MOTOR BOATS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 104, 25 January 1908, Page 9

MOTOR BOATS.

■ , (I3y Caedoretioe.) ; Wednesday was not a day for fine weather launches, consequently the number' of starters in, the races was considerably reduced ; but the spectators were more than compensated:by. the exhibition given,by those that braved the wind and sea, it'was anything but-pleasant on the. water, as the hurricane squalls that struck the launches made it almost impossible for the helmsmen to look ahead at times. .The Neola treated' the 'spectators'to a Hue display of diving. ; Some people, oil the .wharf came-to the conclusion ■that, she was trying.to pass a test as a submarine/ Tho'Britannia also'presented a fine .sight- diving -into the lingo seas. at . over eleven' miles ah liour. ; Tho spray at times was being blown fully twelve feet in the air when it struck the front of her deckhouse.' A notable feature of the racing was 'that thero: was not a. breakdown during the day, which goeS to prove than an oil engine, given proper attention and kept in good order, will, run just as well in rough water as in a calm. The-first race, which was a sealed handicap, brought out the. fallowing* starters:— Britannia, Neola, Albert, Jiuiln, and Swan. With the exception of the Neola, which was about half a minute late,' the rest got away well together, and Britannia immediately went to the front and soon had a good lead, Alert, Swan, ltuihi, and Neola' following in. the order named, which position they maintained until Kaiwarra buoy 'was rounded, where the. Neola. passed the others. The same positions were held in the . second round, and the. boats eventually finished in that order.' The liuihi, with -14 minutes start, won easily, finishing 25 minutes behind Britannia, Swan (32min.) being second, and Alert (29min) third. Tho Rnihi was treated very leniently by the bamlicapper, but her good pace was accounted for by the fact that the new two-bladed propeller which she has had on since the beginning of tho season was replaced by tho old'thrce-bladeil one, which certainly showed a mile an hour more speed. Taking into consideration tho fact that her two masts act as a great handicap ifi a strong wind, I would not bo surprised to see tho Ruihi hold the Alert and Swan in calm water. The Britannia would have, done very much better had sho'iiot run short of benzine, in this race, kerosene having to be used to bring her home on tho last round: " ' ...... By four o'clock the wind and sea had increased considerably. The Britannia and.

Standard (scr.) and tho Ruiln (30min.) woTO the only starters in the raco for over 25ft. > boats. The raco was startcd -tHi-tho rMark ; Foy" system,- Huilu being-sent away,,at,..4.' : p.m., and the two scratch boats, .it 'fcSO.p.m. ■ Great excitement prevailcd-as to-wlicther- the- - Standard,; which has a reputation of twelve- ■ knots, would beat the Britannia; but -the •jesuo was>hot long loft iii :..doubt,;;\tjie i :Bfi::; tannia immediately jumping - away from • Standard and going strong- in- pursuit-, of -.the lluihl, whioh i bad riiade,, tho .most,toL her-.. : start; The Britannia gradually'made iipher time, and caught the Ruiln at-tho'-Magazino buoy on tho last round,- and ran: home., a winner by a , little over a . Minute ; from, the Ruihi, and just on ten minutes'.in. front of.. Standard. The 'Britannia's -tiino- forrtho course .was ,simin. ; ißse6. v ;, which";,Vgives,,tho,,. good .speed of. eleven mileS.pec.'Jibilt',in.'.tho ! .! face of a very'strong wind and a'heavy-sea-.;. The race for launches \inder-25ft. -brought-, out' , threo - starters—Neola'/,^(scr.'),'A'AlbeH (Bnun.), and Swan (Stymm.); Swan led from 1 the Alert at the start,; arid-continued''to-do • so until the Magazine buoy., was-.rounded, for. home. Hero Alert, which .had;,been.,gradu-. I ally reducing; the gap,;was 'r'abopt'*; thirty; yards behind,;.and,' steering-;r. -raorq"sputli-' orly .course than Swan,-orossed;the lino 25 seconds in front of her. cola-; shipped 6omo v very heavy seas just- after, thor start of the race, and, as meaint almost- continual pumpingVoh; the thrash : to Kaiwarra, it was decided-to,,return, to, Boat Harbour in quest of some: dry: clothes: 1 Congratulations to Mesws.-' Donno and Stacey on tlni arrival of- their^'hew-launch Britannia. • ltli ono or .two more launches of this type,in; the,harbqur;-'Wellirigtqnwould,; -havoV something ,to be prbudi.of;;;:;The:folloWT; ing particulars about ,{lie 'Britannia ,will -no doubt interest local launch' moil i-r-She is built. diagonally ■ double skin,.",|ririch,' F .-,-kauri, being used tho' planking.;'.;.Her,length is, 36ft. 9in., beam s Oft-;' 3in r v';.Tritli;;2fti. 3iii.. draught. . She lias Va-' '.wt'aleback--dwk-. for-; ward of the deckhouse', composed of' cedar,.- with square windows,at,.the; sides■and; a round port m the front. .. The cabin, which also contains the engino, is nicely finished off in cedar, and is 'about twelve;feet;long, which .leaves an exceptionally-large cockpit canable of holding fifteen -people conifort-'-ably. The engine, which'is a'2o-h'.p.-i-cylin-.; der Britannia, is fitted on a'.bed '.which" ruiis' practically ,t-he whole length of, the-boat:- It' is fitted with high' tension- ignition-,- and has' •a''solid,, propellor with : reversing, clutch.; "A: ' special'feature, of the engine.is. "that-.after"it" ' has been' running about, l ;fivp'--.mjnutes;; oil; benzine, by simply turning,-a_lever it can : b'e, niado to -ruii on kerosene, which-, it.does witli; very satisfactory results;" "The controlling levers are all fitted, on a. at the : ;af£er ' end of the engine, where one..-person "can. con-', : trol them and also steer;'at-the. same .time;Mtissrs., T..~ if.Lane* and;S6n,- ; '' :i ' .builders of the famous' "launches. .Grey. Witch- and Slim Jinij- -fcuilftihe'.. Srit'annia; and arc'to bo-congratvilated;.on-tbe'w,ay;.they; have' finished their work hpt-lrinsido and out.;Now. that Britannia', has'.npr.bved-ilierself v : the; fastest 'launch' in the; haib6ur,;.it!;,is'!tb.'',be hoped tl\at some, sea . sport 4 ,-will';,; order, launch .to'.try and go. a. jittlo?-faft«T 'or-eyen; as fast;as Britannia: V-.,^y---.

Mr. Joostc.n has got tlio': Awarutf!iii',commission .again, awl seems to"lie" getting niiiph; more.speed out of her..now;. than lio.';di<Hast season. . •- -vv ■.*■'•