YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 November 1907, Page 9

YACHTING

(By Mainshbet.j.

This year' again tlio official opening of the yachting season has fallen through , , owing to Wellington's "lovely" weather. For several years past now tho opening of tho season has been a failure on account of tho weather on the King's Birthday. This ..year elaborate arrangements were made for/, a successful opening and picnic at Somes Island, but alas! tho weather 1 The only suggestion that "llainsheot" can make is that if the I'.N.Y.C. cannot persuade tho King to alter the date of his birthday, the only alternative is to alter the date of the opening from tho King's Birthday to some other day. But what day? "Mninsheot" is beginning to envy the "launchers." What a lovely clay-they had for their opening last Saturday afternoon, and didn't they "oil rings" around the yachts! The launches did not look bad at all, but "Mainshcet" still thinks that you can't beat a big spread of canvns-to , make a display. Now, mi ideal type is Mr. Jas. Jameson's mix. yacht lluihi. The. Ruilii had her first run th'" season last Saturday afternoon

under sail alone, as tho "fufu" was not quite ruady. . ; •.'-.."''■.'.. ;

Nearly all the yachts took advantage'of the: run of holidays last week to participate in x' small cruise round the harbour. The Ngairo set out on Saturday afternoon Wiit'li all her kites on, and looked a picture. ""Main-i sheet" saw her from tho hill at the back of! the boat harbour, and at first sight could not: pick what yacht it was. The Ngairo pufi about in Oriental Bay, and with a light, frill-; ing N.E. breeze set out for Lowry Bay w,ny,. : On Sunday tho Ngairo spent.the day i'n.Kar! Bay, and in tho evening beat baok to'her' mcorings in Ev.-ins Bay, doing tho beat uji the Bay in two boards.. :

On Saturday afternoon most of, the yachts wended their way over Day's Bay way in the hope of rescuing Professor Barnes, tho bal-, loonist. Tho professor's knifo was not sharp! enough to cut the parachute clear, and so! he came down in tho balloon, and was pitikecli up by the Pilot. ' : j The Syren was out on Sunday ujidcr topsail, etc., and looked very well. Tho Mmjitai went out on Saturday and anchored fo,r| oho night in Scorching Bay, where she' war; joined in.tho evening by tho Petrel. The, Ngairo's dinghy also turned up during thonight, looking-for one of the crew who had walked'from town to pick up tho yadht at the Bay, but the Ngairo was becalmed by this time off Mahina Bay. In tho morning, the Muritai and Petrel set sail for. the cn-i, trance, w r horo the latter anchored to fish, j whilo the Muritai stood .on • to-. Island Bay. jl Tho Waiwere went outsido for a sail in" .tl'w : morning, and. beat the Petrel-'close-hauling , through tho entrance, although tho latter carried a.topsail. . The additional lead on lilic Waiwcre has made a wonderful,-difference-to i -her, and I fee! sure she will 'prove , it".when she.races-. . > .•.' ■■ . .: ■':■ : -' . - ;

W. r Hales has finished scraping the Atalanta's mast, and it now has a fine appearance. The "Atty" sailed down as far as the Athenic' ; Buoy on Sunday; where tho day was snent in fishing, with very good results. Quite r. number, of-yachts, launches,-and smaller ifoyj took advantage of the light southerly on Smi-I day to origago in fishing. Besides the "Atty" and Petrol, there wore the Janet, Taiparo. and Nancy [Stair all close together, aiid hard, at it fishing. ■ The Victory put in a eooil; day's fishing at Kau Bay, and the MaluiTi appeared to bo on a surveying expedition hij •Evans Bav. . J

Mr. P. Williams's yacht Private spent Sat-jl urday night in Kau Bay, and on Sunday p\s i in most- of the day sailing. Burch and Coney's Mahaki went fishing on Saturday, aiiA Sunday was filled in ashore at. Rona Bay. ; I

Oiv Saturday Rowbery .and -Fall's ,now tiki was.out for her. trial spin, and showed a very fair turn of speed, which should, serve her well in'third class racing." .. ■

Mr. J. P. Laing's Wairiho arrived from Auckland last Friday week, and'is a. very iicnt little packet.- The Wariho isconiethiiig after the , style of tho Mania, with,"perhaps,a little less freeboard.' She' has" the reputation of being a fast craft, and we will see how she will get on in to-day's racing.

So far, tho Waitangi has not been out for a sail, but sho will bo racing in tho first class event to-day, together with the Ngairo and Syren. x

Tho second class raco to-day ought to be a close race all tho way. I hear that somo of the yachts in this class will not bo racing today, but thorrf should bo enough starters to provido a good "go." ...'. .

Mr. John S. Swan, owner of the Syren, aiid Vice-Commodore of the P.NA'.C, writes:—' "In your yachting notes in Saturday's issue "Mainshcet" states that tho only opposition to the adoption of .the now rating rule by tho P.Y.N. C. camo from the writer of tiiis. I did not oppose tho adoption of tho new , rules because of tho rule, but on the giounds that the recommendation'was not in order. My-objection wa's that yacht owners should have had data to show how the new rating affected all yachts, so that they would have been in a position to judge of. time allowances for racing purposes on a comparative method. I know as well as "Mainsheet" that the new rule favours the Siren class of cutter, but I did not.feel inclined to agree to a rating rule , being' adopted that would perhaps place some of the yachts at a disadvantage." ' ... '■ ■■ ' ;

Two very handsome cups, of solid silver, on obonised bases, presonted by Sir Joseph Ward to tho Lyttelton Regatta Committee, have been received Sy the secretary of tho committeo, Mr. T. G. Vangioni. One cup is about 12in. in height, exclusive of the base, has a cover and ornate handles, and is ornamented with an embossed pattern. Tho other, which rises 10in. from its base, is a burnished goblet, of graceful form, unadorned savo for a slight ornamentation on the handles. One of the trophies is intended as a prize, for tlie winner, of the First-class Yacht Race at the last'regatta—the Yvonne, sailed by Professor Srott and Mr. Grigg. The other is to be allotted to one of the events in the regatta on next New Year's Day, but which one it has not yet been decided. ■ . •' : p

"Tho opening'of the season by Sydney's Prince Alfred Yachting Club was a sight to bo'remembered with joy, says the "Bulletin." An ideal afternoon of delightful breeze blowing steadily from the E.N.E., with blue sky, and_ 'green, sunlit water that turned to' turquoise in tho distance. Tho best picture of the series made by the, club's fleet was as it streamed across from Bradley's Head to Steel Point in a lino. As each boat drew near its mooring place the white wings folded away, the anchor wont down, and tho bunting was flung out to the order to "dress ship." Then the .Admiral signalled "Come aboard." And they came, and there wore toasts, and long cool drinks, looking through which added another touch of beauty to the already perfect scene. Two dinghy races were held, and one for sailing skiffs. By tho time the proceedings were through the Harbour had. ceased to be a water-colour, and turned to a masterpiece in black and , white —save for the great arc of sky that hesitated l)etween green and "purple/ Later on, tlio" "jolly" dogs' of' the P.A.Y.C. had dinner at Clifton .pavilion. . ; It was a hilarious dinner. The yachtsmen warbled chanteys between courses, and sang songs in the middle of thom. When the time came for making speeches Vice-Commodore Saxton told the conipany that' ho thought the Victorian Association had worked a point on tho club by demanding that Awanui should meet the Sayonara on equal , terms. "No 'good putting up a boy to fight a msfn," he remarked. Mr. Saxton went on to say that 'the matter rested with tho club. If under the altered conditions it. thought he should still go round to battle for. the' Clip, hb would go, and, sailing his very. best,..take oither.'vicr tory or defeat:with equal calmness/-

■It is the opinion of yachting experts that thero will be.no more races for the' America Cup unless .the conditions of.tho race caji bo varied. These conditions'were liiid down in ISSI, and in recent: years the.offorts to got speed out of boats built under them has led to the construction of an'" extravagantly ■"freak" type of yacht. The New York Yacht Club, recognising the danger and absurdity of further development along useless lines, decided to adopt for itself rules nioro in keeping with modern practice, and racing in American waters is carried on now under conditions similar to those obtaining in Europe. When' Sir Thomas Linton recently sent a challenge for the America Cup he stipulated that the race should be under Now York Yacht Club rules, but tho club, , after considering the position, decided that tho challenge could not be accepted, on the ground that no modification amid be permitted in tho conditions governing the race. Sir Thomas was naturally disappointed, but with sportsmanlike courage declared that ho would still challenge if ho could find a designer to assist him. "If I can got any British, yacht designer of international reputation,"' he said, "to build me a boat under the old conditions —the conditions on which tho' New York Yacht Club now insists —I will challenge again. I don't like to do it, because, under those circumstances, tho new challenger would have to bo even more exaggerated and sailing her at all, is one I hate to take, even for the sake of winning back the Cup. ]!in 'freaky , than tho last. Tho risk of sending such a boat across tho Atlantic; or even of afraid, however, that even if I take it there is no first-class designer that will risk his reputation on such an undertaking. It isn't a'question of monoy; it's simply this. i>. decent man won't build a death-trap, and that's what the latest development in 'freak , racing yachts would be like." The points at issue are technical, but the layman can at least understand that a craft built to cross tho.;Atlantic in safety could'scarcely compete on equal tonus with a frail yacht intended onlyfor racinsz in home waters. .■■ • : ■