YACHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 260, 2 November 1928, Page 13

YACHTING.

RACING SEASON APPROACHES

ARRANGEMENTS FOR OPENING DAY.

CHEW AND BALLAST RESTRICTIONS

THE AMERICA CUP CONTESTS.

(By SPEEDWELL.)

In a few weeks, two only to be exact, Vβ shall see the start of the 1928-29 ;aiing season, after which, each Saturday, it will be racing, racing everywhere! The fine weather experienced over the last week-end, enabled many owners to put the final coat on, and a number of boats were put afloat. The great majority have not been so fortunate, and they will have to hasten their outfitting to be ready ia time for opening dav.

Tlie question, which was debated at the last meeting of the Yacht and Motor Boat Association, whether the association should take over from the clubs the vliole responsibility for the various races held on opening day by accepting entries in cadi class and providing the necessary prizes, haa not been decided. It was thought to be such a radical departure from former procedure that the matter lias been referred to the clubs for an expression of opinion. From what can be gathered, the majority favour a trial of this system for the closing day only, mid as there is hardly time now to arrange the necessary details in connection with the proposal, it is reasonably •uiro that opening day will be carried cut on the usual lines, where each club takes entries from its own boats, draws tip handicaps, and provides the prizes. The arrangements made at the last meeting of the association for the opening are as follows:— Classes A and B.—Course from starting line between end of King's wharf and mark boat moored north, thence round outside of Rangitoto and Motutapu, finishing between launch Linda and mark in Islington Buy, and observing Sandspit, Bean Rock, and red buoy off Narrow Neck as fairway marks. All other fairway marks are to be disregarded. Classes C, E, H, I, L, and N«—Coarse from starting line between end of King's wharf and mark moored north, thence round Duder Spit mark on star* board hand, to finishing line in Islington Bay, observing Sandspit, Bean Rock, luminous buoy 3 (both going out and coming in) and Beacon off Rangitoto, near Islington Bay as fairway marks. Course for Launches.—From starting line between end of King's wharf and mark moored north, thence direct to Islington Bay, finishing between launch Linda and mark, and observing Sandepit, Bean Rock and beacon off Rangitoto, sear Islington Bay, as fairway marks. Course for Classes M, V, S, T, X, Y, and Star.—From starting line between end of King's v/harf and mark moored north, thence round Sandspit Beacon,, thence round Resolution buoy, thence round outer mark of starting line, twiceround, finishing across starting line and rounding all marks on starboard. A white flag signifies course as above, a black flag denotes course to be sailed in opposite direction, keeping all marks on port hand.

Course for Class Z.—Same as class M. once round only.

Starting times for the opening day are as follows:—A and B, 2.30 p.m.; C and E, 2.38 p.m.; H and I, 2.46 p.m.; L and N, 2.54 p.m.; launches, 3.2 p.m.; M, 3.10 p.m.; V and Star, 3.18 p.m.; S, 3.2H p.m.; T, X and Y, 3.34 p.m.; Z, 3.42 p.m. All races will be started by five flags or shapes, displayed from the tower on the King's wharf. Ballast and Crew Seitrictions.

Owners of centre-board "boats taking part in the opening day races are reminded that they are liable to be inspected at the conclusion of the race. The minimum amount of ballast to be carried under the association's rules is a3 follows:—Class H (26-footers), 35cwt; class I (24-footers), 30cwt; class if (22-footers), 20cwt; and class N (20footers), Isewt. Ballast is defined as solid matter permanently stowed below the flooring. No 14-footer of any class may carry any ballast. Another matter which is enforced, but not so generallj*known, is the maximum and minimum number of crew allowed. The following crew restrictions apply In all harbour races held under the auspices of the association or by any affiliated club. Where combined general handicap races are held each class must comply with the crew restrictions of that class:—Keel yachts, crew unlimited; classes H and I, 5 maximum, 4 minimum; L and N, 5 maximum, 4 minimum; M, V. and S, 5 maximum, 3 minimum; Star, 3 maximum, £ minimum; T, X, Y, 4 maximum, 3 minimum. Not leee than 21 stone, but if there is any shortage of weight it must be made good by wood ballast.

Size of Distinguishing Number*. Another matter in which some racing ekippers are lax is the carrying of their racing numbers. The rules provide that tach boat must carry her class letter and duly registered* number. This can be obtained by the secretary of the club to which a boat belongs, who in turn gets it from the secretary of the association. The fee for registration or relegistration is 2/6. The size, both of the daHs letter and registered number for 14-footers is 12 inches high; over 14ft and under 20ft, 18 inches high; over 20ft, 24 inches high. The letters are plain black on white ground, and for 14-footers numbers are t« be affixed 3ft from end of gaff and 3ft below gaff. The figures are to be 2ft below the class letter. In the case of launches the numbers may be light on a dark background. Another sign that the racing season is anproaching is the announcement that the Tnmial meeting of the Anniversary Regatta Committee will be held on Monday, November 12, in «»•*•** League rooms. It is to be hoped that this time-honoured regatta will meet with the support it deserves from Dow the public and boating men. A 200-Mile Outtoard Race.

A 200-mile race for outboard motor boats is the latest teet to which thi* popular class of email speedster has been put. The race wae held on the Mississippi River, from **»"■»ft™'S river to St. Louis, 202 miles. T*6 Winner, with an Elto Quad, made the good average of 32.727 miles per hour for the whole* distance. Forty-seven boats •Urted, but only half finished, owing to driftwood and other obstructions.

The America Cup. A few weeks back a correspondent asked if the races for the America Cup were handicap events. "Speedwell," in reply, stated that in the ordinary way they were not handicap races, but that provision was made in the conditions governing the races for a time allowance for difference in rating length between challenger and defender. It was also stated that generally the boats were so nearly alike in their measurements on which the rating length was based that little or no time allowance wasnecessary in the past few contests. With a better memory of the actual events, Mr. Arch. Buchanan, the wellknown owner o£ Rainbow, and an authority second to none on the question of the America Cup contests and racing generally, whose views on handicap racing are most emphatic, has sent the following interesting letter correcting and enlarging on the reply to the point m question. Mr. Buchanan writes:—

# Speedwell' is of course correct in informing your correspondent that the America Cup races are not handicap races. No, there is tio kindly handicapper to give a slow boat a friendly lift!

"There is no limit to the tonnage or rating of the challenging yacht except chat she must nipt exceed the length on L.W.L. stated in the challenge, which in •riy case must not be less than 65ft nor more than 90ft for cutters. There are therefore no direct restrictions on beam, depth, form, or sail area. The yachts, however, are measured under the American rule, and the yacht of greater «ze or rating length has to give time Allowance on a time scale. The effect of the rule is to make a designer think twice before designing a yacht of excessive draft or undue quarter beam length, or unduly small displacement in relation to length of, L.W.L.

"In the last race, although the length en L.W.L. of the yachts was the same, viz., 75ft, still Shamrock IV.'e size or rating exceeded her rival's, brought about by her much larger sail area and extreme quarter beam length, and she had, under the time scale, to concede a little over 7m on the 30mile course. Mr. Nicholson endeavoured to beat the American rule, and failed. Resolute was a yacht of normal type without any extreme features. Shamrock IV-. was a very extreme type. The American rule, like the Y.R.A. rule, discourages extreme types of yachts." On reference to past records of the contests for the America Cup, "Speedwell" finds that in the race between Shamrock I. and Columbia, Shamrock received only 6s on the 30-mile course from Columbia. In the next contest Shamrock 11. conceded 43s on the course to Columbia. Shamrock 111. received lm 57s on the total course from Reliance.

The quarter beam length referred to by Mr. Buchanan is measured at a distance equal to one-tenth the beam of the yacht above the load water plane. From the latest English files we learn that Sir Thomas has definitely decided to again challenge for the famous cup, and has named September, 1930, as the date for the contest, as it is impossible, to get a contestant worthy of his foe built earlier.

HEVr RONA BOAT CHRISTENED "VAL." The new 14-foot Jellicoe class boat which Colin Wild has just completed for Mr. C. G. Macindoe will be christened "Val." She will be launched on Saturday week and will be put into commission at once by Alex. Matthews and his crew. Both Val and Rona will be sailed hard to get everything into shape They will compete on opening day and in all club events up to Christmas. . ■

OUTBOARD CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. The challenge issued in our columns last Friday by Mr. A. R. Townsend, owner of the outboard Miss Arawa to race Mr. L. Stericker'e Humbug for £2o aside, has been accepted by All*. Stericker under certain conditions.

NEW 20 KNOT CRUISER.

In thie column is a view of Mr. Harry E. Chamberlin'e 32-foot by Bft 6in, launch Ponui doing over 20 knots. She was built by the Lane Motor Boat Co., and is powered with a 200 b.p. Scrippe.