Gift Of Boats For School Sailing

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29989, 26 November 1962, Page 6

Gift Of Boats For School Sailing

The establishment of g fleet of yachts owned and raced by secondary schools in Chrtatchurch is the adm of the Canterbury R Class Squadron. The squadron has announced that it will give a boat in kitset form for every similar craft given by a yacht club to a secondary school. The designated craft is the Junior Cherub yacht, a highperformance 12-footer. Its dtoeppearing-chine hull is identical to that of New Zealand's biggest class, the | '’senior" Cherub designed by John Spence, of Auckland, about 10 years ago. I The Junior Cherub, howlever. has a modified sail plan Ito make it easier to handle, lit is fully-bulkheaded and extremely buoyant, possessing the ability to be sailed even when full of water. Two youths under the age of 20 erew it Kitset Yacht The Christchurch Yacht Club has already given a kitset yacht to the Aranui High School which has been sailing rt in training (the school dub has more than 20 members) and in competition under staff supervision. The pupils helped to build the boat. The Aranui boat has been subsidised by the R Class Squadron whose members have given a similar craft to Shirley Boys’ High School. "If three or four yacht clubs in Canterbury are willing enough to promote and encourage this sport in our secondary schools we will supply a Junior Cherub kitsrt tor every one they give, wtibout knit," eted Mr G. S. Mander. delegate to the Cantarbury Yachting Association. Mr Mender said there was

no reason why yachting shouM not become accepted as a worthwhile secondary school sport with a trophy for inter-school competition ou . the same Unes as in Auckland. Mr Mander said Jt was hoped open clubs might admit to membership secondary school yacht club pupils and provide boat storage at reduced rates. “We are, as yachtsmen, very happy to pay out an Olympic levy each year from which most of us haven’t a hope of getting anything out of. Here is something at a lower level which offers youngsters a far better opportunity and is better value ail round,” he said. Another executive member ot the squadron, Mr B. J. C. Wall, who was a member of the world champion 18-footer crew in 1954, said a crewed boa t was essential for school sailing to enable instruction to be given and to allow as many pupils as possible to take part ait a time. Because two boats for a school would permit more boys and girls to participate in the gport and have competition among themselves, the squadron had decided on its subsidy scheme. A number of kitseis have already been prepared by the Olympic gold medal skipper, P. G. Mander. Each set wfll coot a dub £3B U it wishes to make a donation to a school.

Barteese Leader Metz— Sao Shwe Thaike, the first president of independent Burma and the former ruler of Yawngywe in the Shan state, died an Tuesday in the custody of the Burmese Revolutionary Government He was 04.—Rangoon, Nov. a.