YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 770, 19 March 1910, Page 12

YACHTING.

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, FIXTURES FOE THE SEASON. ; April 2—Special ■ race for second-class yachts.- . . ■ ■ ' . .

The Port Nicholson Yacht Club last Saturday were able to get off their ocean race, for a trophy presented by Dr. Fell. The race hail been put off twice, once on account of the wind dying away to a flat calm, while, on tho other occasion, the secretary of the club was unable.to obtain a boat to act as a buoy, to mark the course at a point five miles outside Black Rock. The light westerly which provailed last Saturday afternoon brought out four starters for the race, the owners of other yachts which had entered apparently thinking .that the race would be put off on account of the light breeze. Tho four yachts, Waitangi, Janet, Lizzie, and Taipare, crossed the line just os the. gun was fired. The breeze took them as far •as Point. Jerningham, and there petered but. Fortunately, however, a light southerly at this stage began to moke its - presence'' felt, and held out till the competitors had picturesque little Seatoun on the beam, Janet then heading the others. Then the wind veered to the north, and spinnakers were set at once, two of the boats also slinking out topsails. Janet still maintained her lead, and rounded the buoy'7min, ahead of Lizzie, these two boats being followed by Taipare and Waitangi.. Lizzie and Jaiiet then, made a board to Pencarrow, the other two making a short tack in the direction of Island Bay. It' was hero that Waitangi had evidently had enough of it, and turned for home under engine. When Point Halswell was reached, Janet hoisted a spinnaker, finishing Tnim. ahead of the Lizzie, who came second, Taiparo whipping in. On the whole it was rather regrettable that another yacht did not turn out, for that would have meant the award of a third prize. Ideal weather prevailed last Saturday for the T.A.S. Club's ocean race. The .course was once round the P.N.Y.C. No. I—a distance of alxjirt ten miles. Tho starter dispatched tho boats at 2.30, to a fine start, the .boats getting away tof' other.■'". Nan quiokly. took the lead, and ( eld .it.: to Halswell Buoy, which was rounded: in ;the following ' order:—Nan, Redwing, lehmocl,' Rival, Valeta, DoTcen, and Lotus. : Nan lost a Jot'of-.way.-on the beat to ;windward, and was quickly overhauled by all tho boats. Redwing rounded Korokoro- first, -followed -by Ishmael, : Lotus, Rival, Valeta, Doreen, and Nan, in that order. Once on the lead the boats held their ..relative positions, the Redwing finishing first one minute ahead of Ishmael, in the exceedingly smart time of -2hr. 19min. On time allowance Ishmael too first place, Valeta second, and Redwing third. ";.

This afternoon the T.A.S. Club holds a race for a trophy presented, by Mr. H. O'Neill. : ■'■'.■ :

The racing for the second-class yachts is not at an and yet, the secretary of tie P.N.Y.C. having been notified by a well-known local firm of its intention to donate a cup for a race for secondclass yachts,, to be'eailed on April 2, It was decided by. the committee of the P.N.Y.C. that the. course will be:—From the starting-lino, to the Pinnacle Buoy, thence to Korokoro Buoy—keeping on the , town side of Soames Island—and from there home. The cup is to be won outright. \ The launch race held last Saturday was won by Waione (scr.),. with the Puriri second. ■■;■.'-

Mr. E. Charlesworth has disposed of his half-decked patiki Tekhuna. Ho is leaving New Zealand. >

It has been' decided by the Otago Yacht Club to hold another ocean yacht race at Oamarn. The arrangements (says the "Weekly Press") :as far as can be learned are-.—Yachts will leave Taiaroa Head on Good Friday at 7 a.ni., and raco to Oanlaru. The race will be sailed under' the Mark Foy system, should there be sufficient breeze at the start. Skippers of yachts to meet at Eocky Point, Kaik, at 6 a.m., and decide the matter on the day's breeze. Mr. W. J. P. M'Culloch haa consented to allow hia cup for motor launches to be raced for on the same day. This race will be started on Good Friday from the tongue wharf, at 8. a.m., under. Mark Foy system, and finish at Oamaru. Some nine or ten launches are expected to start. On Easter Saturday a regatta will be held under the auspices of tho O.Y. and M.8.C., and races will be put on for fishing motor launches, Otago launches, Otago Open Yacht Eace (handicap), and Otago Cruisers' Eace. It haa been suggested by , some Auckland yachtsmen (says the New Zealand Yachtsman") that to mark the departure of our present Governor the yachtsmen of Auckland should organise and carry out an aquatic display on the Waitemata. It will be remembered that when Lord Onslow left here an _ aquatic demonstration of this description was given in the harbour, which was a decided success. It has been suggested that the E.N.Z.Y. Squadron, the senior yachting club in the Dominion, shonld take the matter in hand, and, with the help of tho Auckland yachtsmen, carry, out euch a demonstration.

The Atlantic Yacht Club has offered a gold trophy, valued at 5000 dollars (£100(1), to be called the President's Cup, for an international yacht race from Europe to Sandy Hook, in the summer of 1911.