YACHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 21

YACHTING.

SAIL RESTRICTIONS.

18-FOOTER MEN MEET. FURTHER PROTEST TO BE MADE. (By SPEEDWELL.) A meeting of owners, crews and others interested in the IS-foot class, to consider what action should be taken in view of the recent restrictions on sail area adopted on August 2 by the Auckland l'acht and Motor Boat Association, was held on Tuesday in the Missions to Seamen's Hail. There was an attendance of about fifty, including owners, prospective owners and builders, Mr. A. G. McKeown being voted to the chair.

The chairman said the restrictions, which limited the working sails of a new V class boat to 400 square feet ,were considered unwarranted, especially as they expected to again meet tlie Australian 18footcrs, with their unlimited canvas, during the Centennial celebrations. He understood the restrictions would be waived for the trials to select three or four boats to meet the Australians, but this would mean two sets of sails if an owner wanted to get the best from his boat, and this was an unnecessary expense.

The whole matter was gone carefully into for nearly two hours, and the following resolutions were carried unanimously. They will bo submitted to the various clubs affiliated to the association, and when all have signed who are willing to do so, the I>e.titiou will be presented to the association.

Speedwell recognises that the question of sail restriction, especially lor IS-footers, I is a very vital one, both for owners and prospective owners, as there are at least ten new boats on order for the coining season in various stages of completion who will be strictly limited to 400 square feet in mainsail and jib, 40 feet extra being allowed to present 'boats for another year. According to tlie views of builders aj the meeting, most of the new boats were designed to carry over the restricted 400 feet. While the majority of those present were in favour of trying to obtain redress by the orthodox method of petitioning the associatijn, there were a few who advocated more drastic steps, including refraining from racing where restrictions' were imposed, their objections being mainly against cutting sails, which, invariably spoilt their set.

In view of the seriousness of the matter the full text of the resolutions is given, although as Mr. M. J. Coyle, who presided at the Point Chevalier Club's annual meeting on Thursday, said when they were read.

"It is usual, when asking a favour, to approach the matter very circumspectly." The Point Chevalier Club passed a resolution unanimously against the restrictions and requested its new delegates to take any steps necessary towards their recision. Resolutions of Boat Owners. That this meeting, representing 23 leading lSl't yachts, strongly protests against the sail restrictions recently forced on the class by the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association, and asks, on the following grounds, that the restrictions be rescinded. The restrictions were not asked for by any of the owners of crews of the present boats in the class. The restrictions were not asked for by any of the local boatbuilders or designer*, nor were any ol them asked to advise on the drawing up of the restrictions. The registration of boats in the class has reached the hundred mark. Every one of them, without exception, was designed without any restrictions in mind except overall length and crew. There are no two of the boats alike, and yet the restrictions state arbitrarily that the same limits oF. sail apply to all, irrespective of the boat's design.

The boats as they at present exist are a very seaworthy type compared with boats of the same length overseas. They have proved extremely suitable to our local conditions. They proved themselves capablc of holding their own with boats from over seas in the races last February. They arc a comparatively cheap type of boat, in keep ing with the means of the men who own and sail them.

It is not considered desirable to foster a ciass dependent for speed on the possession of hundreds of pounds worth of year, as is the case elsewhere, as this would mean the boats being owned by moneyed men who would not sail the boats themselves, but would introduce professionalism, as In Europe and America. While this may be desirable elsewhere, it is not wanted in Auckland, where yachting Is a worKing man's sport, and we desire it to remain so, for the reason that, as soon as the boats aro' placed beyond the reach of the working man, the fleet of which Aucklanders are so proud will quickly pass awa>, as there are few here who would be attracted by professionalism.

The enforcement of these restrictions will place the local boats at an almost impossible disadvantage against the visiting craft at the Centennial, as the boats were designed to sail with their present sails and not under restrictions arbitrarily decided without any thought to the boats that have to carry them. To ask boats to sail all club races and train their crews Tqf world's championship honours under these unnatural restrictions and then meet boats from England, Australia and the rest of New Zealand In unrestricted competition is not even common sense, much less sports mansbip.

We therefore ask the association to assist and not hinder the local boats In upholding the reputation of the port of Auckland. If they are not prepared to assist we demand that they at least refrain from helping the other side In the' contest for the world's championship races next January.

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE MATTER.

deeper sections advocated. i ' s a change to find a practical boatpuilder and .an old yachting liand -who is m favour of and the following letter gives another view of the Dear Siieedwell.—Recently in your yachting columns I have read inanv letters about the restrictions of the V, "T and V classes. Generally speaking, 1 believe in restricting both boat and sail. But lite my old friend "Farmer" Willetts, I think (in view of the forthcoming contests with 'he Aussie boats) it would be most unfair to limit the sail area of our IS-footers.

In my opinion the sail area had little to do with the result of the last contest witn the Aussios. In the first two races contested on the upper reaches of the harbour the course on the wind was against the tale. That, in my opinion. was whv our boats did so well properly handled": they should have won two straight races. The Australian boats are too deep in their sections to slog over a strong tide. When they met our boats in the races on the lover harbour, if my memory serves me right, they had the tide under their lee

for the slog. In any future contest with the Aussies I feel confident that our present boats (if they make fewer mistakes) will more Than hold their own slogging over the tide. If we are to beat Tliem with the tide under our lee, we will have to build a few deeper-sectioned boats and allow them to carry as much sail as thev wish.—jj. Wheeler.

ANNUAL MEETINGS.

Aug. 2<i—Orakei Model Yacht Club. Aug. 30—Victoria Cruising Club. Sept. s—Richmond Cruising Club. Sept. o—Royal Akarana Yacht «'lub. Sept. 7—Whangarei Cruisincr Club. Sept. 11—Devonporr Yacht Club. Sept. IK—Heme Bay .Tunior Yacht Club. Sept. ID—Panmure Boating Club. Sept. 21—Otaliuhu Sailing Club. Sept. —Yacht and Motor Boat Association. Oct. —Tamaki Yacht Club.

PRIZE NIGHTS.

Sept. "1-I—Xew Zealand Power Boat Association. Sept. "t—Point Chevalier Model Yacht Club. Sept. —Tamaki Yacht Club.