. There was a splendid race in the keel yacht class between Prize and Little Jim. This old stager bung on well to Prize on the first round, especially on the wind, and on the second round she lost nothing to Prize, winning easily. The handicaps of the smaller boats were not on a liberal scale, but the wind was a bit fluky. There wfcs- another good go in the "centre-board class between the tivo crack twenty-six footers, Waitere

and Starlight, the latter winning by just over a minute. Wairere, the twentyfooter from Stanley Bay, deserves great credit for her performance, not onW in the race from Auckland to Russell, but on regatta day and in the race from Russell to Onerahi. The race for the championship of New Zealand for outboard motors, as it is styled, really was worth going to see. A field of five entered, all specially built for the event, including one boat from Auckland. Last year's method of trying to line the boats up at the start was improved on to the extent of starting the boats from a barge where each boat, with engine running at top, was held in position by one of her crew on the barge, who at the starting signal cast off. The five boats simply shot away absolutely level by this method, one excited owner on the barg%. in his endeavour to' throw the stern line aboard to avoid dragging it. threw himself into the water, but he succeeded in putting the line aboard. The skippers of these craft sit a little for'ard of amidships and steer with long tiller lines. The boats get up a surprising rate of specd —eight and nine miles per hour is claimed for some, of them. They can do about seven and perhaps more. A Russell-built boat named Baby Elto won, leading all the way. A race for this class has been added to the Auckland Anniversary Regatta programme. and we are assured that several Russell boats will participate. The bay of Russell on regatta morning looked perfect. The picture presented by the semi-circular bay with its deep water everywhere, over 60 craft lying at anchor and a dozen or more launches constantly running up to the four landing places, dropping their passengers and speeding off again to Opua, Paihia, Waitangi, or one of the many bays for another party, gave life to the scene. The two bold hills, one to each end of the bay. made a fine background for the level" Strand and wharf, both alive with pretty girls in their smartest summer frocks. A liberal sprinkling of white-costumed yachtsmen and many Maoris in gay attire, flanked by the ever-sparkling blue waters of "the Bay," presented the gayest sight to be seen anywhere in New Zealand, and it is no wonder that the Bay of Islands is becoming familiar to sporting men throughout the world. One of the leading launch, owners informed Speedwell that all the local launches and accommodation are well booked up by visitors from all parts, Americans predominating. A party consisting of Zane Grey, Peter B. Kyne and two others will arrive next month for the sword-fishing. A new launch has just been finished which is the last word in comfort for swordfisher-men. She has a wide cockpit fitted with two swivel chairs, a tank to keep the kahawai alive, which form the chief bait for "swordies," and other conveniences. The race for centreboard boats from Russell to Onerahi attracted the usual sporting owners in this class. It was timed to start at 5 o'clock on the evening the Russell Regatta, but as the crews naturally wished to attend the social function provided for their benefit that evening, the starter offered *to start them at midnight. This suited all hands, and five minutes to the -witching hour the starter's gun, on the s£ern of s.s. Ngatiawa, awoke the echoes of this historic spot and Waitere, Starlight, Xgaru, Valeria and Wairere formed into a perfect line, the minutes being called in stentorian tones as they elapsed. These five boats got away at gunfire within two lengths to a perfect start on their 80-mile sail down the coast. The handicaps were on a. fairly liberal scale, but, being the handicapper" "Speedwell" should not comment on them. The facts are that Waitere and. Starlight, on scratch, were giving- Ngani and Wairere, on the limit. 80 minutes' start, and on corrected time Ngaru won, after 26 hours' sailing, by the margin of 4 minutes 5 seconds, while less than 13 minutes separated the first three boats on corrected time. Valeric and Wairere would also have been close up but for finding the bank in the early, morning near Whangarei Heads. A fairly close estimate of their time of finishing was midnight on Xew Year's Eve, and the writer had the pleasure of greeting the Xew year from Mr. Pickmere's launch Winsome, off Onerahi wharf, while waiting for the boats to arrive. Shortly before 3 a.m. Waitere arrived in a flurry of wind and rain, a forecast of the next day. Starlight following 8 minutes 40 seconds behind, with Xgaru 7oJ minutes behind Waitere, Valeric and Wairere finishing , later. As already mentioned, there was half a gale blowing at Whangarei on regatta day, which interfered with half the events and cut down the attendance to a certain extent, though not so much as if rain had set in early. Rowing suffered most, as the direction and force of the wind prevented a smooth course being obtained anywhere within reasonable distance of the wharf. All the sailing events were got off without accident, except the seven-footers. The yachts had 'a hard punch back from the Eva buoy, off Parua Bay, Waitere and Starlight fighting every inch of the journey, the honours again falling to Starlight. An incident which took place at the start of this race is worthy of recall, "as it shows the sporting -spirit of the skippers of this class. Between the time of putting up the five flags and the fall of the second or third, while waiting "for the last fiasr to fall, the skipper of Waitere decided to put in an extra reef and ran behind Portland Wand for shelter while doing the job. This took some time to effect, and the starting gun went while she was still unprepared. Although the starter had no power to hold the othere back, if he had wished to. the skippers of ~Sga.ru and Starlight declined to cross the line without Waitere. which finally came across and the trio started fairly evenly. The launch owners of Whangarei are to be commended tor their generosity m the matter of giving a tow to visiting vaehts back to the town whan after tue regatta, hardly one of the bigger launches leflvinz without one or more sailing craft astern. The improvements made in the pa=t twelve months m markins the upper reaches of the harbour, the widening of tho river abreast of the town wharf, building of jetties and other convenience? for the yachts and launches of the Whangarei Cruising Club are splendid, and one who has been from this portion of the harbour for » year or two can scarcely credit the irreat strides made here.