A PLEASANT SIGHT ON THE WATERWAYS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29609, 4 September 1961, Page 20

A PLEASANT SIGHT ON THE WATERWAYS

A pleasant sight on many of Christchurch’s waterways during the summer weekends is a fleet of yachts moving gracefully with the breeze. A sport very popular in many Continental countries, yachting offers facilities for complete relaxation' in a healthy atmosphere, and can also satisfy the urge for hardfought competition of the highest order.

Any person interested in gaining knowledge of the different types of yachts which are in common use around Canterbury, will find what he or she wants in the stands under the care of members of the Canterbury Yachting Association. These stands feature five of the best-known yachts in local waters:

P Class.— A 7ft Taurangatype boat to be sailed by boys under the age of 16. A single-handed boat The regulations for this class enforce the wearing of life-jackets for all competitors. Boys have been known to start sailing P Class yachts from the age of 8. A single sail.

Junior Cherub.— An intermediate class for those under 20 years. With a two-man crew, the Junior Cherub mounts jib,, mainsail and spinnaker. A plywood hull, and a general ease in handling, have brought this 12ft boat into popularity in Christchurch in the last two seasons. R Class.— A two-man class of boat with great popularity all over New Zealand. Closely restricted as to measurements the R class can carry up to 110 square feet of sail in jib and mainsail and up to 100 square feet in spinnaker. This is the top yachtsman’s class in dingeys. Finn.— An international class of boat, subject to very strict international regula-

tions on measurements. A single sail boat, and very simply rigged, the Finn is the single-handed class which is recognised

for international competition in the Olympic Games. Catamaran.—A twin-hulled and very fast addition to local fleets. This craft has no strict specifications, is usually manned by a crew of two, and the •sails may be rigged as desired. Hie Catamaran, a new class, is built along the lines of the twinhulled canoes used by Polynesians in the Pacific. Other classes to be seen in local waters include the Tatapuna and the IdleAlong. These, while still well-suited to a particular class, are losing their popu. larity to the newer types. More and more yachtsmen are turning towards competitive racing to supplement

the enjoyment which they receive from a mere outing on the water. From national to international competition is but a step, and attention is being paid to those classes

which are recognised Internationally. The newcomer to yachting will find the sport just as safe as does the old hand, provided that he dosn’t try to progress through the classes too quickly. Start with a yacht of a size which you can handle comfortably, and wait until you are fully conversant with the skills'before trying your hand at a bigger craft. Of course, every class recognised in yachting provides for adequate buoyancy in the boats. They are perfectly sale in the event of a capsi_2, if the usual precautionary measures are taken.

CHAMPIONS. The Sharpie in which Peter Mandel* and Jack Cropp put New Zealand and Canterbury yachting on the map in 1956. They won the gold medals in this class at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in that year.