YACHTING.

Evening Star, Issue 11838, 18 March 1903, Page 7

YACHTING.

[Bt Staysail.] During last week yachtsmen were anxiously waiting for Saturday to see how the various boats would shape in the Champion Race, and what sort of wind would be the order of the day. As was anticipated, the O.Y.C. decided to race off the ties in the various races, which was a good idea, as it brought out somo eight competitors. Old yachtsmea noted with pleasure that Captain James, of the Auckland, has lost none of his keenness for the sport. In the young days of the club this sporting skipper more than once placed his ship at the Committee's disposal as a flagship for the opening of the yachting season, and on one occasion, in his eagerness to add to the success of the day's proceedings, or* dered the gun on his ship to be fired for the .'tart with the result that he blew the end off the bowsprit of the Anonyma. I am sure Mr Myers, the other commodore of the club, has not forgotten the incident. The 0 Y.C. are to be congratulated on taking such active steps to welcome Captain Voss, of the Tilikum. The smoke social proposed to be tendered him before he leaves Dunedin should be well attended by yachtsmen, as a treat will be in 6tore for them in listening to the genial captain's remarks in connection with his voyage. Ravensbourne Yacht Club do not intend to allow the grass to grow under their feet, and have already arranged for a moonlight excursion as a compliment to the ladies who have on many occasions assisted at their regatta. On Tuesday the Moerangi was to make a trip to the Heads. So by the time this is in print the event will have taken place. At the last meeting of the O.Y.C. complaint was made that the gun had not fired as soon as the Blue Peter was lowered in the Second Class Race. By this time the skippers of the various boats should know that as soon as the flag is lowered they are at liberty to start, without waiting for the gun. The starting is by the flags. The gun is simply fired so that all may know that the flag is lowered. It is not necessary, in fact, for the gun to be used at all. The various ties on Saturday resulted as follow:—Thelma won the first prize in the First Class, Eileen came first in the Second Class, and Lennox Lass beat the Dream by a few seconds, but as neither boat finished the proper course they will no doubt" have to race off again. The start for the Champion Race on Saturday was, perhaps, the finest thajt has been seen in Otago Harbor for a number of years. The eight boats practically crossed the line together, and from start to finish the race was watched with keen interest. The wind just before the start was very flukey, coming from all parts in puffs; but just as the flag lowered a fresh breeze from the N.E. set in, and continued in varying strength during the race. Thelma, Roma, Leader, and Eileen soon shot out from the rest, and a " great go " down the bay to the buoy resulted in Eileen rounding first, closely followed by Roma, Leader, and Thelma. On the run up to town Thelma took in a reef, and misfortune overtook Roma. Her gaff snapped in half, but she kept on with spinnaker set, and held her place as second boat, about 3sec behind Leader on the first round, after which she had, of course, to retire. Let me here congratulate Skipper Walls on her performance. Leader rounded the beacon ssec in front of Thelma, with Waitiri some 2min behind—a sterling performance on her part. She had lOmin from Thelma in her sail off for the tie in the club race, and would undoubtedly have won but that on the port tack, after rounding the beacon, her mast went overboard. Skipper Nees has now had the misfortune of losing his mast on two occasions, and this time practically first place in his club race also. One redeeming feature is that he is in the timber line of business. Ruru finished the first round some lOmin later than Eileen, and then retired. This now left onlv three boats to' finish in the Champior Race, and as Thelma had put in a reef ii, order to let her go, old Leader, under full sail, made after little Eileen. But it was of no avail; Skipper Lyng sailed his boar home m fine stylo with a lead of somr 6min from Leader, and about 6min 20sec from Thelma—a great performance for a boat of her size. If the wind had been stronger, no doubt she would have increased her lead. ■

Skipper Lyng and his crew received quite an ovation from the crowd ashore, and they deserved it, for they sailed the boat in really first-class style. As I have said before, Leader is steadily improving, and as her crew get more into her working she will prove herself a hard nut to crack in a breeze. This is the second time this season that she has beaten the ex-crack Thelina. For the t first time, I think, since Bhe has been- in Dunedin, Thelma finished fourth in the first round and third in the second round, and it must have been a strange experience for Skipper Briggs, as she has on several occasions beaten Eileen's time over the same course. No doubt she lost something in reefing, but in the second round little Eileen gained something like 4min. * Eileen's victory is very pleasing to the boatbuilders in Dunedin, as she was built locally by J. Ml*llan. Her win, no doubt, will act as a stimulant to those in search of fast boats to give local men a chance before placing their orders in other parts of the colony. Amongst the crowd on Saturday I noticed Mr Alex. Burt, the donor of the cup for the Champion Race, and it must have been very gratifying to him to se© the large amount of interest that was taken in it. The Yacht Club bring their racing season to a close on "Saturday next, when the Moller Cup and Consolation Race will be sailed together. The conditions of the Consolation Race are: " Open only for boats not having won a first or second prize hi the Yacht Club series. Each boat to count 1 point for every race in Yacht Club series in which she has finished. Each boat' to be handicapped on performances, irrespective of starts. First boat to count 3 points, second 2 points, third 1 point. Points for starts and points for wins to be added, and highest aggregate to win. In the event of two boats tieing, points for starts to count superior to points for wins." An irate yachtsman was going about last week "looking for trouble" in regard to a reference to carelessness which appeared in last Wednesday's notes, and which he said was unfounded. He was told that if he wrote a letter to " Staysail" stating the matter from liis side of the picture it would be published. As no such letter has come to hand, I presume that the gentleman referred to has not. thought fit to write it, which is a pity if he has a grievance. •