YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 53, 26 November 1928, Page 7

YACHTING

EVANS BAY CLUB OPENS ITS SEASON FIRST SANDERS CUP TRIAL OUTBOARD MOTOR BOATS COMPETE Glorious weather prevailed for the opening of the Evans Bay Yacht Club’s season, on Saturday afternoon, a light northerly scarcely rippling the surface of the water. During the course of the afternoon, two outboard races were held on the stretch in front of the club-house, and the first trial for Sanders Cup aspirants was held in the Bay. While the fourteen-footers were away, the season was formally declared open by the club’s patron, Mr. A. George. "The yachtsman," said Mr. George, “is never idle. Like the sea, he is in unceasing motion. If not tossing upon the waves in his boat, he has it on the slip, and is taking the opportunityto clean it up.” Mr. George joined with the commodore, Mr. C. Holmes, in welcoming the visitors and hoped that the ensuing year would be a very successful one. Thanking the Yacht and Motor-boat Association for the privilege of the Sanders Cup trial, Mr. Holmes said that upon the enthusiasm raised by the Cup contest, largely depended the success of the season. He was pleased to see present members of the Yacht and Motorboat Association, and also Mr. L. Ibbotson, who had done a great deal for the club. Other speakers were Messrs. J. Paterson, who commented on the interest which the outboard motor-boat races were arousing, J. Moffit (chairman of the Yacht and Motor-boat Association), P. Shorland (Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club), F. Kiernan (Port Nicholson Motor-boat Club), F. H. McKiever (Paremata Boating Club), and W. H. Wagstaff, who for many years has been timekeeper, starter, and judge to the Evans Bay Yacht Club. Mr. Wagstaff was presented with a stop watch by Mr. George, on behalf of the boys of the club, in recognition of his efforts in years past. Mr. B. W. Durant, of the launch, Felix, received a presentation of a barometer, as a token of gratitude for services rendered to club members. It was announced that two new cups had been donated for annual competition, both in connection with the outboarders,” one by Mrs. B. Banish and the other by Mr. A. H. Jerome. Arrangement of rules for the former was left in the hands of the club committee by the donor, with the recommendation that it should be possible to win the cup straight outright only by three wins in succession or five at intervals, two of the wins to be in succession. For his assistance in repairing the club’s slip, Mr. S. H. Ede was presented with a canteen of cutlery. SANDERS CUP TRIAL. Competitors in the Sanders Cup race got away together, All Black going to the fore as the boats left the Evans Bay clubhouse and ran across the harbour to the Shark Bay buoy. Thence the course lay to Shag Point, back to Shark Bay, and then back to Shag Point, ending at the finishing line opposite the clubhouse, the distance twice round being 8. 5-8 knots. All Black came to grief off Shelly Bay, halfway through the race, when J. Boyd, her mainsheet hand, fell overboard and her mainmast carried away. The boats finished in the following order:— Miss Josephine, 4hrs. 16min 1 Wellesley I, 4hrs. 17min 2 Wellesley 11, 4hrs. 18min. 15sec .. 3 Clyde, 4hrs. 18min. 50sec 4 Starting time, 3.20 p.m. Skippers were as follow: All Black, A. G. Crawford; Wellesley I, W. Blair; Wellesley 11, B. White; Miss Josephine; A. Sterling; Clyde, E. Bailey. Mr. F. W. France was the, accompanying selector. Next Saturday another trial will be held over the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club course. OUTBOARD MOTOR RACES. Many interested passers-by stopped to watch the spectacular contest between the outboard motor craft. Roaring like aeroplanes as they leapt swiftly forward over the light swells, these speedsters started from the line of the Evan’s Bay club jetty and rounded a buoy near the Patent Slip, returning round another buoy situated near the southern bathing sheds. Each race was supposed to consist of four laps, but in their excitement the entrants added an extra lap to the first event without, however, any alteration in placings. In' this race Mis-Chief and Miss John Jameson made a very close race of it, the former gradually increasing her lead to win by about 40 or 50 yards. Miss Hoover finished third some distance behind Miss John Jameson. In the second race the boats finished in the same order, but handicapping changed the result to: Miss Hoover 1, Miss-John Jameson 2, Mis-Chief 3. SECOND TRIAL AT LYTTELTON. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, November 25. At Lyttelton, yesterday afternoon, in light weather, Colleen won the second of the Sanders Cup trials, from last week’s winner, Secret, by two minutes and a quarter.