YACHT RACING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 413, 23 January 1909, Page 8

YACHT RACING.

ANNIVERSARY DAY REGATTA. A HEAVY "BLOW." .The anniversary regatta under the auspices of tho Port Nicholson Yacht Club was . : held yesterday in a heavy north-westerly , blow, which compelled practically every boat to reef down, and found a numbor of weak spots in the gear of tho smaller craft. The hrst event of the day was a rating race for the eight-metre class, only two boats, Ma. lima and Janet, competing. The Mahina, sailed by Dr. Fell,. got the best of tho start, and flew away towards Jerningham ~ with a strong leading wind, but it was apparent that she was carrying too much sail, with only oho tuck in'her mainsail and full jib and staysail. The Janet was five minutes lote crossing the lino, but sho got through the water, in great.stylo under a reefed mainsail and one jib, which enabled her sailing master, S. Forbes, to drive- her. After rounding Hhlswell for tho thresh to Korokoro tho Mahina lost some of her lead, and by the time the buoy was reached the boats were on oven terms. Whilst off Koro-koro the Janet, which was banging through the seas, lost her fore hatch, and put back to pick it. up. From this point on she took the lead, and eventually won fairly easily, with eight minutes in hand. The third-class race attracted four starters, Taipare, Nanoya, Karaha, and May. Taipare got the best of the start, and appeared to leave her opponents from the jump, but Nanoya, which had been left on the line, came' along in hot .pursuit. Taipare led all the way round tho course, and finished an easy first, with Nanoya second and the other two a long way behind. Karaha, however, took second

place on time allowance. Dauntless, Tuna, and Teßhuna were'the only starters in the fourth-class race, which resulted in a win for Dauntless,, with Tuna a fairly good ■second, and Te Rhuna, which was 4£ minutes late starting, a bad third. Of the others that came out for this race, Nikan carried away- her mainsail, Malua carried away one of,her chain plates,. and Warehou snapped her bobstay. The races for 16ft. half-decked, boats had to be postponed on account of the weather. There wero twelve entries for this class, the biggest field of the day, but it was quite .impossible to get the event off, most of the would-be starters making' back to the boat harbour through the feathery waves under jib only. The coal hulks' boats race was. also postponed. Seven boats towed. out,for the second-class handicap in the. afternoon, the wind having freshened with the rising tide. Dr. Makgill's Janet took the lead from the starti and arrived home first, three minutes ahead of the Viking, which was a couple of minutes in advance of tho Atalanta. Mahina was riest, about eight minutes behind; and.then came : Patronus a' minute later and Syren seven minutes further/away. Tho Syren was eight minutes late starting, Nancy Stair was two minutes late, and Patronus five minutes late. Nancy Stair's jib carried, away near the island, and she retired from the race. After deducting time al- . lowarices, Viking took first prize, Atalanta second, and Patronus third. 'Malua, sailed by ; B. Stirling, and: a

lhorndon Dinghy Club crew, Tuna sailed .'by 1. Pet]iorick,-and the To Rhuna were the only starters for the fourth-class event, and the. meeting of the two first-named boats was watched with interest. Tuna .got the best of the start, but by the time the Halswell buoy was reached the Malua had gained most, of the lost ground, and she,gradually wore her opponent down as the race proceeded. Malua arrived.homo "seven minutes in advance of and carried off the first prize. ' Taiparq and Nanoya were the only competitors in the third-class race, May and -Karaha not starting. The Taiparo led all' round the course and finished with 11 minutes to; tho good, leaving her tho Winner by .one minuto after taking tho Nanoya's tinio allowance in. - .^Tho' Cruise's.were as follow:—No. 1 course: Fnnpjstarting lino- between the end of tho Glasgow "Wharf" and the destructor chimney to and around tho Point Halswell buoy, thence to, and around buy off "Korokoro. .back to-Halswell,- and then-to the starting line. No. 2 course; From the starting line-'to'.and around Halswell, buoy:' thence to buoy between Kaiwarra and Ngahauran'ga, back to Halswell buoy and: to the starting line. ■' / The races for half-decked boats, which had to be postponed, will probably: be held today. V' ■■.-■■ . .-....; •; Officials for tho regatta were:—Cbmniov? ro ' rT r n \ H -. MakgiU '' vice-commodore, Mr. E. C. E. Mills; rear-commodore, Dr Fell; starter, judge, and timekeeper, Mr J Cairns; hon. handicapper, Mr. J. M'Lean • committee, Messrs. B. Donne, H. Chisholm! E.,Fletcher, S. E. Forbes, W. Highet, and . A;. .Holmes; hon. treasurers; Messrs; : A ■Holmes and S.'E.?Forbes; hon."secretary; Mr.,Fred.;Cooke. : . '•'.■'/ . Details of the racing are as.follow:— RATING RACE (8 metre' class) .-No I ■ -course.- First prize, £10. Janot (Dr. Makgill), scr. (12k. 54min 9see.) i... .... -y Mahina (Dr. Fell), scr. (lh"."2min'."s7sec.'j 2 ' Iho only starters. ■'■.

THIRD-CLASS! YACHTS HANDICAP.-No ' £2 C °l0 rSe ' Fllsb in '' m > £s'>5 '> second, prize, Taiparo. (Brower and Highet), scr. (lh 17rnin,) ... ' 1 Karaka (C. Fordham), 20min. (lh."somin. - j 2 Nanoya,(A. Holmes), smin. (lh. 39min. 3 Also,started:-May (L. Smith), 15min.. FOURTH-CLASS YACHTS HANDICAP.- _ ■ No: 2 course. First prizo, £4. ■ Dauntless (C. Cording), scr.'(l2h. 50min. . , 48sec.) ... '...- ' j Tuna (Aub. Smith), 2rmn. "(12h. "fJGmin.'j - 2 Te Rhuna (E. Charlcswbrth), lOmin. (Hi. 27mm.) ... _. g SECONp-CLASS YACHTS" HANDICAP.- . Nod course. First prize, £5; second. £2 10s.; third, £1. . . - ' Vikiiig,(C. Headland), 20min. (-lh. 4lmin ■'- 12sec.) .. . .... ... i Atalanta (W.,Hales), 13mi'n! (4h'."44min" , , 36sec.) . ... • ~; g Patronus (W. Crawford), "20miii".'.' (4Ji'' ■!..■' 53miu. 38sec.) i ... A ' g. _Also started: Janet, '4min. (4h. 38min. 15sec); Malnna, 7min. (4h. 52min. 20sec.) ■ byren. Bram. (5h.); and Nancy Stari,' 20min THIRD-CLASS YACHTS HANDICAP -No • 1 course. First prize, £5. . .'■: Taipare (Brewer and Highet), scr. (5h ■ : 3mm. 205e0.) ... .. 1 Nanoya.(A. Holmes), : lOmin. (sh'.'i4min' .■:■ 22sec.) . ... : '. ■ _;_. " n . The only starters. • "'..-. '" . '" •' FOURTH-CLASS YACHTS HANDICAP-->r , ,™ 2 00ur se. First prize, £4. Malua (Fletcher Bros.) 4min, i Tuna (A. Smith), 4min. . "' '" o T6 m , Rh ' l " 1 , a (E -' Charlcsworth)', 15min. '" 3 The only competitors. MOTOR BOATS. Two races for motor boats wore set down on the programme, and one was got off, but tho second had to bo postponed on account of the heavy sea. Five boats camo out lor the first race, which fell to Mr. L. Palmer's Vida, with Don and Stacev's Britannia second, and Mr. Johnson's J. and W. third. The race was started under the Mark Foy system, the handicaps being-.—Britannia scr., Puriri and J. and W. 13min., Vida 19rain., and Tender 38min. Tho boats completed the first round of tho course at tho following hours ■— Tender, 12h. 22min.: Vida 12h; 29min.; J. and.W., 12h. 32min.: Puriri 12h. 34mm. 30sec.; Britannia, I2h. 38min. The end of the second round shewed the times:—Vida, lh. Bmiu. 12sec; Britannia lli. Bmm. 48sec.; J.; and W., lh. 16min. • Puriri, lh. 20min. 12sec; Tender, lh. 29min! The race that was postponed will bo cot off to-day. ''~ THREE CAPSIZES. The morning spectators who gathered at the boat harbour to seo tho preparations for, and tho beginning of, the day's racing were treated to two capsizes at about 11.31)' The first was Mr. A. Aldrcd's Irox, which turned turtle when running beforo tho gale from the-Glasgow Wharf to tho dock. Tho two occupants of the boat wore picked up by Mr. Patterson's launch. Tho second capsize was the scow Rival, sailed bv Mr, S M'Willianis. This little packet met with' misfortune at the outset of her cruise, emptying her crew of three into the water at, the

entrance to the hoat harbour. "Whilst the halfrater Dauntless, which lias the reputation of being ono of the smartest handled boats in the harbour, was cruising', about waiting for the start of the fourth-class raco in the afternoon, having already won tho first raco of .the day,;she was struck by a heavy squall and capsized in tho middle of tllo harbo.ir. Her crew of four clung to the bottom of tho boat until tho Malua and a launch came along and assistance. In each of the accidents the yachtsmen were, picked up bororo they had been in the water many