YACHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 134, 8 June 1929, Page 17

YACHTING.

GOOD FEELING BETWEEN CLUBS. CORNWALL CUP DISPUTE. AMICABLE SETTLEMENT ACHIEVED DEVELOPMENT OF OUTBOARD ENGINES. (By SPEEDWELL.)

An outstanding feature of the pastime of yachting in Auckland is the excellent feeling of goodwill existing between each and every one of the clubs catering for the sport. This has been referred to several times at various club functions by speakers who can remember when matters were very different. Then, the clashing of fixtures was only too frequent, and caused considerable feeling. >row, thanks to the good work of the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association, dates are all arranged before the season commences, and while double and treble banking of fixtures is "necessary at times, they are allotted to avoid clubs which hold 'races for the same class claiming the same day. One way in which this is accomplished is by holding combined events. This was tried out Inst season and was quite a success. One has only to visit the many prize nights or other club functions to verify the statement that the best of feelings now exists between all clubs. The sport benefits all round by such harmony, and the interchange of'visits by Manukau, and Auckland yachtsmen had also helped. By the way, the revival of this annual outing would be w'elcome. Only the Ponsonby Club has carried on this interchange of visits, and the time appears right'to make it a representative one. CORNWELL CUP DISPUTE. Unfortunately the good feeling existing here and at most of the Southern centres has been strained in Dunedin, where a dispute arose over the right of a club to challenge for the Cornwell Cup outside of the local association.' No little feeling was imparted to the dispute, which arose out of the decision to re&ail one of the heats of the Cornwell Cup, raced in Auckland last year. It will be remembered that the Auckland boat was run into by the third boat and her shroud damaged so that the Auckland crew retired ,leaving Otago to win. A resail was ordered between the Otago and Auckland crews, and Auckland won, eventually winning the cup. The Otago Association held that Rule 3 was not intended to refer to breaches of sailing rules, and as it was -the Otago crew's third "win they were entitled to the cup. A lot Of feeling was aroused, but the cup committee were unanimous in their decision to resail, holding they should interpret Rule 3 to mean "any kind of interference," and that it was a special rule inserted in the conditions to meet special cases. The Otago Association decided to take no part in the Cornwell Cup contest for 1929. One of the Dunedin clubs, the ISTorthEast Harbour, dieagreed with the attitude of the association, and, after applying for and being refused the consent of the association to challenge, sent a challenge direct to the Takapuna Club. This was accepted, with the proviso .that all the other competing centres should agree to it. This they did. and the crew took part in the contest sailed-' at Lyttelton last January, when the Au'ckland crew won. This action on the part of the North. East Harbour Club decided the association to expel the club, and this was done. The executive of the expelled club did not take the decision lying down, and got legal advice from Mr. A. Hanlon, a well-known Dunedin solicitor and a former president of the association. His advice was that no power to expel a club existed in the rules. The next'move of the association was to 'revise' tHeir rules to-give power to expel. ,The expulsion ' was • unpopular with a large section of the public in Dunedin, and after protracted discussion and much correspondence in the Press a meeting was held last week, and a deputation of the N.E.H. Club was invited to attend. This very sensible move on the part of the association had a satisfactory conclusion, resulting in a complete settlement of the'dispute and the re-entry of the N.E.H. Club into the association.

The basis of the settlement is contained in the following resolution, which was carried unanimously: "That this conference, composed of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association and the committee of the North East Harbour Boating Club, regrets the circumstances which led to a breach between the two bodies through, the club's action in challenging for the last Cornwell Cup contest, and, as the association by resolution has agreed to continue to support the Cornwell Cup contest, the North East Harbour Boating Club assures the association of its continued desire to work harmoniously with the association and affiliated'clubs for tile furtherance of the sport of yachting in Otago Harbour."

The president (Mr. J. T. Paul) and Mr. Gibson, of the N.E.H. Club, expressed their satiefaction at the settlement that had been arrived at. There are now four boats of the Takapuna- class in Dunedin, and the North East Harbour Club has ordered four new boats from Auckland. This will make a good fleet for next season.

Although "Speedwell" at the time disputed the decision of the sailing committee to resail the now notorious race, holding that Rule 3 did not apply to breaches of sailing rules, yet he is now of the opinion that it is well to have the matter settled amicably for the good of our sport generally. The sailing committee had grounds for their point that as the races were sailed under special rules -they were- entitled to interpret them as they thought fit, and, being unanimous in their decision, this gave them power to order a re-sail, it inis point is conceded, it is the crux of .he question, and their subsequent action was in order. Even if the Otago Association still has some doubt on tHe point, it is to 'be heartily commended for dropping the point and extending the hand of friendship to the North Las. Harbour Club, whose only fault was a too earnest desire to foster the class and Comwell Cup contest in the interests of the younger generation of boating men in the Dominion, and Dunedin in particular. DEVELOPMENT OF OUTBOARD ENGINES. The ereat strides made in the power developed bv outboard engines from the 2 h p iob of a very few years ago, to 32 1 p. of the latest engines is very striking. Already speeds of 40 miles have bSen achieved, and the goal of 50 miles per hour is now set. Another development of this class is long-tetance racing quite distinct from short sprints and the outboard field generally is receiving a lot of attention in America. Speaking of the 136 mile race, from Albany to New York, a writer says: "The small outboard marine motoi ot to-day is, without a question, the most etarKn-r 'development in the entire # listory of internal combustion engines, either marine or otherwise." k This was i'he essence ot the remarks made by Jacob Bunnell, yachtsman and ancestors were sea captains 0 thejOhtaa tea clipper age, and who has spent a i?e of l 'research in the marine and boatin" field, believes that the fourcylind°r 32 h.p sea horse motor which drove his boat, the "Miss Eastern" at an average speed of over 37 miles is the iViatest achievement in internal combust on engines the world has yet seen "Take for example, the outboard motors of only three years ago, said Mr. Dunnell. "They were heavy affairs developed only 4 or 5 h.p. and were capa'ble of a speed of only 8 or 10 miles per hour. The motor that drove my ooat weighs only 1101b complete-yet it is capable of 50 miles per tour. -How," it may be asked, "has such a phenomenal development come a'bout in such a short time? Although there are many contributing factors, the real answer is found in the greatly improved method of injecting the gas mixture into the cr.uikcase and cylinders, inis "is been accomplished by a mechanism known as the rotary valve." NEW RIG FOR THE STAR CLASS. It was only to be expected since Mr. Colin Eatsey, the well-known sailmaker, became interested in the Star class, that alterations in the sail design would be wanted. The present sail design although an improvement on the old Tail ri", is old fashioned and does not appeaAo the man who is in touch with the modern improvement in sail design. The proposed new rig will mean a higher mast, a shorter boom and an inboard jib, the type that has universally been accepted ae the most efficient Aside from appearance, it would result in a more able boat and a better handling boat, one that you could reef without going overboard. Also the boom would not dip in the water in a beam sea, and she could be gybed in a breeze with much.less difficulty. _ A special committee was appointed in U S A. to study and experiment with the new fig. Mr. Eatsey rigged one of his boats in this manner and it was tried out by him on April 2, 1929. Two other members of the committee also tried iier out. All three expressed their opinion to a special meeting, and told tne assembly that the boat handled like a dream, sailed herself to windward, was stiff in heavy puffs, and that when you eased the sheets there was little or no pressure on the helm. In short the appearance and handling was such a <n-eat improvement that one who ever sailed with the new rig would never want to return to the long boom. The difference between the old and new rig is that the mast is sft higher the boom comes only to the transom and swings through a standing backstay from transom to masthead, the .lib is 9in in from the stem, viz. an inboard ria identical with the six-metre boats and similar to the Delvillc. Star owners in all parts of the world are in favour of adopting the new rig, but until the October meeting of the ISCYE.A. when tine matter will be put to a vote (and a two-third majority is necessary before any alteration can be adopted) nothing can be done. Owners of the three Auckland Stars are in favour of the new design, but the new Star building will be rigged with the old design for next seasons racing and until such times as approval as obtained for the new rig. We are indebted for the above facts to Mr. A. W. Tamlin, owner of the btar boat June.