YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 51, 23 November 1907, Page 9

YACHTING.

(By Mainsueet.)

The yachting season for 1907-08 is now fairly under way. So far the weather has not been all that could lie desired,; but the P.N.V.C. started on its.prograinnie last Saturday in a good two reef north-west breeze. :As .usual, the mainstay of yachting in Wellington proved to be the second class event, both the first and the third class races falling through, for reasons which "Mainsheot" will endeavour to explain later on.

For last Saturday's races the P.N.Y.O. tried tho experiment of chartering a steamer to follow the races with very satisfactory results. The' Pilot was only chartered on Friday morning, and the committee ought, to bo very, well pleased with their experiment. "Mainsheot" hears that tho Pilot has ueen chartered to follow all yacht races this season. A word of praise is also due to Captain 0. P. Jones for the able and efficient manner iil which ho handled the Pilot, giving the -public on board a close view of the .different yaclits, without ;in any way hindering them in their movements. ■ The Pilot will follow the races for first, second and third class yachts oh November 30. The race put on for first-class yachts" did not take place. The Ngaira entered for this race for the first time for several years. She got under, way from her moorings'in Evans Bay all right, but never reached th 9 inner harbour. . In beating up the hay. tna strain proved too-much for her gear,'with the result that the mast was carried away, and necessitated her returning to her moorings for tho day. The other two entrants for the first-class event were the Syren and Waitangi, but through sonic misunderstanding the Waitangi did not go to the] starting dihe. : It seems almost an impossibility to,have & first-class'yacht race in Wellington, as every time for the past few years that a race lias been put on, something crops up, tho result being "no race." .

But "Mainshect" warms, up to a. high, pitch of yachting excitement, (which is chf« ferent to other excitements) when lie thinks of the second-class event. It was a great race. Although only five yachts came/to the line, every one of them made a bid to win, oven the Petrel with her "Dutch pennant.", This race was started from tho Glasgow wharf at 3, p.m., in-the presence of a large number of spectators,-'-most of whom afterwards had a good shilling's worth on the Pilot. Just before'the gun went off as a signal to start, 1 the Muritai; Taiparo, and Petrel werfe rushing for the line, closely rollowed'by the Janet. As the first threo-.wcre right on the lino trie-gun went bang, and the yablits wore away for Halswell. The Mahina was a : few minutes late,'and was streaking across the bay for the line, which she soon .crossed,-and then set sail .after the'-pacfr-makers: The Muritai, Taiparo, Janet, and Petrel hung together all the way to Halswell, the Muritai holding a,slight advantage, besides being.the weather yacht. The Muritai close, hauled around, the buoy in fine stylo with the Janet, Petrel, and Taipare right' on her stern, and thc;Mahina still in the rear. It was on tho beat to Korokoro thai the Muritai ran away from the bunch. With two of the crew forward-to keep '"-her .at it she'simply -bumped"; her way through, tho heavy seas, nearly every other ono coming aboard, but still increasing her lead;all the time. On the first lug to. Somes Island the little Taipare hung ,tho Muritai like a leech, but on the second board-Uia Muritai gradually shook her off, although the Taipare still plugged n£ it:" "Mainshect" thought the Janet and Petrel would have made, a better, showing than, they did. l3oth seemed-to make a considerable amount, of leeway,, especially the Petrel."' While'on her second board the Petrel weathered the Janet on her first. ■ ,0n getting into calriic'r water tho Janet got through the water at a good pace, and left the Tetrel to occupy the rear position, -i All, of a sudden the Manilla scmncd'to-come from nowhere. While the other yachts had been.thrashing their way to Korokoro, leading off on tho port tack, tho Manilla"had stnnd over to Kaiwarra way on the starboard tack, looking for calmer water, and perhaps flukes. Just as the Muritai and Taipare were making the'buoy the Mahina seemed to bob up serenely between'theni; and now tho 'fight began in real earnest. The Muritai was the first to fetch the fi.br > koro buoy, but tho Mahina rounded a tew minutes later, with the Taiparo still hanging on. The Janet was the n->xt. around, followed by the Petrol five minutes later. On the run to Halswell the Taipare and Petrel sot biillooners, and the Janet tried to set a spinnaker, but failed.

The Mahina continued .to pick up lost water oil the Muritai, but the latter battled gamely on, and was still a-minute and a half ahead at Halswell, while the Janet had overtaken the Taipare, and the; Petrel had picked up a minute and a half on .the run. Before the Magazino had been passed the Mahina had shortened the gap considerably, and w-is only three-quarters of a minute behind. On Hearing the wharf the Muritai close halved to windward so as to he near, the judge, while tho Mahina freed his sheet, to obtain any ncl r vantage in tho anglo of-the starting, line. Great excitement prevailed .on the wharf as to who would be first over the line, and the Muritai was nearly robbed of the honour, as she just scraped over with only ten seconds to spare from the Mahina. The Janet was a good third,, the Taipare close up fourth, and tho Petrel fifth. - A peculiar thing about tlio race was that the Muritai was limit Boat' with..twelve minutes, but. she won from scratch, although the Mahina would Have beaten' her had she started] .to time; 'The Taipare, with seven-minutes, takes second prize, and the Janet, with four minutes, takes third prize. ' -

Guy Hoggard- hadrthc helm on .the Murx tai and he ought to very well pleased with his efforts. Tho Muritai's s win shows that if she is handje-d properly, as she .was'oil .Saturday, the boatjhat beats her will-'navd bcr work cut out. -.-_■■ ;(.

The Mahini? seems a tricky craft. For somo races she appears to bo tired and sluggish, and the very next Saturday' she will come to, light and make,a clean sweep.' Take Saturclav for instance.. The Mahina was deservedly scratch yacht then, .and "Mainsheet" hopes that Dr.' Pell will'always get the same speed out of her as he did last Saturday. '-\ ' The Taipare is a sailing wonder. It was great to sec this little .craft clinging '.o boats twice .her size, sometimes looking as if she Was going to beat" them. Of .'course the sailing of the Taipare-is, a great factor in her success, and Righot knows a '..thiiy or two 'about yacht racing. ■ Br. Makgill's Janet on the "day's sailing was not what one would call a success. ."Mainsheet" does not think the boat- Was solely to blame. .It is a somewhat unusual spectacle to see a yacht racing to windward under mainsail alone as the. Janet did on Saturday. The excuse put forward is that the Janet enrriej; too much lee helm uW;r close-reefed mainsail and jib. How auout reefiing the jib and setting it,inboard?.- ~. . The Petrel was also a failure on the days racing. She started out from the boat, harbour with "two reefs down in a fairly ripe mainsail and a single headsail. In tlio backwash the sail parted and shelter was taken under the wharf, where the third reef was put down with less success' than the second, as'the outer leech parted just as she. crossed tlio'starting line. Beating to windward, tho Petrol, unlike tho Janet, appeared to bo carrying too much headsail (jib and staysail), and' as a result made a troinendo-.ig amount of leeway. Tinder favourable circumstances "Mainsheet" is of opinion that both the Janet and Petrel will take some beating.

Birch and Carney's Mahaki did her best to start in the third-class event, but'carried away her peak lashings and- had to retire to the boat harbour. Fletcher Brothers' Jlalna also, attempted to beat up; Evan's Iky, but had to'give it up as a» bad job. It was just as w;ell as the race was postponed till tnis afternoon. • ' :\ *

On Sunday (hard north-west again) the Waircre, Janet, Petrel, and Muritai put -in the day at Scorching Bay. The Nancy stair sheltered under Ward Island, the Atalanta under Somes Island, and the Syren ?jich-

■' ored at Lowry Bay, while tho rest stopped at..homo. "Mainsheot" noticed that uptn Saturday-and Sunilfty'were-spent ashore, by the "launchers," rli.soussing what they .would, do/when the weather., broke. Coming jioiiiu frdm Scorching Bay ihe.Muritai again presented a stem yiowV'tb'tho Petrel and; Janet."Mamshcet" pleased -to treseiv-o Mr. Swan's letter (published iii last weekfy ■'.■"■'.■■ notes) and which fully explained.itself. r^Ur?.,' Swan has the sympathy of "Mainshe6t'/''ancl. ' all .yachtsmen over,,>thq Syren missing'thd second-class racing, l ' but tho writer is stlll'.'i'l': ; the.opinion.that the Syren was placed iirthir , .first class in th'p',;besfc interest. ' of:-the : , P.NA'.C. and yaobting; also.that,'•liko'A'ho' .' . Tajparc, she will' have,' before'-the'^season' : . has,, very far advanced, fully justified ner. ■ promotion.. . ~.,.■,,,. ..'■*''"' has.-boen asked to givo all •-*■ those interested another reminder" about the Pilot next Saturday/afternoon. -Sho^will leave tho'wl'mrf at'2.'4s,'returning after : wit- ■■:■ ness.ing the starts, and then following'-ft-hc ; i "'■'.■ yachts all the wiiyTound'tho course'' ."'", \ ,-V . . •■'-■.■'■■•■■"-.' -' '. ■ .•„.".»',■•:.; .;■ '-'.^: swimming. «-;«-•>>»- ; '. J....... (By--Shush.) ■ the Swimming season wasM'ormally operiol'. ■ oh Saturday last with a series of races held. ; under the auspices of the Wellington centre.; 45 3-sths. for the''7s yards handicap/ musthave dpne.less than 3Qsecs. for the 50 yards;' Roßerts 'In'ado ' 'special'' starting; pliuige.' j.t'McDonnkl 'was present- .--at last Saturday'smeeting', and, to.my mind 1 , was favourably treated by tho handicapper, es- ■ pecially in the 100 yds.; but:did; not start;;' ■:■ C. Brice swaiii'yely well. He ran' ? a':fi| ; risk with ins chalice'" by' swimniing in"tiie boys' race which was swum after the heats of the 50 yards, just before tho final of that '.-; race. Brice 50 yards, ! and :.caine., second in .the bbys'.c.v.'.'•■'. ':'...-. 'k'lfC'Harty, a new arrjval, a lengthy lad, jias. .it fine kick, and shb'nld'develop: into-a'-first^ ■ rate'swimmer: . .' ■, < R. W. Hill, who competed at Thbrndon.on Saturday, was hero a couple of seasons aeo. ; - Hill is "a good long-tlistance swimmerV tlic • . class of iiecded here. •: '•.-.■'■-J *'.".'.j-; R. P. Staples, captain and founder.; of ..thij. iY.M.C.A. Club, leaves for Christchurch' oh Saturday. Mr. Staples has'been handicapper, ■secretary, treasurer, and vice-captain of fli'e'" club, and Mr. Jj. is now secretary, ..with. J.. ..Wilson assistant secretary., Mr. r p\ : lark . slioiiltl make a good secretary; he was "bn'd Of thd'tirst members of. the'club, but for the last two seasons-has'beon in Auckland.-~-V' The Wellington''Club lias been "jCgbod: '■ father to the sport in iWollingtbn,. especially; ; one member, Mr: Tom Shields. '."Mr.;->-W'i> 'J'. l ' Churchward, in telling the history "bf> Swifts Club on Thursday.evening,,jSaidj'Mr. ' Shieldsat tended the Swifts first me^tijigs ; apd supplied!rules,- etc.; thcri^thftblulijiputjprirfi race for the Swifts at one of theiKcarmTals'. Previous to .this, when the Tjhor.ndoji .gliib was formed, tho Wellington Club's ;e,onii • mittee kttended in a bods[ i .^nd..all J ; ; joinecijiiie . new club.- More recently, when thb.iY.-.-MCU.Aji , 'Club was being fomed, Messrs. H. A.,- An^- .;'-.. erson and H. E. Audprsoii attended the rije.bt-„' ing and'gave the club the necessary' informa-., ■ . tion. ft the prjCsent time Mr-; Shields Ik" working : hard ror the yppflge's't"; club'-Srth'b, ■':. Boys' Institute'.----- ; ■ '.. :,i,..,.-.

. E.Muller, onc-of-Wanganui's best swimmers, is at present in town on a holiday. ~ A private letter received' from F. W. Springfield, the young Quecnslandcr, by Mr.' A. Somorville states that there has been some talk of sending tho Queensland champion Homo to take part in the Olympian games to held in July, : 1908: -A good deal depends upon how the Queensland swimmer gets on in the Australasian' championships. If ho succeeds in winning the three long races he , will probably have a good chance of getting the trip. According to a private letter'received from \ Brisbane, R. Hsrrimer is swimming very well this season, and is looked upon as the pro.bable winner of the 100 yards Queensland ohampioriship. •'•■ '•. ■• ~' F. \V. Springfi,cid, v . of Queensland, is to fun for the three-quarter mile.to-day.