YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 60, 4 December 1937, Page 2 (Supplement)

YACHTING

Lauchlan’s Jewel Surprises

KITTY SHOULD WIN Heretaunga Takes A Back Place In The I-Class

(By

Spinnaker.)

Opening trials to select the three Wellington representative centreboard crews proved' particularly interesting; The greatest surprise was in. the N class, when Lauchlan’s Jewel made such a determined bid for the honours. Nigel Blair made an error that cost him the first race, and Bolland took full advantage of it. But more than that, on__the Saturday race he outsailed both Kitty and Vanguard on the windward work and thoroughly deserved his win. Blair, however, handled his ship as a veteran yachtsman should, both on Sunday morning and in the afternooft. The Jewel sail; ed consistently third that day and on form it appears that the final placing will be Kitty, Vangmird, Jewel. Bolland s crew have been putting in hard practice during the week. It used to be said that Jewel was a sluggard: but her last Saturday's showing contradicted this. As Conrad remarked, the ships are all right —it’s the men in 'em.

Game Losers. Everybody who has ever been in that happy position knows how pleasant it is to lead the fleet, home, or even to be making a sporting battle for first or second place; but its a great deal less easy to struggle round the course 100 yards behind, with the mob on the foreshore jeering and tlie fast boats of the next class coming up astern. Inexperience is nothing to be ashamed of and somebody has to take last place. Skipper Reynolds, of the Jannet, showed commendable and dogged perseverance last week, finishing the course with tlie true sporting spirit, when many a yachtsman would have yielded to the temptation to slip home from the Miramar buoy instead of beating back to Jerninghaiu among tlie Idle A longs. Not So Good.

If the crowd on tlie foreshore, were thrilled by the skilled handling and close finishes of the crack boats, they were also vastly entertained by one display of seamanship that should never have been staged in a provincial trial. That was when a yacht tried to round the Jeruiugham Beacon tno smartly, with the result that she virtually piled up on it and spent some while disentangling herself. It was not what one expects of a competitor for a provincial championship.

The Idle Alongs. It looks as though the club that sponsored the Idle Along class will be denied tlie privilege of sailing it in this year's New Zealand championship. The Heretaunga experts have so far shown up to less advantage than tlie two Evans Bay skippers, Julian and Beck. But Tornado sailed consistently through all three Dices and Valhalla made a brilliant burst on Sunday afternoon. Haiwey was disappointing, starting splendidly and finishing badly on each occasion.

The Taltaptinas. The Takapium system of selection is unfortunate in one kills most of tlie public interest in the class so necessary to ensure its continuance. At present it is only the fact that there is a national contest such as the Cornwell Cup and that there are a number of handy craft actually in commission that keeps these boats going in face of the keen interest being taken in tlie three other national classes—Rona. Idle Along and Tauranga. As a matter of fact, it is really a great pity to see such a contest staged in a class in which relatively small enthusiasm is manifested when a class of extreme merit and great popularity such as the Tauranga, flip ideal medium for the learner, is not. so catered for.

Why Three Rounds? Many people believe that tlie trial;: should be sailed on a two-round course instead of in three laps, as at present. It is remarkable that there is very rarely a radical change in order in tbe last round, which is only too often a procession. The reason is that, particularly in heavy weather, the intense concentration necessary to produce tin? best racing wanes. The skippers become a little less attentive to precision of trim, a little less alert to I lie exigencies of tlie contest. The crews slacken their speed of sheet and sail manipulation at critical luo-

nieul.s, and ill tlie last round, unless the finish is a very close one, fatigue diminishes tlie difference between a brilliant crew and a merely good one. ’i'his is most noticeable when two races are sailed n: the day. Even if tlie course were laid out over a larger area, in two longer laps, it would improve this aspect; but shoi“er courses on tlie whole produce better racing. False Alarm.

There was a launch which had the misfortune to run on one of those two submerged dangers inside the Jerningham Beacon. Someone on board lifted the shaft casing—and a spurt of water flew up from under the floorboards. She wai obviously leaking—the worried owner drove her flat-out back to the boat harbour, while the womenfolk were apprehensive at the prospect ot ioundering. But in file safety of the boat harbour she was pumped dry in a lew mintiles—whereupon the owner recollected that he had omitted to empty the bilges prior to going out. 11c was back at Jerninghaiu in time for Hie finish. Keeler Argo.

Argo created a good impression when she was out al the week-end; she is a fine model of a cruising yacht, with a sound s.’iil-phin ; and a speedy mover from aII appearanecs.

Tlhtc could be no real contribution to the ilevelopinonl of science in New Zealand unless the best of tbe Dominion's students went overseas to pursue tlieir studies, said Dr. J. Hight, rector of Canterbury University College, speaking at a gathering held by the Canterbury brunch of ‘‘he Royal Society of New Zealand in honour of Lord Rutherford. Accepting this fact, Dr. Hight proceeded, there was good ground for pressing for an increase in, tlie number of overseas scholarships and grants in aid thereof. To-day, many brilliant students, some of them doubtless potential Lord Rutherfords, had to be passed over in tite selection of candidates, because of the extremely limited number of scholarships available. In Lord Rutherford’s time one science scholarship was available. Today, after -10 years, there were only two.