YACHTING

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 21 November 1931, Page 20

YACHTING

By "Mainsail." TRIALS OVER

THE BETTY SELECTED

CHANCE OF FIFTH WIN

The selection of the Betty as the Wellington defender of the Sanders Cup contest should occasion no surprise, and the sole selector (Mr. J. Moffat) may be considered fortunate in having had his task made comparatively easy. Although the Betty has won the cup four times, her selection as the Wellington representative this season was by no means a foregone conclusion with the advent of the new boat, the Lavina, of which great things were expected. Nor can. the Lavina be regarded as having disappointed her owners and supporters. She was the Betty's closest rival in the recent series of trials, and although she was handicapped to a certain extent by not having the best of sails the races resolved Themselves into a test of seamanship. Nigel Blair, one of the best sportsmen in the game, will admit that Johnston got everything possible out of the Betty, despite a certain amount of faultiness in the spinnaker work, and he deserves the honour of sailing the champion in the contest, beginning on ISth January.

The selection of the crew is a matter which has been left to the selector and skipper. In the ' past there has been some feeling in favour, of tho crew of the selected boat also taking part in the contest, but experience has shown that such a decision might be very unwise. On Tuesday a final trial is to be held, commencing at 6 o 'clock, for the purpose of testing spinnaker work. The skippers and crews are to be changed round, and the boats taking part will probably be the Betty, the Lavina, and the Clyde.

Tho conduct of the trials has been generally eulogised, competing skippers included. The three stewards relieved the selector of much of the routine work, and their appointment has filled a long-felt want.

Plimmerton Club's Opening,

On Saturday next, at 3 p.m., the president, Mr. E. L. Button, will open the Plimmerton Boating Club's 1931----32 season. A ladies' rowing race and a boys' dinghy race appear on the day's programme. It is also intended to give a practical demonstration of how a boat or boats with bulk-heads can be righted after capsizing.

Yacht Classification,

The executive of the Evans Bay Yacht and Motor-boat Club have announced their classification of the yachts likely to be racing under their jurisdiction. The right to reclassify any yacht during the season is reserved. It will be noticed that the keel-yacht Atalanta has now been relegated to the second-class, and that the big centreboarder Spray has been classified aa a keel-yacht. In the centreboard classes the Poneke and Little Haste are now in the second class. The detailed list is as follows:—First-class keelers: Ailsa, Marangi, Eomp, Wairere 1., Wairere 11., Viola. Second-class keelers: Nanette, Atalanta, Galatea, Bawene, Spray, Clutha. First-class centreboarders: Kio 11., Southern Maid, Bonzo, Scandal, Nancy, Ngaio, Indolence. Secondclass centreboarders: Violet, Poneke, Little Haste, Tuppo, Banshee, Sea Spook, Miro. 12ft 6in and under: Damfino, Mickey, Wairoa, Kapai, Puterino. Imp. Eona-Jellicoe class: Betty, Lavina, "Wellesley, Lauchlan's Jewel, Idono, Clyde.

It is essential that every yacht shall carry its registered number on the sail. Any boat not complying with this rule is liable to disqualification.

On Saturday quite a number of Evans Bay keelers and centreboarders took part in the E.P.N.Y.C. races, and on Sunday practically every boat was out, most of them going to Somes Island for the Sanders Cup trial. The Spray and Rawene and the big launch Veca, which was at the Heads with the launch Swan in the morning, were at Scorching Bay.

■ An Evans Bay launch party are going to Palliser Bay to-morrow to bring back the yacht Maputu, which went ashore there and which has now been patched up.

Worser Bay Club,

The light southerly prevailing on Saturday was a little too light at times, but a couple of boats were out practising spinnaker work. After the dance held in the evening two Petone boats, which had stayed at the bay since the Saturday before, left for home at 2 o'clock in the morning, but there was no wind until 5 o'clock, when a breeze from the north made itself popular. The fresh full-sail northerly on Sunday provided good motive power for the boats, and the Butterrib, Ngaroma, O.K. Baby, and Demon sailed around to see the Sanders Cup trial. The new Idle-Along class boat Kea was also out, but she started late, and comparisons with the other boats could not be made. The first club race is to be held next Saturday.

R.P.N.Y.C. Races.

Last Saturday was easily the most successful day from a sailing point of view that the B.P.N.Y.C. has had for many a long day. \ There were seven starters in the first-class keelers 5 race, six in the second-class keelers' race, and a record of twenty boats iv the 18ft and under event. The' weather, although not quite ideal, made the racing particularly interesting, especially in the first-class race, in which the boats which were well ahead at one stage finished last. This was mainly due to the, wind changing from a light southerly to a light northerly. The Wairere 11., which finished first, held the wind practically throughout the race. •

The second-class race resolved into a tussle between the Nanette ■ and the Linnet. The former was conceding 6 mm, but the wind was just too light for her, and the Linnet won with lmin 35sec to spare. The Galatea put up a poor showing. The Isca seemed to be going well when her peak halyards carried away. Jack Dawson's Irex did not seem in proper trim.

Several of the centreboarders put up good performances. The Lavina sailed exceptionally well, and the Pollyooly, Phantom, Scandal, and Indolence were always in the hunt. A feature of the race was the number of Evans Bay boats competing. Next Saturday the E.P.N.T.C. will hold races for all classes.

An interesting visitor to the B.P.N. Y.C. clubhouse last week was Mr. J. Howes, of the London Corinthian Sailing Club. He presented several programmes of his club to the E.P.N.Y.C.