MOTOR BOATS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 9

MOTOR BOATS.

Thc Port Nicholson Motor Boat has I decided to hbid its, opening .run. on Saturday, November-9,; at-.3 p.m;, :whcn all.,the' launches'will form into a procession, and steam: past the. Queen's -Wharf. .- There will afterwards ,be liandicapi-racej.-/open, to all classes of 'launches: 'JfviOntrarice'ice.:will,bocharged, so thereTislrould boia-largo .nunibor ' -of-- starters,--andtithe!' race) should v piove -veryinteresting*, especially"-'as it'-to-ill be a scaled handicap,: whichrjrill-'iaake"it a-cfise ongoing' right from., ,the jump. ,' .The club ' will also talcoi part; in-the-yacuting; excursion on November 11 to Softies Island,' which,-,if tlio .weather is suitable,.-'should .-prove.'very enjoyable. -. -'<■. - l ' -. i Messrs. .-Bailej'; staijjflon a 25ft. launch (or Messrs. AVcstbroolc and Holland," which j serve -to ...augment ,tho present increasing fleet : 'ofi local'motor boats. ■The.-.power will be derived from an S-h.p.' two-cylinder Gardner': cngire^ 1 -. -'. . The new. 15-h.pi.[.Gardner-, engine.' for Mr. Geo. Andrews's boat .has arrived,, and; is ..now' being ..fitted , into position, and' moro '.than likely .by .' time these, lines' .appear in -.-.print- -will'have dono her,trial run,., Judging from, the speed that- .the; old. Jcmfy Reid .went. with her ..old ,10-h.p...Gardner, Mr. Andrews should now ..be; lust- about '.Gock : o',-the-waik" for : of motor boat., ' , 1 Mr.'. Martin's yacht,-..the-'Flova,- which has been-' fitted with:-; tho (-.engine, : from Mr.. Andrews's boaty underwent .iier- triah -run -last Sunday, and;; although';it'i-wiis. ■■ blowing a gale, adqu'itted herself' admirably. -.It speaks' well' for. an engine that has ■ had over four years' constant work in a fishing boat to-be •m- the - condition 'thatthe; I'lora is in, which shows that thi)>niaterial:is. ol'.the very best':-. . ■ ■■. . 'j. ; Another',n.w 'arrival in the boat-harbour is : yerj : 1 \forniidable-looking i- deeked-in launch'called the Niwaru, 37ft; long, with' a . lull torpedo stern.''. She is fitted.with 7|-h.p. Lozier. two-cycle; engine, and 'is: reputed to '.have a. gooii- turn- of; speed.- , She. is rather, the worse for .wear, y but" her owner, .. Mr. ' Dakiu, j's.haying:'her;',doho.\ip shortly,, which', will greatly '■ improve?)hcrvappearancc.' - She -iias the-'-appearance" oi\ being-, a-isiiiall m.'Ui-p!- , 'war. '■ " 7'' • ' Mr. F. Petherick* lias''renovated, his .smart little launch," tlie-".Dot-,!*which' now,..look's .i'a ■pict'are ."of' 'nea'tjiiesfc : substituted a float;*fced carburettor in place ' of;. n'uxing J val'voj-. and ; the result the ; uia'tter-'of.spceri;' Messrs. Downes< Bros. VPnnri"- has again . been .'.proving, herself. useful riiiZthe', matter,, of : ;t'oiving, and by /.the; ,way, she: ;.w,alked .Vtlib : .yr.chts ' Mnritai': and janctrronnd-from .Mar- : tin's.'Bay.-to. the - boat., harbouragainst' a ■ strong northerly.,.last ...Saturday..'"shows -that; . .she, has; not ..lost. any of, her. speed.; . She;. wil 1. -. have. to* lteep hev - spark - well- up this; year to ■.l;eep in -'front of .some the. so-called fliers . that are coming .to, light.' V:-;'' 1

!; Messrs! Haiinoiirand. Qo.'s Swan, .which is ;fitted with; a; 5-h.j). ."\Vhitc; engine,, is. going 'along;very; well vut,: the-present -..time, and .there.'are rumoiirs.:.of >''a. great' battle -whioh is to tdkcv placp.- 0!i . a,npniing.:Saturday. between the .Swan -and. another-.' launch :belongi'ng to the boat harbour. . It,-is stated that thn stakes-are to r bo large' enough, to keep ■the..winner.:supplied-'iifc.Jbcjisunc. all: the summer.

Owners ,of 'launches would do well to re..lomber that-one of- thc'rules. of■ the • Port Nicholson'Motor Boat Clnb is that launches

■ racing must carry ri lifebuoy or belt for each' ■momber of the crow.-■'■ Some.'of the launches carry thenvat the present" time, but'others 'have.llo '.life'preservers on boanl at all; .not that there is'aiiy likelihood of a launch springing a- leak suddenly; but .'there .is always tho chalice of'air accident.' When, the Harbour .'Board/put ' their, patent, light' on the buo.v at Point Jorr.ingbam. it' will'remove agroat obstacle for the launch and''.yachting community.'

■' A very, dangerous practice has .lately come' ifcto vogue : noaV Ngali.iurimga which might probably lend to a' "sad ' calamity.' Throe large; wooden buoys, similar to those on which the' metallic telephone wires are . rolled, are moored about half, ii.'mile off'the shore', and '-just submerge:! in the' These are, no doubt," put there to be used as targets for the "linns at the battery! If so, I certainly think that the' Defence .Department/should /put ; a"notice in the daily papers warning people, to keep a sharp look : out, as last .Sunday it was a"very close; sliavo indeed 'for a 1 large launchl i .It was : only very smart handling ; that averted >vliat. "might have beeii a calamity: Surely the Harbour Board or Marine Department have power to stop these almost . invisible objects being 'lotted about tho._har.bour .without any warning being' given.""Messrs. Donne. Stacey and' Co. are having a 35ft. 'launch : built for them in Auckland by Messrs. T. M. Lano and Son. It. is to he about. Gft.'ilicnm and will >be fitted with; a 20-h.p. ;foi: : r-cylindor' Britriifnia • oil engine which'is expectod to give a-speed of about eleven: lcnotsj which -at. the' present time woukl give it 1 pride' of place' in the harbour as regards speed. It is to;be finished in about' a month's time.

• M(&srs. ! H»rdhairi ; 'and : Pratt have' so'd their little 18ft. Bcokes boat., and : her' new owner has named' her' the Kiwi.' She is to bo fitted with a- Gardner engine, and should bo exceedingly fast in smooth water