YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 35, 4 November 1922, Page 14

YACHTING.

(By

“Nereus.”)

The opening of the Heretaunga Yacht Club to-day will mark the official beginning of Wellington, yachting for the coming season. The committee have arranged a cruise and various other items, and' if the elements permit, success will bo assured. The Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and tlie Evans Bay Yacht Club will cooperate, and many craft ar© expected to make tbo trip to Petone. Tile Nautilis and tho Irex, of tho Heretaunga (Hub, were launched last Sunday Although, perhaps, it cannot boast of a numerous fleet, the Heretaunga Club has a social hall that it might well be proud of. At a cost of £lOOO it was erected som© three months ago on .the site of the former club rooms. During the latter part of th© winter ,two dances, on an average, were held there eacli week. The majority of the boats are now in the water at Evans Bay. Two notable exceptions are the White Heather and Wanderer, but both, after a ooat of white enamel, are expected to com© off the slip this week-end. The week-end toilers will soon reap their reward, for next Saturday will se© the opening of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Glub and th© Motor Boat Club, and the Evans Bay Club’s season is fixed to commence, a week later. Then follow the cruises, and races. And yet. as any yachtsman will unhesitatingly admit, those weeks of prepaartion will be well worth it. A meeting of first-class boat-owners of the Roval Port Nicholson Yacht Club was held early this week to discuss th© proposed new system of handicapping. which, briefly., is that each owner handicap, as he thinks fit. every first-class yacht, and then an average be taken. It was decided to give this system a trial, and the following rules ■' were drawn up to govern the innovation: — ' 1. Owner or owners of each yacht in the class mako out a set of handicaps for each yacht for the following kinds of weather:—Very light, when yachts should carry topsails (if anv) ; I'ght, when yachts should carry full lower sails; moderate, when yachts should have mainsail single-reefed; heavy. , when yachts should have mainsail double or close reefed. 2. Tlie handicapper to decide before 'the start what weather conditions the races are to bo sailed under. 3. Radical alterations in the sail plan or in the yacht, to he reasons for making new handicaps for such yacht, at the discretion of the Sailing Committee. . -t 4. The handicaps to be made for No. 2 course. 5. These handicaps to be sent in in sealed envelope to the chairman of the Sailing Committee (by date, to be fixed), to be opened at a meeting of that committee and an average handicap to the nearest half minute to be mad© for each yacht for each sort of weather. The Sailing Committee to ha,re the right, when making ut> the averages, to reject any single handicap which they consider unreasonable. 6. Should a yacht’s average handicap work out exactly between 'a minute and a half minute, the vacht shall be given the benefit of the half minute. 7. Tlie handicaps for each yacht for each sort of weather to be tho handicap for the first races in such weather. 8. Th© winner of each rac© to be penalised ljmin. The second boatof each race to be penalised Imin. The third boat of each race io be penalised jmin. , 9. Should the scratch yacht \be the winner she would be placed IJmin. behind scratch for the next race in the same kind of weather and any other placed boat whose penalty would place her behind scratch be so treated. 10. As the average fastest time round No. 2 course is four minutes, and that round No. 1 course is two hours forty-five minutes, or a difference of one third more than No. 2 course, the handicaps im force at the time of the race round No.. 1 course should be increased by one third to tne nearest half minute. 11. In a general handicap the Sailing Committee to decide where the scratch of ono class is to bo placed in regard to the scratch boat of another class for each sort of weather. This should make for keener and fairer competition, for under the old method many yachts were often handicapped right out of a race. Reports from Dunedin concerning the trials for the Sanders Cup indicate that there is a possibility of a boat being selected without undra--going seven races. Two of tne trials had to be postponed on account of bad weather, and if-one boat shows marked superiority in the remaining five fixed races, another two races would ba quite unnecessary. The Waitangi, at Auckland, has been ( entirely remodelled inside ana outwardly has undergone a thorough overhaul. A yachting enthusiast, who returned from a short visit to-Auckland this week, stated that she has never looked better. Her owners hope to have her in the water early next week. Lord Jellicoe’s 14-footer, Iron Duke, will b© ready for launching in time tor tho opening of the Auckland yachting season on Saturday next. “Pennant” contributes the following notes for the R.P.N.Y.0.: Last Saturday afternoon a peculiar -mixture of winds was experienced on the harbour. All down the Ngahauranga Bight and along the wharves a fresh nor’ -westerly was blowing. In the centre of the ha.rbour it was mostly “up and down the mast,’, with an occasional squall from any point of the compass every now and then, while a light southerly was blowing up Evans Bay. During tho afternoon the three one designers (or Jellicoe type of boat). Poneke, Claire, and Hmau, raced around the Jerninghnm-Coromandel buov course, the result being an easy win for tho Poneke, Hinan being second. The following yachts were also out during the afternoon: Viola. Maranc! Wvlo, Kotiri 11, Windward, Atafanta, Linnet, Miru, and Se Mr G. McLean’s lolanthe sailed round to tho slip on Saturday for a coat of white and copper, but should be down in time for the opening day Tho Galatea is .now fully b . ut present indications it is doubtful who tlicr this yacht will be sailing before Christmas. f .. The Isca and Rona came off the site on Wednesday night, and are now back at their moorings in tho boat harbour. On Sunday a good ‘Uo reef nor -wester” was blowing. The only yachts to venture out were the Atalanta. \ lola,, and Windward. The first-named spent the day at Lowry Bay, whil© the crews of the Viola and Windward paid a visit to the lighthouse on Somes IsWorship the Mayor has kindly s consented to declare the yachting season open on Saturday p.m., and it is hope& that all those interested in yachting and motor-boat-ing will bo present on tins occasion. The Port Nicholson kiotor Boat Club has combined with the R.P.N.Y.O. for the day. and a very attractive Programme is being put forward. .It will include a race for the 18ft. and under class, dinghy races for men and ladies, procession of yachts, and entertainment of visitors at afternoon tea m the club house.