ON THE HARBOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 223, 20 September 1935, Page 15

ON THE HARBOUR.

SEASON 1936 AHOY!

FORTY NEW BOATS.

(By SPEEDWELL.)

Thc coming yachting season will be the best since pre-war days. Not only are the 16 clubs in and around Auckland all in a flourishing condition, with possibly oue exception, but the number of new boats now building, over 40 in all classes, of which no less than 15 are keel yachts ranging from 22ft to 52ft, constitutes a record in the long history of yachting on the Waitemata and represents the expenditure of close on £10,000. The particulars of the 15 keel yachts now in course of building for the 1035-36 season by our professional and amateur builders have been given already in these columns. The total is now 16, as an order was placed this week for a 35ft fast cruiser type of keel yacht, which will not be ready until late this season. Good progress is being made with the others, one of which is already afloat. This is the Rambler, a 35-footer, built by Mr. P. Vos for Mr. B. S. Woollacot, of Stanley Bay, which had her first tryout under her Bermudun cutter rig last Saturday. A further addition will bo the 42-footer which arrived from Hokianga, via the Ninety-Mile Beach, a few months ago, and which has since been transformed into a natty fore-and-aft schooner-rigged yacht by Mr. Sam Ford for her owner, Mr. Atkinson. Good progress is being made with the big keeler building by Mr. C. Wild, of Stanley Bay, for Mr. Scot Wilson. She is designed by Mr. Arch. Logan and will be modern in all her details. In the samo shed .ore two large motor boats for local owners, which aro having the finishing touches added. The 40-footer for Mr. N. C. Mains, of St. Helier's Bay, is making good progress at Mr. A. Couldrey's yard, Northcote. She is from Mr. Logan's design. A start was made yesterday ou a 28-footer for Mr. R. L. Stewart, of

Waitangi Road, Heme Bay, by Mr. P. Vos. She has been designed by Mr. R. L. Stewart, jun., the popular skipper of Manene. The two 35-footcrs being built by their owners near Newmarket, one by Messrs. Busck and Greer and the other by Messrs. Donovan and Dolores, in Grafton Road, are making good progress. Although the latter craft had to be dismantled and re-ereeted in a more suitable position, she is now showing her lines to advantage and her young builders are very busy. New Small Craft. At least a score of new small craft aro being built. Several 18-footers, 16footers and numerous 14-footors aro under way between Narrow Neck and Birkenhead on the North Shore and from Howick to Point Chevalier on this side. An order for a 14-foot Jellicoe class has been placed with Mr. W. Rogers, of Curran Street, by Mr. Parkcs. She will conform to the 1923 Jellicoe class plan and in the event of the Sanders Cup being again open to Auckland boats — which is about time it was —we may see trials held again between Aileen, Idler and the new boat unless something unforeseen occurs to nullify the good feeling at present growing up between the Southern centres interested in the con test and the Auckland Association. Messrs. G. T., W. V. and R- Currey, of Parnell, have just finished a Y class boat of their own design. She looks well with her bright finish and will carry a very high Bermudan sail, more modern and extreme for her size than anything on the harbour, as her mast is 31ft and her boom only 12ft, with no bowsprit. She is quite orthodox according to the ideas of Mr. Manfred Currey, the noted British designer.

Perhaps the only 22-footcr, of which so many were built last season, will be one just completed by Mr. Andy Tobin, of Pamnure, for Mr. Chas. Bull. She will bo launched before Labour Day and is to be christened Halcyone. A 14-foot runabout is nearing completion at Panmure for Mr. Chas. Gough and has been named Tai Ho.

Messrs. Lidgard's new boat yard on the Western w r all is a 6cene of activity. The Ariki is hauled out there and work has been started on her, also on several other yachts and motor boats in the yard. The firm has just completed a 22-foot keel yacht for Mr. A. M. Stewart, of Takapuna, a newcomer to the sport in Auckland; also a 26-foot keeler for Mr. S. Sainty of Stanley Bay. Work is also progressing on another 26-footer for Mr. C. Freeman, of Mount Eden, and the 30footer, both keel yachts, for Mr. Joe Lidgard while a start has been made on a 35-foot keel yscht for Mr. N. Percy, of the Wade Heads. A fast runabout motor boat for Mr. F. C. Mappin, of Epsom, has been completed, and considerable work done on Mr. Stan Parker's launch Nomad, which includes adding 6ft to her amidships. Work on the Boats. At W. G. Lowe and Son's yard in Beaumont Street a 45-foot trawler is nearly ready for sea. She is of the latest type, propelled by Diesel engines, and will be replaced by a similar boat as soon as she is out of "the shed, which will be some time next week. Amongst the many yacht;-, and launches, the pick of our pleasure fleet, which always make this

yard their quarters for the -winter, worK has been done on quite a number of them; in fact, two, the Duchess, which has been sold by Mr. R. L. Stewart to the Tourist Department, and Mr. E. J. Kelly's Linda, are nearly ready to go off. Others on "which some work has been done are Mr. Alf. GifTord's Raweac, which is well forward; Ladye Wilma, Thelma, Ngatira and Altair, which has had her royal blue coat burnt off by her new owners, Messrs. | Tattersfield. Other craft in this yard are Viking and Rainbow, which still have their winter covers on, also Waitangi, Ida, Moana and the motor boats Crusader, which is ready for the water, Moana Lu, Mr. W. A. Boucher's new 45-footer, Dorothy, Ahureka, Atatu and Adelaide. Mr. Chas. Bailey is busy on trawlers. He has built several 50-footers during the past six months and has two others well under way for a local fishing company, which has been formed by two well-known yachtsmen of former days. The Victoria Club's hauling out area at Poore Street is well filled. The most prominent craft is the new keel yacht just completed by Messrs. Tercel Bros., of Ponsonby, for a local owner. Another new boat of the fast runabout type bears the rather optimistic name C U Later. At the back of the gas works the Yum Yum is being overhauled in readi-

ness for about her 40th season. Nearby are the June, Naiad and Rewi, while led. Hays* smart looking keeler Scout was alongside for a scrub yesterday, after which 6he was put back on her moorings in St. Mary's Bay, where Tom Hill's well-known 35-footer Queenie is still afloat. The beach at St. Mary's Bay has boats in all stages of preparedness. Some are well ahead, and others are not touched yet. Messrs. Collings and Bell's big shed is a scene of activity. A 45ft x lift 7in Diesel-powered launch is being built for the Tourist Department, for use on Milford Sound. She will be ready early in December. Always well advanced in their preparation for the season are the 30 or more craft which regularly winter on Judges' Bay Beach. One of the yachts, the Ngahau. a diagonal-built keel craft, first launched by R. Logan, sen., 40 odd years ago for Mr. Boult, of Whangarei, was launched this week, looking as if she were only a few seasons old. The 30-footer Speedwell is here, and she is well ahead. A comparison only this week between the Altair, which came from England in January of this year, and the Speedwell, built for the writer by Chas. Bailey 33 yearn ago, shows that the local boat was well ahead of her day. At Judge's Bay is a new 31-foot keel yacht, recently built by Messrs. Cox and Filmcr for four local yachtsmen. She is a good, wholesome type, and should give every satisfaction to her owners.

On the North Shore. On the beaches at Devonport, near North Head, at the local yacht club's yard, which is literally packed like sardines with boats of all sizes, in Stanley Bay, at the Takapuna Club's area at Baj'swater, oil Sulphur Beach, Northcote, in Little Shoal Boy, and further west, are boats of all shapes and sizes. Each one is the pride of some enthusiastic owner, and all have to be got ready with paint and varnish, inside and out, sails, spare, rigging and in other cases engines, with all their necessary auxiliaries, and so it may be judged from the above review of the new and old craft mentioned what a big hold yachting has on the youth and older folk who are privileged to work and play on the shores of the Waitemata (the sparkling water of the Maori). To each and everyone "Speedwell" wishes a jolly good season.

NAVAL WHALERS' RACE.

Keen interest is being taken in the interclub race in naval whalers arranged by the Naval Sailing Club, which will be sailed on Saturday, September 28. All the warships will be in port and twelve boats will be available on the tlay. Boats will be risged and ready at the Naval Base, Devonport at 1.45 p.m., and the race will start off H.M.S. Philomel at 3 p.m. Motor boats will be at the Admiralty steps at 1.45 p.m. to take the competing crews over, returning after the race. It is requested by Lieut.Commander J. T. J>an, who is the honorary secretary of the Naval Sailing Club, that boats will carry the (lags of the clubs represented.

A replica of the cup will be presented to the winning coxswain, and a Naval Railing Club pendant to the secoml boat. Entries are to be sent to Mr. A. J. Collings. St. Mary's Bay. Already the Royal Yacht Squadron, Akarana, Richmond, Takapuna. Point Chevalier ami Tamaki Clubs have entered.