YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 92, 11 January 1908, Page 9

YACHTING.

(By Mainsheet.)

COMING EVENTS. ' " ' Jan. IS. —Third race for 14-fqoters t and Handicap race for Ist class yachtsv Jan. 212. —Anniversary llegatta. Jan. 25.—Handicap races for Ist, 2nd, and 3rd class yachts. '. l''ob. I.—Handicap raccs. for Ist class yachts for Mills Memorial. , . . Jj'cb. 14; —Handicap races for Ist,;>2nd, and 3rd class yachts. "',1...,,..

lleports from Sydney state that in tho "All--,J)ay l'aclit. ltaco for tho: Basin Cup hold un'tier tho auspicies of tho Prince Alfred-): aclit Club tho Fleetwing'.came'. first witli lier time allowanco of 57min., Rawhiti (tho Aucklandbuilt boat) camo second'with her timo allowance of 4min., and Heather third with her timo allowanco of 54min. Evidently Sydney yachtsmen havo a high regard for tho New Zealand production Rawhiti, which last year won tho Basin, Cup, as will bo seen by her scanty timo allowanco of 4min., against Fleetwing's o7inin and Heather's 54min._ Tho courso was 44 nautical miles, embracing 35 miles ,of ocean sailing. Tho boats largo and small started together, tho times to bo deducted at tho finish, which is similar to "tho method adopted by tho P.N.Y.C. with such great success. Tho raco was rather disappointing to yachtsmen,' as throughout tho day tho, breeze was a scries of light pulls from all points of the compass, and occasionally up and down tho mast-. lleports from Auckland, indicato that pur Northern friends aro being blessed with their usual good fortune in having'filio bluo skies and full sail breezes. This;.,may induco numbers to ravo about Auckland's fair weather, but an astonishing, fact remains that tho numbers of Auckland yachting men who visit our city look upon our harbour as a suro death-trap. Tho yachtsmen who prolionnco this vordict aro thoso who have not tried their luck on local .waters. . Olio tiling that rather upsets thorn is tho great way nil tho yachts turn up to tho races whether it is fair weather or foul. Mr. Aubrey Smith, of Oriental Bay, has commissioned Messrs..Bringing and Bailoyof Ballina Bay to build him" an 18-footcr after tho stylo of Mr. J. Smithcs's boat, which was built from a "Rudder" design, and which is a credit to tho builder, having quite' como up to expectations. ' Somo. interesting racing should bo witnessed on Anniversary Day. TV- Napier regatta is being held on March

10,.and races arcibeing arranged'for. patikis aiidyachts;.4hh, prizes in ..each case bcing' ,\ • •£2Stfitst,;£s'Jsecond!-£2. third.Vr-.lf. somo or: \ t thfe'Port," Nicholson craft wont there they should shako, u tho 'Napier'men, up. , t Tho'-Muritai' and-. Waitangi report, a; very.',; ;viw pleasant,.holiday,-in, the/.Sounds,-where both ■■■•• ■■■• ■■ boats havo' boeiiVcruising.. ;,The Ngaira also ,i- , -~.:. has ,boen:;spbpdibg..tho i ..Cliristmas "holidays in tho Soundsi, -Messrs " : Bringins' and Bailey have ; under construction,' a: double ended boat which be- : i.v-.i fore its'" departure for Paremata.will take-part ■: ;m> •# in'tho 3rd class.races on Anniversary Day. Somo \pcal. enthusiasts-- are: » taking ' her,, to . : bo uscd for-fishmg'purposes- m , ; ■ •'•.": _Mr..Davis's.-Nancy .Stair..,•.•is.-.,now..being 1 skippered by'Mr; Ralph Morse,' and- under his . ; management, combined with a fine sot of sails made-b&,Mr;- A. 13.. \Vatty, 6ho ahould :■ show up as-a surprise paoket. '•. •

Tho;. Anwyotsary,--jregatta':to.;;"b6lheld;on-' > January SiJ'promises to bo a great' success, aiidiwith -just tho»faintest, bit: of; fine weathor ' t tho yachts will, make'a great, fight'm every •v , class ■■nsvthore- wilbbe"keen' competition; for - r the honours of tho day ■ Massachusetts; Bay 'has- tho finest fleet !• of'fislmig schooners.m tho world.» They,are ; i modelled, pn..beautiful.lines,.and. -: aro.sca.worthy.craft, as.can.bo.seen.by the-fact that a'beat of,l2s„milcs ilgamst a stiff nor'westor which-woUld" blow:. ' out ' the sticks of tho -:-.•'■ aVorago yachts ls'qmto a common event in those boats. Five. of. these boats competed - in 'tho race for: a " cup' presented ,by . Sir T. ,\, Lipton,. and - with- everything; set to a; Btiff •.,. ;breezo - they* mad®'.a,. great;.picture. ■ , ;Eachv : ... ■ ' boat with its.crew of fifty trained;men mado an«excellentv_showiiig; and when wo recollect : tho leaders ivere'lcovering 10; to -12 miles an ' hour it can. how. excited'the .crows ■: must: have; .been;;:.!:.,.Tho .winner- of .the race*■ Rose Dorothea';''carried aivay her - topmast,:. but was than her competitors . and: just, ma'iiagedto squeeze to windward of the finishing marl: tho other boats'were / ! . compelled .to . putiab'out' as - "thoy : ' failed, to . reach high' enough. These boats go out in all' \veatn'crs : 'right' throughout',tho year,, so that: a> race; such' as this was a holiday.;for • then;. v - ' : Thel editor.'of-the. "Rudder," the American., yachting •: moritlilyi vreferrmg ■to tho ■• America - ' Cup races says*tho: Americans aro-all "suro•tiling .sports'!—thev want, .to win races before- thoy start by. beating the rating, rnla \ whereverj: possible.-."" Ho acknowledges, that .-: i the Americans . built the first freak—why f becauso wo wanted to win'before the gun .goM. • : \ : v 1 ' A', On Saturday - next tlio postponed dinghr racej' of-.the , Port -Nicholson . Yacht. Club .will' :'fp, be^held.;..; l'ho.'courso;will be.rpundvThqrndon',,:;:. ':DiiVghy:*CJub's course,"and Entries-will bo re-, ]ceiv6d-i',br;;Mf.'lj\-,.': Scott,secretary. 'of : tho'; V,, Thornuon Dinghy.'Club..' '.

, f.'lt , is ;' the'':';'Auokland 'yacht Jliru'«;ill, l)o,.vis.i£iiig Wellington shortly, ; and those on tho, look oiit for a good host should baro-'a look oS'cr: ; iho Northern; packet. ;