With the Yachts

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1923, Page 16

With the Yachts

AN AUSPICIOUS SEASON

OUTY TO THE ASSOCIATION

CO-OPERATION OF ALL.

(By "Mainsail.")

Wellington has accepted the responsibility of running the Sanders Cup contest this season, and all must realise the significance of the event, so far as this port is concerned. The. holding of the contest in Port Nicholson i s bound to give a fillip to the sport of yachting in thie centre—a boost, indeed, such aa it has never "had before—arid yachtsmen should be keen to make the most of this opportunity. Lovers of the B port will be present from all parts of the Dominion, and as 'their hosts,' members of clubs •affiliated with the local Yacht and Motor Boat' Association will have a special duty •to perform.. The season ■- now about to commence will be one of the busiest ever experienced by the association, both in respect to the regatta, which this year is to be. controlled by the association, and the Sanders Cup contest, which will immediately follow it. In order to discharge adequately its duties in.respect to these two important events the association must have the co-operation of-af-filiated clubs, and it is to be hoped the appeal made by the chairman (Mr. W. Duncan) at.the annual.meeting last week will .cause members to rally round their executive body with stimulated enthusi- . asm. It iß.'pleasing to note the keen spirit with which the association .executive is 'entering upon the 1923-24 season; the desire to make the best success possible! of this, auspicioiis year is evident in, the fact that the committee has decided', to. meet fortnightly in 'future. Members should supnort the' ex^ eciitiye in this spirit. "Mainsail" has felt constrained, on several occasions' to comment upon an apparent unhealthy spirit of club jealousy which reveals itself now and again. An excellent opportunity now' presents itseif: for yachtsmen to get together and. perfect interclub relations. :Tlie appeal 'for ■support has also been directed to members of the motor-boat fleets, who may do much to ensure tlie success of the season as their yachtitg associate!:/ ' ' , '■'

ON ;tHB SLIPS'

The boisterous weather of last weekend has given a set-back to work= on the slips, and operations were at. a .standstill on Saturday:, and Sunday. The entire Evans Bay Club fleet, with the cxl ception of Wanderer, is almost ready to leave the ways. Had last .week-end been fine preparations would have been made for the launching of Romp; however, a day or two will make little difference, and die is expected to.be at her.' mooringß very shortly. Wairere I. hat had a very, thorough overhaul this winter, and looks quite her old self once more. Venus and Nancy. Stair have also received careful attention, and now that they are almost ready to leave their winter quarters they present a.very handsome appearance. White Heather is not quite so far forward, but the work of overhauling, .postponed on account of Mr. Smith's absence in Auckland,. will now go ahead. When Romp and Whiter Heather have taken to the waters of the bay, Psyche will come up for completion of. her overhaul. It has. been hinted that Mr. Jackson intends to make a few alterations, and yachtsmen need not be surprised if Psyche takes to the water under cutter rig. It is to be hoped that the rumour of ,30ft boom and a 6ft longer bowsprit is not a false one.

Preparations are well forward in the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club fleet. Mr. O. Neil's Viola was afloat very early in the season, and has now been in the water for about a month. Wylo and Seabird have more recently come down off the dry, and the majority of the club's fleet should be ready fit the season in a week or two.

FOR THE SPECTATOR.

The number of races on the programme of the Evans Bay Yacht and Motor Boat Club has been reduced this year, in order to lea,ve a few Saturday, afternoons available for pleasure sailing .. and visiting other clubs. By this means it is hoped to arouse : interest outside the club, and to give friends and supporters the opportunity of taking an.active interest in the sport: With the same idea in vieiy. the course for keel yacht races has been made around Evans Bay. Yachts competing over this coarse will not pass out of view, and as a race will be visible from start to finish any who are so inclined will have the pleasure 6: witnessing many a 'keenly-fought contest. For ftome reason which is hot quite apparent, launch owners are not generally attracted ""by the sport" of racing. They seem to devote themselves entire ly to pleasure trips. Perhaps the lack of uniformity in boats has something to do with the absence of the real sporting element so far as motor-boats, are concerned.,: Whatever be the cause; the fact is that power-boat-racing is declining; this ts the complaint from most centres. The committee of the Otago Yacht and Motor-beat Club, with a view to further popularising the sport of power-boat racing, is considering the further division of boats into three classes. The proposed, division is in classes of 4 horse-power and under, 5 horse-power, up to 10 hoi/Se-power, and over 10 horse-power. The idea underlying the proposed chajige is to interest all launch owners in the club races, and it is to be hoped that if it is finally adopted it'will be successful.

HIGH.WATER TIMES.

For the convenience of yachtsmen the following times of high water at Wellington on B.ucceseive Saturday are published i* , ■ .- ■ .

3rd Kovember, 11.6 a.m., 11.30 p.m.; 10th November. 5.3 a.m.. 5.43 p.m.; 17th November, 11.33 a.m., 11.58 p.m.; 24th November, 4.49 a.m.-, 5.24-p.m. ■■: Ist Decembor, 9.56 a,m., 10.22 p.m.; Bth December, 3.39 a.m.. 4.15 p:m.; 15th" December, 10.17 a.m., .40.49 p.m.; 22nd December, 3.18 a.m., 3.43 p.m.; 29th December, 8.54 a.m., 9.18 p.m. sth- January, 1924, 2.23" a.m.; 2.52 p.m.; 12th January, 9.^ a.m., g.41 p m.; 19th January, 2 a.m., 3.23 pirn. ; 26th January, 7.50 a.m., 8.16 p.m. - 2nd February, 1.16 a-m., 1.42 p.m."; 9th February,- 7.58 a.m.. 8.28 p iiv; 16ih-February, 0.43 a.m., l'! 6 p.m.; 23rd February, 6.28 a.m., 7 p.m." let March, Oil «.jn., 0.40 p.m.; Bth March, 6.39 a.m., 7.4 p.m.; 15th March, 11:49 a.m., —.; 22nd March,'4.s2 a.m.. 5.24-p.m.'; 29th March, 11.32 a:m., 11.55 p.m.

The 14ft one-design boat, under con struction- in Auckland for Mr. Davis, is to be named .Queen March. The mceimg of Eona and Queen March is creatiiig a- lot of interest. .'

The Old Curiosity Shop, made famous by Dickens, was put up for auction a. few weeks ago at the London Mart. The first bid was £1500, but at last tho old five-Toomad building %b 14, Portemouth street was cold to Mr J % Phillips for £2250. Mr. Phillips told" i pressman th»t be bought the shop for himself.- "It would be i pity if the building were destroyed," he wid. "and I intend to preterre it as a curiosity. Canterbury has :te Wd buttings, to why ah.o>tfd net WuiaA-l'l a