YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1043, 4 February 1911, Page 12

YACHTING.

[By Mainsiieet.] To-day—Ocean Race and Harbour Races. Saturday, February 11.—Ladies' Race. Saturday, February 18.—P.N.Y.C. Picnic, and Motor Boat Club combined. Saturday, February 25.—Handicap Races for Ist, 2nd, and 3rd-class yachts. Saturday, March 5. —Handicap Races for Ist, 2nd, and 3rd-class yachts. Easter Monday.—P.N.Y. Club Picnic. To-day's Races. This afternoon the Port Nicholson Yacht Club will hold its ocean race. A very large number of entries have been received, and the race will no doubt be well contested. ' This race, is open for iirstclass yachts, including the Viking. The course will be:—From starting-line round mark boat or buoy, live miles to windward or leeward" of Black Rock. The first prize is a trophy ("Helmsman"), to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals. A general handicap race for second and third-class yachts will also be got.off this afternoon by the P.N.Y.C. The course for this race in a "northerly" will be:—From storting-line to Hope Shoal buoy, off Karaka Bay, thence to KoroKoro buoy, and back to finishing line. In a "southerly," ICoro-Koro buoy will be rounded first, thence to Hope Shoal buoy, and home. Yachts in this race are to keep on the town side of both Somes and Ward Islands. The race' will commence at 3 p.m.'

General Nates. - Mr.- EalplivMillmanls neT yaclit was launched-at the Boat Harbour last week, .*jnd"has the anpp.:} i rauoe,.of a very staunch critft. She is yawl "rigged, and "her principal dimensions are:—Length, 26ft; lOiu.; beam, Bft. 6in.; nnd draught, Gft. She is a vory roomy craft, and will probably be out for a 1 spin this afternoon. Sunday last was a pleasant day for yachting, and nearly all the yachts took advantage of it being so. Some of the yaclits were outside, enjoying'the fresh southerly breeze which prevailed. The Ruihi and Nancy Stair were among these. A good few yachts were also seen at Seatoun. On Saturday next the Port Nicholson Yacht Club will hold its ladies' race. Mr. Bucliolz's yacht Waiwerc returned from a cruise in the Sounds on Tuesday last. A special general meeting of tlie Port Nicholson l'acht Club will be held in Shed-43, at the Boat Harbour,-on Friday next. The. meeting is called tor the purpose of considering the protest lolanthe v. Taipare. The points for the Winder Cup (presented to the Te Aro Sailing Club by Mr. G. Winder,- for competition among . the club's fleet), are as follow:—Redwing 35, Winifred 32, Lotus 30, Kaitnre, £9, Nan 23, Yaleta 21, Doreen 9, and Rival 7. Model Yachting. ' The Kilbirnie Modol Yacht Club's coming events are as follow:—February 11, long distanco race; February 25, races for first and secondrdass model yachts; March 11, general handicap, first and secondclass model yachts; Easter Saturday, club's annual regatta. "A second-class yacht race was held by the Kilbirnie Model Yacht Club last Sat-urday'afternoon,-in'pcrfect weather conditions. The race was won by the Reliance (scr.), 1; Waitangi (2inin.), .2; Champion (2min.), '3. Waitangi and Champion got off the mark together, but Champion began to draw away from Waitangi. Reliance, however, then passed Waitangi. Champion, which was going along in fine style, got a', calm, and was passed by the other boats, which finished as above.

On Saturday next the club's long-dis-tace race will be held, the event starting at 2.15 p.m. The model yacht Flying Fish has had a new centre-board moulded. It weighs 361b. The Waitangi is getting a new set of racing sails mads for the long-distanco race, and she will no doubt "shake - things up." A novel feature of the club's regatta is to bo a. canoe race. A trophy to the value of ss. is to be given to the winner. Mr. G. t Andrewartha is changing his yacht's rig from that of a yawl to that of a cutter, and will be ready for next Saturday's race. Auckland Regatta. Auckland Anniversary . Day regattas (says the ""New Zealand Herald") were for many years the event of. the year, but, as the city grew "backwards" from the sen, the maritime spirit was overshadowed and the popularity of the gathering was detracted from by counter attractions. Lessened interest and tinpropitious weather conditions checked the popular career, and for some years past tho tempers of tho gallant band of nijnatic enthusiasts, who havo striven to prevent tho discontinuance of the event, have been sorely tried. Two years ago it was freely stated that the gathering was doomed, but tho obstinacy of the sailormen on the committee prevented its abandonment. Last year the committee was faced with shocking weather conditions, and a loss resulted. Monday's regatta was favoured with ideal sailing conditions, and the larqe crowds which lined overv vantage point on the wharves and foreshores, the crowdcd state of the line flagship Atun, loaned'by the Union Steam Shin Company, and tho record number of entries, emphatically pointed to a revival in public interest. The racing craft presented a magnificent spectacle as they manoeuvred on tho blue waters in hundreds. Over 200 boats of all descriptions were racing, from the tiny 10ft. dinghy to the immense sailcovered trailing craft of over'2o tons register. Tl;i; wind was fairly strong from the south-west, and was ideal, for yachtracing. An occasional squall upset the calculations of the owners whose gear was not soun: ! i, and several minor acci-dc-nts occurred. The interest in the events was added to.by the presence in tho harbour of two foreign warship?, the German shin Condor and the .French ship Kersaint."Crews from tho latter ship took nart in the regatta. Both ships were dressed in bunting, and the vessels at the wharves also added to the gaiety of the sceno by a liberal display.