YACHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 239, 8 October 1932, Page 17

YACHTING.

MERCURY ISLAND RESERVE.

YACHTSMEN'S RIGHT TO LAND MULLET BOAT RESTRICTIONS. (By SPEEDWELL.) For two years the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association has been fighting for the recognition of the right of yachtsmen to land on a reserve in the well-sheltered harbour of Great Mercury Island. The existence of this reserve has been known to a few for some time, but while previous owners of the island made visitors welcome, the present owner does not, for reasons of his own. Some exciting scenes have been witnessed when boating men have attempted to land on what they considered the reserve.

This question has now been settled for all time by the action of the Commissioner for Crown Lands. He has forwarded a plan of the locality, also definite instructions that the area marked, which lies on the western side of the big harbour of Te Huruhi, as it is named in the chart, is Crown land, and open to boating men for landing on.

There is a jetty on the reserve, but over this the Government has no jurisdiction,> so it is just as well not to use it. The area is a strip along the beach, 100 ft wide by 1900 ft long. There is shelter from every possible wind once inside the harbour, also deep water off the reserve. The harbour shoals towards its head, but is wide enough to hold a big fleet. It is particularly useful when the boats that take part in the annual, to The Mount, Tauranga, are on their way home. In the race of 1929 it blew so hard fr.om the that all the competitors

were glad to take shelter overnight. They got away at daylight again, Nga Toa a little before break of day, as the wind had eased up overnight. The Mount was made early in the afternoon.

A plan of the harbour, showing the exact locality of the reserve, is shown in this column. The matter is of so much interest to owners of our larger boats, sail or power, that the letter of the Commissioner of Crown Landß, Mr. 0. N. Campbell, is given in full. Yachtsmen's Authority to Land. The Gazette notice is as follows:— "Department of Lands and Surveys, September 20,' 1932. —Landing Reserve in Huruhi Harbour, Great Mercury Island, New Zealand Gazette, 1928: "This reserve is set aside for the convenience of the boating fraternity, and is the only public -pnoperty on the island. The control of the reserve rests with this Department and in order that the owner of the island might enjoy the peaceful occupation granted to him by his title I have specially to request and I am sure that all yachtsmen using the landing will do nothing to cause annoyance. You will notice that certain improvements by way of a jetty, fencing, and buildings have been erected and encroach on the reserve. These were erected by a former owner, who apparently was unaware of the situation. We acknowledge the private ownership of these improvements, and in the meantime arc raising no objection to their remaining as they are. A temporary grazing lease of the reserve has been granted to the owner of the island. —(Signed) 0. N. Campbell." No doubt boating men will respect the request to do nothing to cause annoyance to the owner of the island. As a rule they never want to wander far from the shore, but it has been very inconvenient in the past not to be able to land anywhere on the island. This restriction ia now removed for all time as far as the reserved area is concerned. As it is 100 ft wide by 1900 ft long it will afford every opportunity for any who choose to stretch their legs and obtain water at the homestead nearby on request. This is the first time, so far as "Speedwell" knows, that such an area has been secured to yachtsmen, and their best thanks are due to Mr. Campbell and to the Yacht and Motor Boat Association for their persistent efforts to have their right recognised.

} MULLET BOAT RESTRICTIONS. The question of uniform restrictions on hull, ballast, and sail in the popular class of 20, 22, 24, and 26-foot centre-board boats, generally termed the mullet boats, has exercised the minds of delegates to .the Yacht and Motor Boat Association for the last 12 months. At a meeting held on Tuesday the following new restrictions 'were adopted:— I—All mullet boats at present built and measured be allowed to race provided the main measurements of length, beam, and depth are according to requirements. 2—No craft not measured by the association during the present period of remeasurement shall be permitted to race until such have been measured. 3.—A1l craft must carry the ballast laid down. , , , 4. —The depth specification be fixed for all future craft. s.—The deadwood section be deleted. o.—The sail area be restricted after three years from date. 7.—That a maximum beam be laid down. .

8. —Before any craft can race in any club her load line shall be marked, and the ballast carried must not be removed at any subsequent time. It will be seen that the conditions are fairly drastic, especially in the matter of ballast. This is not before it is wanted. Now an owner will have to decide on his proper amount of ballast and have his boat's waterline marked at bow and stern, just as we did when the linear and other rating rules were in force. No maximum beam has been decided on so far, so that the present rule still holds. The three boats which were built with deadwood along the keel proper will now be eligible to race in the class, as they usually have done except for the Lipton Cup. No sail restrictions have been put forward, but this will be done within three years, when the sails at present in use may be expected to want renewing. It is imperative that all boats be measured, and so far the majority of racing boats have been. They are required to comply with the rules at present in force for this class, except where a new rule has been made. I

THE BETH SIX DAYS AT SEA. The motor boat Beth, which left Auckland on September 17 on a trip to South Australia, made a call the next day afc Whangarei, owing to a leaking discharge pipe in one of her cabin fittings. This was remedied by Mr. Reynolds, and two days later Beth 'left for Whangaroa. Here fresh water was taken on board, and the balance of her oil fuel put into tanks. A defect developed in her wireless transmitter, and Beth waited at Whangaroa for repairs to this important part of her seagoing equipment. She finally left Whangaroa last Sunday, morning for Norfolk Island, but Mr. T. H. Webb stated that if the weather was unfavourable for Norfolk Island he would shape a course direct to Lord Howe Island. In moderate weather this should take Beth seven days from Whangaroa, so that 6he may be expected to make her number off Lord Howe Island any time now, or at Norfolk if she lias had a head wind and sea all the time. The yacht Heartsease is now well on her way to Tonga, having left Whangarei on Tuesday at noon. The crew was grven a hearty farewell, and, speaking to the writer shortly before she sailed, Captain McArthur expressed his intention of making direct for Tonga, 1200 miles distant. News of the doings of both these ocean cruisers will be awaited with interest.

FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON. «The first race of the 1932-3 season will take place on Saturday, October 22, when the Richmond Cruising Club will hold a sweepstake for all club boats to Islington Bay. The race will start off the Ponsonby wharf, at the foot of Waitangi Road, and finish off Mr. Ivo Dennes' house in Islington Bay, where the crews will be entertained on Saturday night. CLUB NOTES. Prospects for the coming season of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club are considered very bright, according to the report submitted to the annual meeting last week. Mr. W. Duncan was re-elected commodore, and when returning thanks, he said that if all the clubs worked in with each other through the Yachting Association, he had no fear that the corn-

ing year would be better than the last. A feature was the growing interest taken in small boats. The Whanijarei Cruising Club held their annual meeting recently and the report showed that finances were in good order. The support accorded by the business men was such that- out of a numerous prize liet only one trophy had to be purchased from club funds. The dances at Taurikura, near the Heads, held during the summer, were all well patronised. The Whangarei Harbour Board had given the yachtsmen every assistance. Mr. H. Preebe was re-elected commodore, and Mr. Vere Harrison, well known in Auckland, hon. secretary for his fifth year. Mr. F. Tercell is vice and Mr. J. Keynolds rearcommodore. The committee includes two Auckland yachtsmen, C. Moore, late of the "Vice." and W. B. Stock, late of the Manukau Yacht Club. Mr. Stock presented plans for the Wakatere one-design class and offered to assist anyone wishing to build, for which he was thariked by the commodore. The club is moving in the matter of having a jetty erected at the southern end of Urquhart's Bay, near the heads, for the convenience of boating men.

The Victoria Cruising Club will hold a reunion of old members in the clubhouse on Thursday, October 20. Since the history of the club appeared in this column quite a number of the early members have attended the meetings and shown in other ways their continued_ interest. The present officers have decided to tender a "smoko" to help*keep alive this interest, and already the success is assured.

The Tamaki Yacht Club will hold ite final dance of the winter series this evening in the Imperial Theatre, Kohimarama.

The Wakateres are still growing in favour. In -response to a request from Christchurch, particulars of the class were published in the "Christchurch Star," and to date over 100 requests for plans and fully 50 sets of blue prints have been sent by the Wakatere* Club to this town. The boats are very suitable for sailing on the Estuary at Sumner and other centres. Mr. George Andrews, builder and owner of Betty, in a recent letter to "Speedwell," is .quite enthusiastic about the Wakateres and he is building one for his own use. The first official race of the Wakatere class will be held off Narrow Nock on Saturday, October 22. By that date 20 boats are expected to be ready. It is to be hoped that the young skippers of Narrow Neck and vicinity will have a few

practice sails before that date. The boats present no difficulty to experienced men, but they have their limitations in the hands of novices, and "safety first" should be the motto of the class. Mr. Brooke is very insistent on this point, and owners who have had little or no experience may be advised not to start racing until they have got the "feel" of their boat. The boats are fast and very quick on their helm, and require to be well handled. For the very junior members, a sail plan, to be named the "junior sail plan," has been decided on. This has the area reduced to about 55 square feet. The Ponsonby Model Yacht Club will hold its usual series of three class races during this week-end. The first race for the Winter Challenge Cup be sailed in the 4ft class. The conditions call for a series of races, the holder must defend his claim at any time. This event gives promise of good sport. Mr. Geo. Mobberley has offered a trophy under similar conditions for the three-footers. Other trophies to be competed for before the close of the season have been donated by the Victoria Cruising Club, Messrs. F. W. Jeffers (the newly-elected commodore of the Ponsonby Cruising Club), G. E. Laycock, Ivo Dennes, Geo. Tyler (president) and Wilkinson (commodore), whose prize is for highest aggregate points in any class.

The annual meeting of the Yacht and 11 Motor Boat Association -will be held on < j? Tuesday, October 25, when the election of | ij officers will take place and the fixtures allotted for the season. It has been recommended to the incoming committee that the official opening be held on Saturday, November 19," and no doubt this will be agreed to. The Outboard Racing Club will hold a meeting on Tuesday in the clubroom, Argus House, High Street, to decide the date of their prize night and annual meeting, and fix their programme for the coming season. A very interesting lecture on the Discovery's last trip south was given to members of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron last evening by Captain A. N. Stanton, a member of the 1930 Mawgon expedition to the Antarctic. Commodore J. H. Frater expressed the thanks of members to Captain Stanton,