YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 9

YACHTING.

(Br Mainsheei.) ' " - . . COMING EVENTS. Feb,\l.—Handicap races for Ist class yachts ■ 'for Mills Memorial. Fob. 14.—Handicap races for Ist, 2nd, and 3rd class yachts. Anniversary Day! What an ominous word that is ..'to .local'yachtsmen.. For tho last four [or Eve years, tho weather has been real Wellington; quality—a galo, but January 22 last was- an , exception .which - enthusiasts ■availed-themselves-fof -in an enthusiastic manner. in which:the boats rolled .up, to the: starting .lino more, than recompensed those who had hustled: to. make .tho rsgjitta a success—and'it was a-success: .---: ■ -Tho first,raco' on."the programme-was for Ist class yachts',., arid tho, two Wditangi and Ngaire, looked exceedingly well. >A» . this was tho first raco • 'held- under the now; international.rule,- it;should to .interesting.to soo how, ; the results paiu'out iwhdn the,Ngaira's measurements aro. secured. Tho vV.ajtangi as., usual bolted, and came in with 20min. losec. to ;t-ho- good. ■ The Ngaira sailed a good when sho is in proper racing-trim- she!should do'hotter,still. : The 2nd' class, rating race, ; as usual, was keenly contested by .;the - six; boats that entered/ This race.also being'under the new international rule,'; it' could .not'bo decided, as some of the measurements of the yachts were not'available, so that the yachts were all out"' throughput the course, not'know-ing-what .the;' handicaps were. , The Syren walked homo first.' to nobody's astonishment; closely followed l>y that game littlo-racer— Janet. 'J)r. Fell's Mahina was close on. the Janot, with. Wairere,.Petrel, and Nancy Stair following. : • -'■ ; This race, from ali' accounts, was " full. of excitement, and a knowledge of the rule of tho i;oad was found - 1 to" be a much safer asset:.than trying conclusions with'a larger boat. At one point of the race the Mahina was forging along dead . on/, the run'with spinnaker out .going for the buoy,- when tha .Janet came ih at a slightly different angle, 011. tho wrong tack to be sure,'but'still tliey 011 getting there before tho Mahina. Ihoy did, but Jt'was as narrow a shav.o as 0110 will meet Tii"a. day's march". -Fancy the Mahina boarding you in-a-breeze like Anniversary. Day!, Tho Wai'rerb is aptly called "A hard luck ship," for in every raco they havo just'missed getting, there; although she is • sailed by as ;a crew as could bo found. On regatta-day- tho - . Wairere was' sailing like "a bird whon, ■ to' cap ' everything, she carried away her cross-trees,-'efc., putting her, "hors do combat-."- Th^'Petrel-,aid' not win, hut then a bird woiit. fly - without wings—-even tho best, of birds—and,until she-gets; some good sails sho'. will not bo'up in tho front conspicuously. '' Tho.Nancy Stair -looked very well with her new sails, but did not show lip as well as she-should have. done. ' . . 1 lie 3rd class race was tho most picturesque 0110 , of. tho day. -To seo the': twelve..boatsgetting away to an excellent start did'a. true yachtman's'heart good. "'Somo-of--the elder men .said there was - more enthusiasm displayed over' this race than any for many: years. _ To see.,the' two new boats, Luna-'and Quepnie, jlist launched the night before from Bringins and Bailey's yard, getting' off the. mark all spick'and'span, boded ill for any easy-going , crow out that .'day. Tho Tuna secured . a: rattling start' with her fast little : opponent the Dauntless hard in her tracks. Then in order camo tho Queenie, Nikaii, .Malua, Mahaki,- May, To Khuiia, Taipare, Harrier, ltata/.-aiid Moana all clustered together. , "As-the'boats, spread out to. the .fresli breeze the camera hend was hard at work-taking snapshots/ ' ' - <■"- ..The race was short but merry, and as the. boats luffed up to the wharf after the event you could catch a few-words from tho dripping, crows, such as "Righ'£ : up on end and ■half filled!" "One leg'oll the centre plate!" |'.'Mainsail-flat 011 tho water !" But for all i' this they: agreed it was a -iipleridid rate,' and tKe'Dauntless showed her; heels' to the bunch. Tho -Taiparo had hard luck iu carrj'ing away her bowsprit, otherwise a.different tale may havo'boen told. The Turia made an excellent showitfg for; an 18-fopter,: and comment is uec-dless when wo'learn that T. Bailey, of Auckland, built and sailed her.A boat that also deserves mention ia Messrs. Smith'aiid Charlcsworth's Te Rhuua. Sho is amateur built-, but- does 'not look'it. Sho' does credit to': her , builders.' Sho is a typo of boat—if \vou'are going to have centreboard boats—which is most suited to this harbour, as she is staunch and■ seaworthy. A Patiki class would ""be, one; which tho P.N.Y.C. should consider, next season, ;as -. they would-make an excellent class by themselves. i ' - :'. Tho Queenio .was a .boat which, showed up well considering her build.. Tho Malua had "hard luck," but is'/ so rumour has it ; en-' deayouring to regain- her laurels': in a : private match -with -'another.-boat, which came up remarkably well iivthe 3rd class-raco. . Good luck. to. both of them.': Tho .Nikau was outsailed by her beamier'rivals, as.also wero the Mahaki- and May.' Tho little 14ft. Moana clung to her big opponents like a Britoii. Mr. Freeman's Rata 1 carried iiway some gear or sho.must have come well up. The 14it. race was" interesting, : and th'o local enthusiasts, received a .shock- when, ■ the visitors frotn Petone'sailccl tho .Mahau in an easy'first. 'In the afternoon-tho. racing ,was/not. so' good. Tho Ist class-'was abandoned, as the Ngaira carried away tho jaws: of ho'r gaff arid could not race.'; The, Mahina did-the same riajitical 1 feat,, a'hd .tho Wairere was unable to. effect . repairs in time.' . j v ; ' - :1! -. ,

' Tho 2nd class<race resulted -in a.'win"-for Syren, with Nancy Stair, and Taipare third: Tho 3rd class racers'did 'nbtj lose 1 ail •atom; of., tho.. enthusiasm -displayed!,in-.the morning, tho.raco being fought put handsomely. /l'ho first.placa came to tlie'Queehie with her allowance of 13min, whieh proytd' a very popular win. Tho Dauntless 1 came second.;- Tho third' boat'. \va? ■: the.Malua,; which showcd'up better iiV this race.": - ; . The. men-o'.-war cutter; .'sailing-, race, was quite a featuro r 6f'the:day... ; ' J'en\c'itters-and. three Volunteer. Naval. cutters 'started,'" and what a mixed.- s£art":it'. wjfa. I v'-They,; sailed. a keen race;.in .fact, ...threb",boats' sailed too keenly and swamped,: but that, w in passing and of no coiisequencd" sinco.'inb . mishap occurred. Tho Promtheus's, 28ft. cutter, cams first, with I'owerful's "-:2Bft;, cutter -second. This' latter boat . was /protested against' for not haying rohnded ono of tlio buoys. . The matter was":left in the hands of. tho. Fleet Sailing Committee, who. disqualified- the boat and gavo; seebnd-: placo to tho. third boat, tho Powerful's.32ft. cjitteivi-v

In tho first.race,, 3rd class, tho Dauntless had tho misfortune to pass the Kaiwarra buoy on the wrong side, and tho committee were bound,-to givo the first prizo to the next boat-, as ,t-li6 Dauntless had not iu reality sailed tho: course. It is-rather hard on the Dauntless, but still tha rules must be enforced or.; otherwise, they need not be thero at all.

.On tho whole the regatta -went off splen- ; didly, and if tho smoke not been so ' dense, tho harbour would 'have presented a pretty picturo indeed. The yachtsmen de- ; servo to be congratulated, and if they keep up thoir present progress they will ero long have reached-the standard of tho good bid palmy days of Port. Nicholson, when yachting was a sport pre-eminent in tho, minds of : young and old.', - Yachtsmen may also look forward to a;club house, and onco that is ' obtained,; together, with a certain'fixed abiding placets a shelter for-tho boats, thero-is no tolling, what to. expect, because wo have tho young moil who only want encouraging a littlo and they will become ardent yachtsmen. ■ Tho Port Nicholson Yacht Club held races for 2nd and-3rd class yachts last Saturday. Thero was a very stiff breezo from tho norths east and a heavy sea. .Tho 2nd'class race only brought : forth : throb startersTho Janet (scr.), Wairero (Imin.), Petrel (12min.). , Tho Janet got tho best: of tho start and led all the way round the course, closely Mowcdy by tho Wairero. On tho beat to windward tho Janet weathered tho Wairero in the big sea off Somes Island and rounded Koro-Koro buoy ljmiri. to tho good. Tho Petrel rounded 12min. be- - r " hind tho Wairero. On the run to Halswell tho boats al] : sot'.spinnakers,''and did vory good work, but on rounding. Halswell tha Janet drow away from tho Wairero mid finished 3min. lOscc. ahead of her, Tho Petrel came in 14min. later. Tho first priro 1 falls to'tho Janet, with Petrol second: : /Tho-'Moana and To Rliuna woro tho onlystarters in tho. 3rd class, . and' as tlio Moana had tho best of tho-start by lomin. tho' l Te Rhuna gave up after, rounding Halswell, Tho

■r' Moana takes first prize ' which ;.she well - do-, serves, as it was no simple,''day 'tor half- - .detked boats-, and l her owners hught to be well . - pleased with; tho seaworthiness of their little craft. : . : c " >"r e ;-"V'y. Sunday turned out a. lovely day with 'a •• light -south-west breezd ami all' the cr,ift 'in" the. harbour turned ,out for a- sail or steam.'. Several of tho yachts looked very prelty-with. . : their, .club ■ topsails set.;• .:pf ' thoSe. the'.' War.ero out on her own. li,r- IVtrel,". i AVairere, Janet, Ivaiicv Stair, and' Uuilu 'all . ■/ anohp'red-. iri : , Sfatonh'; for./dinner,.^nd.;iii. aftolnoon : vsoveral..of. tho?yaehtsmen Vere 1 • ; tfoated to a . spin m tho Auilu up the oil-'' trance -under full ,:sail- and., engine. •. Tho Kotiri' washout .-for a tnal-run aXld looked vary,.well:, as: sho heat-up the entrance. Whitowmgs. Ngaire, and Viking were tishnig" off Ward's Island 1 A coricsj»nde'it u rit.es —"Should t]i)S, column meet. th? oyo' of .-the- captains of Joqal-. ,-/.fefrjrsteaixWrs.-:aiiu > they;will -blush to think of-tho. numlier ; uf' trmes. t,hoy.-: have •violated : the . rulo Of tho. road -and - forced :tho ; sailing.-:boats--of-.thisj. harbour to. bow down,. to.-.-thbir size. • -Tho - sailing oraft know; the..rules, of tho rOad . well as tho brass bound skippers --.on:steam'. packets, - and unless Yachtsmen's> rights, aro, . J '.. respocted".theroM'')ll : bo : trouble. :nv. tho air.- _ />achtinc- men do. not want anything morp ..-..-than.'•-them.*' legal and . would not. cxorcisfivthoia.to the'discomfort,of a stcaftier,. / littlo:, moro-.,;-consideration ( I3i shown-tho'T.Jy.l.C.' should tako-tho matter.,. ; up o;i behalf-of its, yachts and . launches." - .ThoviMjUs' Menmrial ./lrophv. to bo raced for ,on 'February>l",i proiniks to bo an c-sciting, raco.v lho -AVaitsngi, Ngairej::and:Syren.h3VOi all: chtered,- -. Should: the aitangi'wm..this,. ; rare tho trophy will pass-mto. .Mr. M'Loairs pOssessioiv for goodi as last timo it was i»cedi . for,- the Waitaiigi.cumo homo tho wituiet::- ai/'Xovr thai,rachting is progrossiiig.So wel),Ki: WTiteS a: correspondent 1 the. above. ; . "ir,.would help,the. sport considqrahlvufj6ome f ' people would .-take adr.a.utago of. thp opphr-. , tumty a.ud present a similar trophy,for Tifikh i ■ 2nd and ,3rcl: clas? yachts. That thev.would'. ■ he. keenly raced for-there, is Jin-dotlbti'.and.r the secretary of the club would be, onlv Loqf. pleased .to rcceivo anv trophies which ..those .interested Jn tho sport are desirous of glV- ' h ,r' A .Wellington'yachtsman'now resideut UK Dunedm -givcs -.time ,interesting particulars . t about; yachting at tbo Southern port in ••i .letter to a.' Wellington friend. Tho- writer . : oonsidors yachting is m a much moro healtllV condition in Otago than it-is ln-Wellington. ,;ThrcO:regattas-.aro held every veari.-and thev.- - are. all a success, .and aro.ruii by, tho vachts--men themselves who are all .rare:enthusiasts '. ; .In tho,writer's iopnuon the Annis-is tho best ■ i boat, from a yacht :j>oint of .view. , -Tlie.; two.: : .other!.cracks .m .tho brsUclass '..artf thoi ... Waimaua,:.both rogular livers Iheso two boats aro about 34ft: overall, 10ft...."beamy and about 4ft.,- draught! - Very littlo -. leadj in lae.t, they are both probablv Under a ton. . .Thebo two ha\e races like the Janet , and Wairerc. Iho Wairuansvand Tucaua do-' , .pend mostly upon their initial stability artd : the. weight of their..crmv to windward.." The .-. 'Annis is a packet . something after- tho stylo .of; ,tho Maiyhiti. same length,:bigger beam,.' v,2 ton 8. cwt.:keol, but only:4fti. Cm. draught- ■ -.Thero t.is,; a. first-class boat called tho $ / Tiie]nia_i; >-omothiiig - after : tho stylo'. ; ot tho .. Muritai, hut .with -moreV good» 'Sea ■ hoat and in a recent blow., she was.,tho Only boat to reach Dunedin. 'The Tucaua took' the ground olf,Grassy I'oiilt. through her jib aiidi.sheet/hridlo earryiug. away. She' was , launched agaiu without jnuoh tr'oublo and put bjick-.to Broad Bay for the jiight., The : ;A'.entura-aud Eileen,(skimmersV both turned ~ it: uj), aild the Roma blew, out her mainsail!' - rJ'W'e Jiad.a lovely, regatta ,here at, Broad Bay, J^ew-Year-Br.DAy,'' continues the'lfittoj'i' "I counted over 40 yachts sailing, ht once,-~-aad oror;30 launches,, and >iii olio launch race, there were 20 sHiftcrs. Jt was tho host"" sighfc I hilvo evcrlfiocu and tho racing was greAt. . cnurso 3 {en ,the- yachts v/as a small : -trtMigfe,; and four q round, but'thore was!; Jill beat fp'windwApl. , They start hero tho K a 2M^^ s^ n ■ r ...., sfcß/Hflg'dino offl-w yards. '.. Hciv wtiiilcl iti/i' 1 VioljmgtAn first-class yachts get on'in l -that smalli.spacr, Thcrp was no.Senihlamcv of a smasp, ,-aijn every: body, observed; the rulo. ofthe road) 3]kl what a lovelv <,tart! 'Bang went tho gtm, and' they all jumped over tlio' , Into togetjie.r. •. was ' superb ' 3 treat, trt .wituess. ; . : "There was !i f-nr breeze at the start, which favoured the Tunana, tho scratch boat,which made up her tiriio'on th'o first" rouil<l .ind seemed,to havo tho raco won. : Ifi'tho seeo'iifl ronnd a most exciting ovont,happened which spmled' the race for tlie Tuoana. Tho wirtd f<iirto,a Taddy's Hurricane'- for about half-: an-hour. and thru a light air sprang up trom i :--* tbo .jrhich brought' the'rear,boats; : m ■ n ,°, stylo. ,-,ln tho meantime the, 'j.^^'] stiJl aheiirl,:stood right' ilito j Hroad Bn looking for ■ lrg, , n d lost the, wind completely Although oily '0 virds crew;,had, ; to.bo eontc'nt with stahd-'< inR bv and watching tho Waimaua. Matt*:'-! Carina, and Thelma pass horL'bjV-AVltlf "aviilco: breeze Tho wmd seemed.to como doim in.straight shift,, and -its: extent was clear]v defined by tho mark on the water. . Tho raco • ua, evcntu.lh ?011 the M-itui—i fiu o ; , little Auckldnd-huilt .packet of . the T-iiparo ' brood, and a regular ricrhorif She is also '!5 ovll o§.i' 1 goldmine, for her owners, o* she" ifon i 2-2 in two davs Seems to run in tbo' 1 Ajpzi-TQ ■ hrecd- " y i ; ..1 rofessor Scott, of Lyttelton, is-a sport ' and ej'ery >ichtsmau m tho harbour knov,s i'v :^'\ a ded; tho . .Yvoiino. down from" ljjtwlton to rare for i cup sulwribed ind . presented by tho Duiiodiii yachtsmen, and ho-. aiso_n4ld a, try. ,it Port.Chulmors-1-ogatta " Ho bad hard luck in. losing both' races, biit ' r r.nemgJ.'sHch; a-bulky; packet, ' had J to give iwij a lot of time, but ho hid tho sitisfiction of aettirg o\er tho lino fir t on! bOtJi «ocasiOnß. -■ ;dn a raco .in"».iv'good SeSway'' fj)o local yachts would 'aot,:seo tho'''way'."thV' > ronne,went. Tho Yvonne's'\v-indward work! was a real,eye-opener. to the Dunedin vanht- 1 ' Aoyfray;,Profe^or : Scott had a glood itimo» in Dunedin, andwillvbe down again toitrv' and bring his racing flag out on ton: . Good'! luck to him!' .. 5