YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 27, 27 October 1926, Page 8

YACHTING

The bad weather of receut weeks has kept the wen ip the yachting world behind in their preparations this season, but with a few more week-ends as fine as the last one there will be a decided move forward, and the pros- ■ pects at present are that almost all of the boats will be ready by the date of the first races of this year’s programme, that is November 27 Port Nicholson Club. The Royal Port Nicholson Club holds its opening dav on November 13. Many boats belonging to this club have already sailed, including the Wylo, the Nanette, the Mini, and the Viola, while the Mana, the Isca, the Windward, and the Rawene are almost rigged, and <ire expected to be sailing next week-end. Meretaunga Club Opens its Season. Hcrctauuga had a perfect day for their opening event, and the procession of yachts and launches was a delightful spectacle to the large crowd of spectators. Several races were run by the Petone Rowing Club, but the most interesting of all was a cutter race between the Petone Old Navals’ Club and a crew from 11.M.5. Dunedin, which the Petone men won after a hard, fight. All clubs in and around Wellington were represented, and the visiting boats included Mr. C. Neal’s yacht Viola Mr. R. Prince’s Miru, the 14,footer All Black, and a launch also from the Boat Harbour. Thrills and Spills. The Sydney Plying Squadron’s race for 18-foot craft over the Clark IslandGeorge’s Head-Taylor Bay course on a ,recent Saturday provided plenty of thrills and spills. Soon after the start one mainsail was carried away, then a limit boat did a spectacular dive and deposited her crew in the water. Other four boats turned turtle and emptied their loads into the harbour, and three others of the 25 starters were disqualified. The finish of the race was one of the best seen for a long time, and altogether it was considered that the spectators had obtained the biggest bargain for their money that they could ever hope for in the sport of yachting.