YACHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 266, 9 November 1928, Page 15

YACHTING.

THE HARMSWORTH CUP.

MISS AMERICA VII. DOES 92.8 M.P.H,

THE COASTAL REGATTAS.

(By SPEEDWELL.)

The recent contest for the Harmsworth trophy, which carries with it the blue riband of the sea as far as speed on the water is concerned, was won by Miss America VII. Gar Woods' latest racing craft. The British challenger, Estelle, owned and skipped by Miss Betty Carstairs, sank in the first heat, and the American boats had it all their own way. The winner, Miss America VII. was built and tuned up in the record time of three weeks. Gar Wood intended racing with another boat, Miss America VI., but while on her trials she sank and with the race less than three weeks away, a new boat, longer and bigger than the older one, was built. America VII. was powered with two one thousand horsepower Packard motors, and in the actual race was not .extended, speed registering 59.3 miles per hour over the course of 30 nautical miles. In the first heat Miss Carstairs* Estelle got away first to a good start, but after the first mile she was passed by the two Americans. Estelle evidently struck the wash of some big boat and promptly sank, throwing Miss Carstairs and her mechanic so violently that they were both hurt. The second and final heat again proved a victory for Miss America VII, which registered the same speed. One of the American teams, Miss Los Angeles turned over at the same spot as the British boat.

A comparison of the two boats shows Miss America VII. to be 28ft long by 7ft 9in beam, two 12-cvlinder Packard motors are installed of 1000 h.p. each. Estelle 11. was 21ft overall, 6ft beam, driven by one Napier-Lion engine developing 800 h.p. She was built by Saunders, of Cowes. The race was the fourteenth held for the Harmsworth trophy, and, although Miss Carstairs was so unlucky, she again formally challenged for a race in 1929. World's Record Speed 92.8 m.p.h. The day following the Harmsworth trophy race Gar Wood determined to break the world's speed record of 80.5 miles per hour, established by himself in 1921. The trials were six dashes of one mile, the average being taken of the six. The runs were done as follows:— First, speed 91.9, second 93.7, third 92.3, fourth 93.2, fifth 92.1, sixth 93.5. The average for the six amounts to 92.838. Gar Wood thus made a new worlfl's record for speed on the water, beating his own world's record by over 12 miles. Next year he is confident of reaching 100 m.p.h. The annual meeting of subscribers and members of the Auckland Anniversary Regatta Committee will be held next Monday evening at 8 o'clock in the Navy League rooms, Customs Street West. Mr. W. P. Endean. who has very successfully filled the position of chairman df committee for the past two years, is retiring. Mr. N. L. Macky, vice-commodore of the Squadron, is nftmed for the position. Mr. E. B. Webster has been approached, but declines nomination. The coming year is sure to be a very hard one, as far as raising funds from the public is concerned, and it behoves all who have this timehonoured function at heart to attend the meeting and do all they can to help carry it through. Entry Night Next Thursday.

The opening of the season will take place on o.iturday week, as already arranged. Usually all entries close with the respective secretaries or at Messrs. J. Burns' office on the previous Wednesday at 5 p.m. As next Wednesday happens to be election night, most of the local clubs have decided to extend entries till Thursday at 5 o'clock. All clubs will take part in the opening day except Tamaki. This cub is not catering for classes above 18ft, and it has been decided, as the following Saturday was allotted to them, to concentrate on that date. There will be four fixtures in all, including the final day, and a fee of 10/ per boat has been fixed. This includes the crew's subscriptions and entry fees for the season. On Saturday, December 1, the Takapuna Boating Club has the day, and they will hold a race round Tiri "for all the bigger boats. The race will finish at Matiatia, and is sure to be a popular one. It is some years since our boats went round Tiri, although at one time it was a popular mark. The Akarana Club will hold the official opening of the new clubhouse on Wednesday, November 21. It will be in the form of a social and dance, a firstclass musical programme being provided by Jasper's Entertainers. Officers of sister clubs and other friends will be welcomed, the invitation list being a very lengthy one. The booklet published under the auspices of the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association will be definitely finished on Monday evening and delivered to the clubs on Tuesday. Applications should be made for copies to the secretaries of the affiliated clubs, as the issue is limited, and will not be reprinted for some years.

.Val, Mr. C. G. Macindoe's new Jellicoe 14-footer, will be launched from C. Wild's yard to-morrow afternoon at high water. She will be brousht over to Mechanics' Bay by Alex. Matthews and her crew at once, and a start made m trying her out in readiness for the cup trials.

Although Saturday week is opening day, there wiJJ be a few of our big keel yachts not in commission by that date. An effort is being made to launch as many as possible from W. G. Lowe's slipway this week-end, and with extra work on the part of the crew, no doubt the display if the big classes will be up to usual standard. The smaller classes will be there in force. THE RUSSELL REGATTA. GOLD CUP FOR OUTBOARD CHAMPIONSHIP. The Russell regatta will be held on Thursday, December 27, when the usual programme of events will be carried out. Outboard racing is to be the feature of the day, and eight events for these popular little speedsters are to be run. The big race is the outboard motor championship of New Zealand, B class, for which Mr. J. P. English has again presented a gold cup, valued at £21, which is won outright. The committee add £10 to the cup for first prize, second £4, third £2. The distance is five miles, and the race is ran from off the wharf, round a mark at the western end of the bay, six laps being necessary. The other events include an open championship, handicap events for B and C classes, challenge race, limited to one «ntry from each centre, the prize being a handsome shield presented by Messrs. A. J. Court and W. Mason-Bayly. A con-

solation race and one for yacht or launch dinghies complete the outboard programme. The classification of outboard motors is the same at Russell as on the Waitemata, i.e., A class, under 15 cubic inch piston displacement; B class, over 15 and under 20 cubic inch; C class, over JiO cubic inches. Only commercial motor spirit will be allowed, and there are no restrictions on the hull. In addition to the above races there will be handicap events for keel yachts, centreboard yachts, visiting and local launches. The Northern Steamship Co. will run a special excursion steamer to the regatta, leaving Auckland on Boxing niglit. Ocean Races to RnsselL The annual ocean races from Auckland to Russell for keel and centreboard boats will be held this year, starting on Saturday at 3 o'clock. It is definitely decided that the race for keel yachts will start on Saturday, but there is some doubt as to the centreboard boats. It is thought that some skippers and crews will not b» able to get the Monday off, in which case the race for centreboarders will start at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve. It would add to tihe interest of the race if all could start on the same day. The smaller boats often give their larger rivals a real good go for it, and a race i 3 always more interesting when a number of boats are in sight of each other. Owners of centreboard boats likely to compete, but who cannot get away on Monday are requested to notify Mr. J. C. Hewson, Royal N.Z. Yacht Squadron, of the date most suitable .to them, and the starting time will be arranged to suit. The Whangarei Regatta.

The Whangarei Regatta is to be hsld on New Year's Day off Onerahi, when the usual programme of sailing, rowing, motor boat and outboard events will be carried out under the auspices of the Whangarei Regatta Committee. In. connection with this regatta, the race for centreboard boats from Russell to Onerahi will again be held, starting and finishing off the respective wharves. The Tauranga Regatta.

The Tauranga Regatta Will be held again this year on the day after Boxing Day, December 27, when the usual big programme of 50 events 13 to be carried out. The ocean race from Auckland to The Mount, outside Tauranga harbour will also be sailed, the prize being the well-known Colin Norris Memorial Gold Cup. This event is solely for keel boats, but a cup has been presented for the certre board boats. As in the Russell race, the difficulty of the smaller boats being able to start on Saturday afternoon has to be met, and owners likely to race are invited to drop a line to Mr. J. C. Hewson as soon as possible. It is just possible that the Cornwell Cup contest will be* sailed at Tauranga, as many of the Tauranga enthusiasts are keen to have it held there. This would not clash in any way with the regatta. As there would be about a week of racing for the cup, the first and second heats might bj run on Regatta day, one about 11 a.m., and the second in the afternoon. This would allow the many thousands of people who arrive from all points of the compass, by rail, road and boat, for Tauranga's one big day, to see the class of boat used for the Cornwell Cup and the skill attained by their young skippers and crew. No doubt many would stay to see the contest finished. Tauranga residents are famed for their hospitality to visiting yachtsmen, and no better port could be selected from any point of view than Tauranga. It has plenty of accommodation for boats and crew, good sheltered water, and courses in full view of the public. No doubt the boys would be taken for a motor run to Rotorua and other sights nearer home, and given a really good time.

THE LATE J. L. R. BLOOMFIELD. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has sustained a big loss by the death on Wednesday of Mr. J. L. R. Bloomfield. For many years Mr. Bloomfield was one of our keenest yatchtsmen. His greatest opponent was the late Mr. Tom Henderson, who owned the Reta. Mr. Bloomfield owned the Arawa at that time, and these two boats sailed several challenge races. Then Mr. Boomfield placed an order with Chas. Bailey for the Viking, and she was built. Mr. Henderson then bought the yawl-rigged yacht Volunteer in Sydney, and had her sailed over from Sydney. The friendly rivalry between the two yachtsmen and their crews started again, Viking and Volunteer meeting at the Anniversary Day regattas and wherever possible, and they were always willing goes. Mr. Bloomfield was commodore of the "Boyals" for many years, and always took an active interest in the affairs of the clubs. Later he acquired Thelma for a few seasons, but finally retired from active participation in the snort, after a few years' experience with a motor boat. He has been a eenerous donor to the squadron's prize list every year, and was especially interested in the 14-foot-one-design class, nnd later the 18-foot restricted boats. The interment took place this afternoon, and was well attended br yachtsmen.

OUTBOARD CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. The challenge to race for a sum of £25 0 - E i<le made by Mr. Townsend, owner of Miss Tamaki. against Humbug, owned *<v Mr. L. Stericke l ". has been accepted by both parties and the stakes put up. It. will be necesspry to hoM a meeting of the interested parties to determine several makers, cnoh as time and nlace of the match. T l "* conditions call for a one-mile da°h. Th» official measured mile is fro"i Resolution bnov. off Parnell. to the Eastern end of wharf. This course is. favoured bv Mr. Townsend. but he does not insist on it. Mr. Stericker favours racin? on the Whau River course. Details no doubt will be mutually arranged with a little give and take on each side. There has been some discussion as to the actual horsenower of the respective engines. Humbug is driven by an Elto Quad of 39.2 inches piston displacement (D class motor). Miss Arawa is driven by an Evinrude Speeditwin of 29.2 cubic inch piston, displacement (C class). The match will create a lot of interest amongst outboard fans, and if it can be arranged for a harbour course it will be sure of a big gathering. The whole race will only take about lm 50s. (Good pay for the winner—£2s per minute). The Tamaki Club, which will be holding several outboard races on November 24, I has invited the two contestants to race there.