YACHTING AND BOATING

Evening Star, Issue 19142, 8 January 1926, Page 9

YACHTING AND BOATING

NOTES AND COIWNTS

[By Breeze.] CO3IING EVENTS. ■ January 9.—Port Chalmers Club I races: Ravensbournc Club races; Sanders Cup trial race. January HU.—Otago Yacht Club’s cruising race to Broad Bay; Port Chalmers Club races. February 6.—North-east Harbor Club races. February 13.—Port Chalmers Club races. February 19.—First race for Sanders Memorial Cup. February 20.—Second race for Sanders Cup. j February 22.—Third race for Sani dors Cup. j February 23.—Fourth race for Sanders Cup. February 27.—B.ave ns bourne and North-cast Harbor Club's races. GENERAL GLEANINGS. In all probability tho course for the Sanders Cup trial race contestants toImorrow will bo Hie same as that covered in tho last test. If no misfortune befalls any boat, and if tho wind is fair, the selectors’ difficult task of choosing Otago’s defender will ho greatly facilitated, though tho judges have now little time in which to weigh by comparison the merits of the respective. boats (three of which have Bound claims for consideration) and to draw their conclusions. Tho Sanders Cup course has proved infinitely better for testing purposes than tho various dub courses, and, besides being nearer to the city, a gathering of townspeople conspicuous by absence from tho bays on test days can always be found on the wharf watching the footers go round. Tho launch Palseha met with a mishap at tho Spit through tho gale on New Year's Day. She was moored at tho wharf, and another launch broke lootjp and drove against her. The Palseha had her bow stove in, and this will necessitate several new planks in tho hull. Despite tho broken weather, a fair amount of fishing was done from launches in the vicinity of tho harbor entrance during tho holidays. On Monday and Tuesday Thelma visited the Lower Harbor. A very enjoyable time was spent by all bands on both occasions, and tho run outside the Hoads to Wahine Point on Tuesday was especially pleasurable. A short slop was made at the Kaik for fishing. The Broad Bay regatta was very disappointing owing to tho bad weather, and incidentally the necessity for a curtailed programme. The races held were keenly competed, and tho first and second class, yacht race was quite spectacular. The absence of all the Sanders Cup trial contestants save Winifred evoked comment, for Hie 14footer race is the big race at any local regatta. Seemingly the weather (or was it tho Exhibition?) accounted, too, for tho paucity of officials, and those performing offices perforce worked very strenuously. Vision was the only boat of tho AJacandrow’s Bay fleet to leave her moorings in Sunday’s gale. She carried full sail, and the heavy members of her crow were kept busy hailing out. To-morrow afternoon Hie first of tho Port Chalmers yacht mid motor boat races for this season will he hold. In the yacht race Tucnna, Vera, Shadow, Agnes, Mavis, and probably other boats will compote, and several entrants are expected for the motor boat event. The big yacht Experiment has been under water at moorings at Ravensbonrnc tor about a wok. Tho second series of Ravonsbourno Boating Club races will be held tomorrow. At 3 p.m. the allcomers’ yadii race will start, and fifteen minutes later the motor boat rare will commence. Shadow, Alay, Eileen, Sea Imp, Viola, Seagull, Colleen, and other yadils are expected to contest the race. The course for yachts will ho from opposite the boat shed, round the three loos d'annd mark, round the buoy off Chnllis’s. back to starting line; once round. Tho course for motor boats will bo from the boat shed to a pile off Burkes, back to pile off Black Jack’s Point, thonco to starting line. SMALL SAILING BOATS.

Some six small sailing craft have recently boon built for service on Otago Harbor, and doubtless this is very gratifying to the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association, which .wishes sailing to bo more indulged in by youths. Arguments as to the suitability and stability of tho lesser boats have arisen, and one or two Yacht. Association delegates have condemned tho Takapfma class of boat. Already by some performances the Takapuna boats can bo deemed to have stability, though, on the other hand, there have been some capsizes. For an exanqile in favor of the Takapuna boat take Colleen’s Boxing Day showing. _ The boat outsailed the other dinghies in tho breeze and withstood all the squally weather, sailed for tho first time in a race by C. Alollcr.

Named Venture, a further addition to the mosquito fleet of yachts is a 10ft centreboard sailing dinghy built by Norman Collins (of Grange street) and quartered at the boat harbor. The boat is varnished inside and outside, is excellently constructed, and above all is capable of a good speed. Imbued with real boyish keenness, Norman on his own last Sunday sailed the,, craft to P.ort Chalmers, and the boat was towed back home against the strong southerly wind by the launch Hazel. An hitherto nnrecordcd_ incident occurred on Boxing Hay, involving the capsize of boat Lassie. The little boat was boating up from Broad Bay to take part in the 12ft Gin and under handicap event, when she overturned in the fresh southwest wind. After being in the water for a considerable time the crew was picked up by the skipper of the ferry launch Tarewai, who went somewhat off his course to return the crew and tow the boat hack to the Broad Bay wharf. There were no other launches or sailing craft out cruising at the lime, and the prompt action of Captain Moss in going to the rescue at inconvenience to himself was fully appreciated by the lads of the small boat and yachtsmen who afterwards heard of the affair. Lassie lost her spinnaker, but was not damaged in any way. Ynnng Campbell will ho put to big expense for a boy, as he will have to pay about £‘2 to purchase a new spinnaker. A 12-font sailing dinghy, which was built by Mr Jack Hanlon at Queenstown recently, is now in Otago Harbor. The boat is a creditable production, constructed on the diagonial double-cross skin principle. She is moored at Broad Bay, where her owner will rig her. On the return trip from the Broad Bay regatta the Marata towed Colleen, Winifred, Vision, and Spray to Mapandrews, while Jewel took Mona, and Silvocea towed Mavis from off Company’s Bay. Colleen and Winifred caused some excitement by parting from their tow-lines, but, owing to Mr Gibson’s clever handling of Marata*

Hie boats were soon picked up again. A little later Mona's tow-line parted, and, unfortunately, the heavy sea washed her against the launch, and stove in Hie latter’s gunwale. Macandrew’s was reached without further mishap. IS-KNOT PASSENGER LAUNCH.

A writer in the ‘ Motor Boat,’ London, says: “Showing several striking departures from accepted practice, a high-speed (Alt passenger boat has been developed by Mr Norman Hart for a.projected service. When motor passenger boats compete with road vehicles it is almost invariably essential that the speed of (he motor boat must bo reasonably high. Another consideration, which, necessitates a capacity for speed, is emphasised in the case of such a service as might be inaugurated upon the Thames—namely, that the boats must be capable of maintaining a time schedule _ irrespective of tidal conditions; referring again to the Thames as an example, it would frequently be necessary for boats to contend with a current of four knots. Thus, craft which are to operate, successfully under those conditions must possess reserve speed at least equal to the worst tidal conditions. The length is 65ft overall, the beam of the projected boat being Lift, and the depth 7ft liin. The engine room occupies a relatively small amount of space, and houses, in addition to the auxiliary machinery, two 420 b.h.p. Boardmore high speed Diesel engines. These units are of a newly-developed type, closely resembling those which the makers have lately applied to rail cars. Each has four cylinders, with a. bore and piston stroke of 12in. The output is developed at 750 r.p.m. The engines are made in various models, the largest having twelve cylinders, and developing 1,260 b.h.p. “ Comfortable accommodation is provided for seventy-nine passengers. Double toilet rooms are arranged forward of tho engine space and within a small clockhouse, the forward end of which is devoted io the control station. Of the hard chine type, the hull has been specially evolved to give speedy lines, but particular _ attention has been paid to lateral stability when passengers are coming aboaiW or disembarking. The boat is intended for handling by a crew of two, or at the utmost three hands only would bo necessary. Eighteen knots would easily be within the capacity of the vessel.”