YACHTS ON DISPLAY

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31662, 24 April 1968, Page 20

YACHTS ON DISPLAY

Canterbury yachting interests will again be represented in the Christchurch International Boat and Outdoors Exhibition in Canterbury Court this year by the Canterbury. R Class Squadron. This is the only national class in New Zealand wholly originated and controlled by yachtsmen in Canterbury. Four yachts will be on display in the main court this year for the fifth exhibition. They will be the Flying Dutchman Class “Extreme” owned by G. J. and C. J. Cooke of the Waimakariri Club; the Olympic Finn Class “Flnnsarby” owned by B. G. de Thier, of the Mount Pleasant Club;

the International B Class catamaran “Enigma” owned by B. McL. Moore, of the Charteris Bay Club: and the former National R Class champion “Unique” owned by B. Kitson, of the Waimakariri Club.

Two P Class yachts will be used on the indoor pool during the exhibition. In addition, yadht building displays showing methods and techniques of construction will be featured on the Canterbury R Class Squadron stand where two new boats will be built during the show.

The Canterbury Yachting Association is the controlling authority for organised yachting in Canterbury and

the affiliated members of the association are given here.

The Waimakarirl Sailing and Power Boat Club and the Stewarts Gully Sailing Club are on the lower reaches of the Waimakariri River.

The Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club, the Charteris Bay Yacht and Power Boat Club and the Banks Peninsula Cruising Club look after the interests of those sailing on and adjacent to Lyttelton Harbour.

Peninsula yachting la catered for by the Pigeon Bay Boating Club. Closer to home, estuary interests are centred on the Christchurch

Yacht Club, the Pleasant Point Yacht Club and the Mount Pleasant Yacht Club. South Canterbury yachtsmen have the Timaru Yacht Club. Water Safety Particular emphasis has been placed on water safety to such an extent that some clubs have launched highly efficient rescue patrol boats, and others are engaged in fund raising ventures with similar programmes in mind. Best-known because of its popularity and large numbers is the diminutive 7ft nationally-recognised junior trainer, the P class. This class caters for both boys and girls up to the age of 18. These boats are so popular because they are completely safe and the young skippers learn at an early age the basic skills of sailing, seamanship, self reliance and sportsmanship. The two-man intermediate racing yacht, the Junior Cherub, has been introduced into secondary schools through an' ambitious scheme instigated by the well-known yachtsman, J. F. Morrison, and the Christchurch Club. The Canterbury R Class Squadron then

came to the fore and offered to supply one or more kitsets free to any school provided this was matched by a similar offer from one or all of the other clubs. The response has been outstanding. Fourteen schoolowned yachts are now raced regularly. Popular Classes Senior yachting today is far more diverse with many classes, each with its own particular attractions for the individual who has a wide choice of either monotype or crewed boats to choose from. International competition and the Olympic Games together with the significant results achieved to date have resulted In the popularity of such classes as the Finn, 0.K., Flying Fifteen, Moth and to a lesser extent, the New Zealand Gold Medal Class, the Flying Dutchman. Most popular of the New Zealand-designed classes are the R, Javelin, Senior Cherub and the Catamaran.

The Catamaran world has really exploded in development There is now the International A Class, a oneman 18-footer; the International B Class, a two-man 20-footer; and the International C Class, a two-man 24-footer for those seeking international honours. In Canterbury the noted designer and yachtsman G. B. Stanton has contributed much with some excellent and successful designs. Two of these are the 15ft Sin Sioux Class and the 12ft Sunbeam. Many persons are under the impression that yachting is an expensive sport compared with many other recreational activities. This is not the case, however, as 50 per cent of the active yachtsmen sail as a crew and are involved financially only to the extent of their club's or owner’s association annual subscriptions. Even owning a yacht, be it a monotype or a crewed boat, does not involve tre-

mendous capital outlay as many of the senior classes can be completed within the price range of $2OO to $4OO. Normally this is spent in smaller amounts over a period whilst the boat is under construction. Owners' associations have group schemes whereby masts, spars and other fittings may be purchased and made inexpensively on a group basis. Most clubs provide storage facilities for yachts, therefore a road trailer, although handy for travelling to regattas and away functions, is not essential for normal club yachting. No yacht club in Canterbury has a closed membership list, and subscriptions are most reasonable.