YACHTING

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 5, 7 January 1928, Page 18

YACHTING

By "MAINSAIL" IN THE SOUNDS

HOLIDAY CRUISING PLEASANT DAYS AFLOAT The Sounds trip is becoming mort popular each year with local yachtsmen and launch-owners, and the Christ' mas and New Year holidays have attracted many craft across the Strait, As a result, the Boat Harbour, even now that several of the boats have returned to their moorings,. bears a deserted appearance, and all races and other fixtures have been deferred until well on in the month. This 'season the crossing was made by the majority of the Boat Harbour and Evans Bay fleet in exceptionally calm weather, those which left on the day before Christmas Eve carrying a light south-easterly, but running into a heavy fog, which obscured all the familiar bearings and gave the skippers an opportunity of exercising their knowledge of sailing under ocean-going conditions. There were no incidents \fsT?*< of note on the trip across, and, in fact, little out of the ordinary was experienced by any of the crews. The fishing was stated by Mr. C. Neal, owner of the Viola, to have been better than usual. This year there was no race in Ngakuta Bay as in previous seasons, for the reason that many of tho yachtsmen were obliged to make the most of their short holidays in the Sounds, and therefore could not be expected to wait until the race took place. Nevertheless, tho hospitality shown- in recent years by Mr. Mark Steeds and the Messrs. Thompson is still remembered. The Viola left the Boat Harbour at 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve to Queen Charlotte Sound, going through to Blackwood Bay after a day at Jackson's Bay. She returned on Wednesday of last week, experiencing one of the calmest trips on record and carrying topsail and leader right up to Sinclair Head. The weather in the Sounds was stated to have been splendid •throughout. The Iska and the Miru were the only Boat Harbour craft out during the Christmas holidays. Over the New Year, the Viola and the Linnet made several cruises round tho harbour in company. Sunday's calm presented a favourable opportunity of. visiting Island.Bay, and the two boats went across to Lowry Bay on Monday. On Tuesday they made the trip to Seatoun. The launch Kercru did not go to the Sounds. The launch Daphne arrived back from tho Sounds early this week. The little Wairere returned to Evans Bay on Tuesday morning from across the Strait. It is understood that sha had been to Nelson, and "Mainsail" was informed that she made the crossing to Nelson in twenty-four hours— good time for a boat of her size. The Muritai, Captain B. D. Cooper's yacht, left last week for the Sounds. Her owner expects to spend about a fortnight on the cruise. The Evans bay yacht lolanthe left last week for the Sounds, and will bo away for about three weeks. Boats which left tho harbour to spend Christmas and New Year across the Strait were the yachts Windward, Oyster, Mana, Atlanta, Wylo, Marangi, Eestless, Nanette, Ailsa, and Seabird, and the launches Eesolution, Vagabond, Mina, Nerides, and Doris. The Oyster arrived back on Tuesday morning. Paremata Notes. Two races in each class were got off by the Paremata Club during tho New Year holidays. A light southwest wind prevailed, and excellent handicapping resulted in some close and exciting finishes. The first-class race in which points were counted for the Brady Shield resulted: Ibex (25 mm), 1; Maire (18min), 2; Kuini (scr), 3. Tho other first-class event, which counted in the competition for the Hausford Cup and Mr. Hargreave's trophy, resulted in a win for the Kotuku (omin), with the Kuini (scr) second, and the Ibex (ISmin) third. The second-class race for Mr. J. Shearer's trophy went to the Ahuriri, the Blue Bird and the Sea Lady being second and third respectively.- The other second-class race, in which points were counted for the Moorhouse Cup, was won by the Sea Lady, with the Arahuri second and the Blue Bird third. The Sea Lady actually "finished first in both events, but was disqualified in the first race for rounding the mark boat to windward, her crew, Parkin Brothers, being strange to the course. The club's annual picnic was held on New Year's Day, and proved a great success, over three hundred visitors being transported to Maori Flat by tho club's launches. Perfect weather conditions enabled a full programme of sports to bo completed, and a cricket match between Golden Gate and Paremata resulted in an easy win for tha former team. Master of His Craft. No greater tribute to the ability of Mr. George Andrews, builder of Betty, Canterbury's Sanders Cup defender and the Takapuna boat Gadfly, could have been paid than that given by Mr. J. T. Paul, president of the Otago Yacht and Motor-boat Association, when at the last meeting of the. association Gadfly was mentioned. "I recognise Mr. Andrews as this best professional boat-builder in the country," stated Mr. Paul. Mr. Camp: "He is classed as an amateur." Mr. Paul: "He is a professional in that he is an absolute master of his craft, second to none in New Zealand. When away at the War he was associated with a firm of boat-builders for a considerable time, and the experience gained there has fitted him to be a boat-builder better than any other in the country. In all he has built forty boats."—(Duncdin "Star.") Otago's Challenger. Otago is going to make a valiant bid to win the Sanders Cup this year, reports an exchange. The selection of the Eileen to represent Otago at Stewart Island in February was the only selection possible to make. Eileen won'three trials, and was beaten in the fourth trial, which was no test. She has distinguished herself, but as yet she is not fully tried out. No reefing breezes have been encountered, and the boat may fail Otago if a heavy wind were encountered at the contest. On performances, Eileen was the only possible selection. She is inclined to stagger in the heavy puffs, but when fitted with good sails and when Killet knows more about her, the Eileen will probably cail splendidly in . tho heavier weather.