YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 65, 10 December 1930, Page 19

YACHTING

= ( By

“Nereus.”).

Week-end Activities SANbERS CLP CREW ’ FIXTURES. December 13: Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat Club’s .races for keel yachts and first . find second-clafes centreboard yachts. December 14; Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat Chib> races for firstclass and second-class centreboard yachts at 3 p.m. ; December 20; Launch racing—Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat. Club. December 24: Ocean race.

Now that the Sanders .Cup trials are finished and Betty is certain to represent Wellington province, all interested are wondering who will be chosen to man her. There seems- very little doubt that Arthur Johnston will be skipper. Rumour has it that the skipper of another candidate which figured rather prominently in the trials will be invited as his chief assistant. It is understood that the selector is not limiting his field to the Sanders Cup boats alone in his search for a; really tip-top crew. This is only; right, as there are at least thirty centreboard, yachts in Wellington alone, besides those at Paremata" and Petone. Only six of these were able to take part in the trials. There must be any number of good men who have never had an opportunity to appear in the trials. The selector would do well to watch the centreboard races in Evans Bay this week-end. Port Nicholson Yacht Club.

Successful races for all classes of yachts were held last Saturday by the Port Nicholson Yacht Club. In the first-class keel yacht handicap Marangi crossed the line nearly a quarter of an hour ahead of her nearest riyal, Rona. Marangi is certainly a wonder in a light breeze. Atalanta for the second time trailed in a bad last. Windward was never seriously challenged for the first place in the second class. The 18ft. and under handicap proved to be a

walk-over for Kio, which was ifble to hold the breeze until she finished while the others were more or less becalmed. Nancy was rather disappointing, as the weather should -have suited her. Her skipper, however, was probably badly handicapped by the inexperienced crew he had. Violet, aided by her large sail, started off in excellent style, leading Clyde, Nancy and Indolence to Coromandel. She failed on the wind, and after being bccalmo/I finished last. Cappy Ricks II and Little Haste also failed to prove themselves.

Evans Bay Club. Yacht owners are reminded that entries for the Evans Bay club races, to be held on Saturday and Sunday, the 13th and 14th, close to-night at the clubhouse, at 9 o’clock. The first day’s centreboard race will be for the first and seeond-elass combined, under sealed handicaps. Boats will be classed after the race for the separate class events on Sunday. The keel yachts event will be under the Mark.Foy system again, and it is hoped that visiting boats will be able to start on time. Short Sailings.

Rona strained herself while racing, and began to leak badly. She was immediately slipped at Ballena Bay. Nanette’s crew made several ineffectual attempts to slip their vessel, but were caught by the falling tide half-way up the slipway, with the cradle off the rails. They returned to the boat harbour at .the next tide. They intend to try again soon. Apparently she requires another coat of copper paint before the oeeaii race can be won. • ' J Paremata Jottings.

Immediately after the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club's race on Saturday, Miss Josephine and Kia Ora were loaded on to waiting lorries, and returned to Paremata in order to be ready for Sunday’s racing. ' No points races were held, however, owing to two skippers being absent at the Takapuna trials at Petone. Several first and second-class boats turned out and took part in a sweepstake. They were sent away in the following order: —-Wallaby, 16min.; Tui, ]2min.; Kewpie, 6min.; Kuini, 3min.; Miss Josephine, Kia Ora and Kotuku 11, scratch. Fliinnierton Boating Club.

Saturday saw the Plimmerton Boating Club’s first race of the season for the Barnes Cup. Six boats laced the starter and got away well on the fall of the fifth flag. As the wind -was a light southerly it was a close haul from Karehana Bay to the first buoy, all the boats making their first board on the starboard tack. Bryant’s Huia was soon in the lead, and was keenly challenged over the first two rounds by Minnehaha, Huia made good use of' her spinnaker in the falling wind, to which she owed much of her success. Redward,, who captained the Minnehaha, is to be'complimented on the manner in which he handled his craft. The boats finished in the following order, corrected times being given in each case:— Huia (F. Bryant),’ shr. llrnin. .... 1 Minnehaha (C. Redward). sbr. 2J

min Colleen (C. Dallcstonb ;sbr. 3bmin, 4 Ramona (C. Swift), shr. 38min. .. o Seagull (G. Ninimo) and Sea Lady (H France) did not finish. Mr. P. Beale’s pretty speed boat, a recent addition to the club, is well named Happy Days. Doings at Worser Bay.

A light southerly wind, at Worser Bay supplied the motive power for a good race on Saturday resulting in a win for the new Takapuna O.K. Baby, I here were five entrants, the course being from the clubhouse to Seatoun wharf to.tide gauge to clubhouse, twice round. Spitfire was first away with lOmin., followed by O.K. Baby with Tmin., winch soon, passed Spitfire and was around the wharf buoy before any of the other boats. Ngaroma, with smiu., found Spitfire a good match and during the whole race these two boats were having a good tussle, one gaining a little but soon to be overtaken by the other. „ • O.K. Baby, handled by Chick Rountree, held the falling wind all the way und finished first, five minutes ahead, of Demon, with Kiwi third. TJie dropping wind certainly exaggerated the lead of the first boats. On Sundav five boats sailed across to the other side of the Imrbbur from tjie Bay on a beam wind with a good northerly which enabled them to show a good turn of speed. On the.dead beat back the Idle Along class boats, whatever els* they may be, showed themselves to lie very dirty with the water, respecting not c»cii the indy passengers.