YACHTING

Evening Star, Issue 19387, 22 October 1926, Page 12

YACHTING

[By For'abd Hand.]

During the week-end Mr Hugh Eatersou brought his launch Macrahanise round from Purakanui, and she was slipped at tho Boat Harbor lor general overhaul. A new 12-footer'has made her appearance at the Yacht Club’s haven. She is Chance, built and owned by B. Campbell. Both Marewa and Silver Fern are m tho water again, looking spic and span after their thorough overhaul. Southern Star, Intruder, Nell, and Revenge are still on the slip. Tho latter launch is having a cabin built on, and Mr Bishop expects to have her out on Labor Day. This year the Yacht Club’s opening will be on a rather modified scale, owing to the difficulty of access to tho club’s property. The event will probably be iield on the day of the first club race, and in co-operation with the Broad Bay Club. The Otago Yacht Club held its first committee meeting of the new season on Friday last, when tho various subcommittees were formed. The personnel of which is practically the same as last year. , This year the Yacht Club will issue its own syllabus of races, apart from tho syllabus issued by the association. Commodore Sundstrum’s Norana h being fitted with a new steering gear at Port Chalmers.' Her engineer has been busy on the new apparatus for a considerable time, and when it is completed it is expected that it will be_ one of the best in New Zealand. This launch is expected to be launched about November 5. The Waitiri has been slipped at the Boat Harbor, and her crew has been working night and day to get her in order for tho season. _ They have changed her color to white, and she looks very well in her now garb. Sir J. T. Paul’s Aotea made tho trip to Broad Bay during the weekend.

Mr F. B. Francis’s launch Ailsa has been sold to Mr H. M'Alister, of Bluff, and the boat is expected to proceed to the southern port this week-end. Owing to Mr Daniels having gone to Canterbury, the Broad Bay Club has had to cast round for a now secretary, and was successful in obtaining the services of Mr G. Lawrence. Mr Lawrence has had a good deal of boating experience, and should fill the bill well. An interest in the yacht Viking has been sold by Mr J. Angoll to Max Smith, who has sailed the Vision for some years. A good deal of activity is being shown by the St. Leonards boys, every minulo of their spare time boing _ spent in making their little fleet ready for the coming season. Jack Kewish has bought the Ross Cup champion Frolic. In repairing he has made a splendid littlo craft of her, and should do well in the coming events. Sea Imp, which is owned by Jim Mart, is ready to take the water any week. This boat is a credit to her owner. No work has been done on the lona so far, and the date _of her being rigged for the season is indefinite. _ She is in good order, as always. Skipper (Wiseman, too, is not sure about Ids activity on tho water this season. Owing to a typographical error in ’the yachting notes in last Friday’s 'f Star,’ tho first part of tho formula for ' the allocation of points should not read ’ dOO X (S + I—3), but 100 x (S + I—P). j, +1 STT f On tho Anderson’s Bay Lagoon the Otago Model Yacht Club will open its season to-morrow. The members are looking forward to a much more profitable year. More boats are being built, and the club is thriving. From Broad Bay come gratifying reports of a revival of yachting and motor beating. The dissolution of the club was mooted this year, the trouble apparently being the laxity of some of the officials, but tho new officers are working with vim in bringing about a return of the brighter days. The Sanders Cup, tho Oliphant Cup (for general competition among 14footers), and the Sundstrum Cup (held yearly by. tho boat representing Otago in the cup races) nro the cups controlled by tho Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association. There has been some doubt expressed about the association’s cups, and this paragraph should clear away any misunderstanding. Because it was considered a farce the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association has decided that a combined syllabus for the season shall not ho issued this year. Tho decision no doubt has been'brought about by the delay of the clubs in sending in their programmes and information, but the tion of the association’s syllabus will be missed. It was a splendid compilation, giving plenty; of information, and was much appreciated by those who wore not actively interested in racing. Just before tho annual meeting the North-east Harbor Club forwarded its information for the syllabus, the committee presumably being under tho impression that the syllabus would bo continued. The only club now printing its programme, although one has not been arranged yet for this season, will be the Otago Yacht Club. The clubs should pull together and comply with all requests, and see that the syllabus is published next year. With the retirement of Mr J. D. Cameron the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association has lost a most efficient and competent secretary. Mr Cameron was secretary of the Ravensbourne Boating Club previous to his joining the association executive in 1920, and in the following year he was appointed secretary. When he resigned at the annual meeting last week, together with eight other delegates, the new executive had some difficulty in filling his place. Air E. Boswell’s nomination to the vacancy was strongly supported, and all officers, including Mr Cameron, offered to give every help to the new secretary. Air Boswell, however, declined. Before this election Air T. Anderson had been elected a vicepresident. He was persuaded to take on the secretaryship. Air Anderson told the meeting that it would be better if lie did not hold the two positions, and he selected the hard work in preference to the higher position. Air Anderson began his boating career as a boy in the small boats ,at Port Chalmers, and ho was later in the bigger craft. Though never a skipper, ho has been chief man aboard a number of craft at various times. Ho is now Alayor of Port Chalmers. Yachtsmen who know anything of racing rules are familiar with the letters Y.R.A., but, everyone has not this knowledge (states an exchange). The Yacht Racing Association of Great Britain, to give it the full title, was founded just fifty years ago at a meet--1 ing of yachtsmen held in London. Tho Marquis of Exeter presided, and there were thirty-five gentlemen present. Dixon Kemp was elected secretary, which position he held for over thirty years. The association formulated a set of rules to govern yacht racing which has become standardised in every part of the world. Any club affiliated to the association has the right to ask for a ruling on a question of the foul sailing or infringement of the rules, and many decisions were given which have beon recorded in tho year book which the association issues annually. The Otago Yacht Association has decided that all races sailed must follow the Y.R.A. rules. Races for tho Sanders Cup are sailed under Y.R.A. rules, except that five flags are used in starting in the place of ono. The Takapuna, a 12-footer which was built during tbe winter by G. Andrews, amm and gldgp; flit tfea fisp

winner Betty, was launched at Redcliffs last week-end, being speedily rigged and put in sailing order. With the fresh south-wester experienced on Sunday she had a good try-out, and from what can bo seen in such a short time she should, prove very fast in one direction at least. While she is not perhaps very speedy on the wind, with a strong breeze behind her she ought to put up some great performances off tho wind, her exhibition on Sunday being sufficient grounds on which to base this claim." It will ho remembered that during the progress of one of the Sanders Cup races in Dunedin last February two of the little Takapuna punts taking part in the Cornwell Cup contest meed almost alongside the bigger boats during a run to the Castle beacon, and with spinnaker set and half a gale from the south-west behind them those little craft were left very little behind at the turn. This is, however, only one aspect of the racing, and it can bo safely said that on tho whole tho new boat can hardly expect to bo quite as fast in other directions as tho present type_ of estuary 12-footer, such ns Fidget, which was built by Mr Morrison, the owner of Secret, Betty’s club rival. Some day, perhaps, New Zealand yachtsmen will have a full racing circuit—Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton, Timaru, Dunedin, and Stewart Island. Tho time will not come, though, until bigger yachts are built and tho sport is supported by wealthy men. No dominion yacht does tho racing of an English yacht, for in the Old Country there is a circuit extending over the season. The great number of races sailed there provides the matter for an interesting return of starts for yachting seasons prior to 1914. Tho 16-metro yacht Vanity heads the list with a total of 177 starts. Her yearly number was 47 in 1909, 50 in 1910, 44 in 1911, and 36 in 1912. Ostara, also a 15-metre yacht, in the same seasons totalled 174 starts; while Mariska’s total was 170 starts. The 23-mctre yacht White Heather started 157 times in five seasons, and the 23-metre Shamrock (not the America Cup challenger) came next with 133 starts in four seasons. Mr John Payno steered Vanity in every one of her 177 races. Sir William Burton sailed no less 181 races in four seasons. Lady Burton sailed with him on every occasion, and took the time for her husband during the starting manoeuvres. These records wore beaten by the Marquis of Ailsa, who in five seasons competed in 217 races with the old Bloodhound, while Mr William Jameson, when in of Britannia for King Edward, then Prince of Wales, holds the record with 219 races in five seasons. PORT CHALMERS NOTES. At a committee meeting of the Port Chalmers Club held on Tuesday evening it was decided that the official opening be Held on Saturday, October 30, at 2.15 p.m. The opening ceremony will be held at the club shed, after which afternoon tea will be served. If the weather permits, those present will ho taken for a trip on the harbor in the various launches. Tncana will bo launched to-morrow and will bo placed in commission immcdiatelv. Pakeha will also bo launched during the week-end. Gracie, .Vyclla, Grace Darling, and Valnioro are all in commission again. “ CHANGE-OVER ” RACES. The following is a system of allocating points for the international onedesign 12ft dinghies, which was first conceived by M. Jules Bouriez, secretary of tho Brussels Royal Yacht Club, and .was subsequently improved by him m an attempt to devise a method _of international small-class racing in which all competitors would liavo an equal chance, and would eliminate all possibility of an indifferent helmsman deriving values from a first-class boat or vice versa. In its final form the system is exceedingly simple. The necessary number of one-design or closelyrestricted boats are placed at the disposal of competitors by the body organising tho races, and as many races are sailed as there are competitors. Lots are drawn for the first race, and after tho first race the crews change boats. Crews change again after each subsequent race, until finally each crew has sailed one race in each boat. If there is a “ best ” boat each crew has a chance in it; if there is a “worst” boat each crew has a chance to make tho best of it. Points are given for each race in the following manner:— 1 for a first, 2 for a second, 3 for a third, and so on. A boat giving up gets as many points as there are starters. A non-starter gets as many points as there are entries. In tho Brussels international championship there were six competing crews from as many countries, and the races were sailed in one-design dinghies of the 12ft class.

lie accompanying diagram gives a full analysis’of the results, and snows more clearly the effect of boats on the helmsman and the helmsman on the boats. The _ diagonal dotted line shows the placing of each crew in the six different races, the number of the race being indicated by Roman numerals. Below the vertical columns are the total points scored by each boat, and the total points scored by each crew are found in the extension to the horizontal columns. It can be seen that the best helmsman did well even in the worst boat: it can also be seen that the worst boat (B 6) brought her crew clown to the tall end of the fleet pretty consistently. The diagnm shows that, though the six boats were picked from the best of an available fleet of forty-five one-design dinghies, one-de-sign building does not by any means ensure level form. There must, of m*m fee hjggfiff m fam m

an international onc-dcsign class than in a local club o.d. class, but the Brussels championship races proved that there aro big differences in speed even amongst boats which have been built in the same yard from the same moulds and from the same materials. The results conclusively show that the Irish helmsman' was far and away the best of the group of six. With tho worst boat in the first race, and competing in utterly, strange waters, he succeeded in gaining second place; no other competitor succeeded m getting better than fifth place in this boat. The two best boats were 844 and 822. Each helmsman had tho chance to make tho most of whichever boat ho had,' and could arrange the running gear according to his own ideas to get the most out of the sail. Tho recall of two crews, the Irish and the Belgian, in one race made tho results different from what they would otherwise have been, and ft was very evident that the Dutch competitor, who was considerably heavier than the others, was handicapped on account of his weight. It is impossible to compensate for such things though, and they in no way detract from the excellence of tho system. Though perhaps impracticable for the 14-footer trials, this system would be ideal for the sailing of the Takapunaclass boats.

SANDERS CUP TRIALS —Probable Competitors Announced.— Only a fortnight to go, and tho Sanders Cup trials will bo interesting all yachtsmen. The probable competitors for the honor to represent Otago on Lyttelton Harbor in February are B. S. Irwin’s Kia Ora. G. Kollott’s Winifred. W. Watson’s Eunice. P. Hunter’s lona. Eunice’s crew lias not yet been selected. The boat is ready to take the water. Mr Irwin has left tho selection of Kia Ora’s crew in the hands of the skipper. Report has it that Bert Goodwin, the clever for’ard hand who sailed in Heather, might bo in the crew. Mr J. MTiierson is getting the boat ready, and new gear has been purchased. Winifred’s crew will bo; G. Kellett (Skipper), R. and C. Connor, and A. Hill. Talking to G. Wiseman the other day, “ For’ard Hand ” was informed that, owing to illness in the owner’s family, nothing had yet been arranged about lona’s programme for the season. Mr Wiseman was not sure whether he would be at the helm of the ex-de-fonder. The capsize in one of the races on a bitterly cold Saturday last year did not do him any good. Mr M'Culloch informed “For’ard Hand ” yesterday that it was highly improbable that Heather would be sailing in the trials this season. It was only after much consideration last year that the owner agreed to race Heather, and now ho finds that his time is even more fully occupied in his business. Sir SrCullocli also thinks that his boat will not have much chance of representing Otago. Ho said he might sail her again in the 1927-28 season, but the possibilities were that before he made another effort to represent Otago lie would build a new fourteen-footer. His son would then bo old enough to give him assistance. AH yachtsmen will regret Mr M'Cnlloch’s absence from the trials. Heather has won fame for Otago, as the boat was the first winned of the Sanders Cup, boating tho Governor-General Lord Jellieoe’s boat Iron Duke on Auckland Harbor ir 1921. Heather represented Otago, unsuccessfully, on the harbor the following year. As has been pointed out before, there seems to bo a slackening of interest among some of the owners. They have the boats, and their presence in the trial races would add interest. Alf. Challis’s Agnes is not in the water yet. A week or two ago tho owner was thinking of asking Jim Hook to sail the boat in the trials, but so far the boat can he counted as a non-competitor. Hook would have been a good skipper, as when Agnes competed be was the best man in the crew and also acted as skipper. Owing to difficulties in getting a crew, Mona will also probably be absent from the trials. She is owned by the Northeast Harbor Club, and Allan M‘Donald sailed her last year. However, tho skipper cannot find the time to take charge this year, as study is engaging his whole time. Mavis will not be in tho trials. She is owned by Ray Hellyor at Macandrews, and he has started on repainting her. Mavis will be in blue, with a white band at tho water line and red

below. Although he was out sailing every week-end last season his keenness does not extend to the trials. Vulmai, another boat, is out of commission. She was first built for Mr C. W. Sundstrum, and then passed into the hands of the Field brothers.' Squib is now at the Bluff. There were two Squibs, Nos. 1 and 2. No. • 2, built by J. R. Cameron, was built some years ago when the conditions for the Cup races would have mndo her eligible, but she was not raced. SET COURSE WELCOMED. Yachtsmen generally mil welcome the decision of tho association to sail tho trials over a set course. Last year the first three tests were sailed over the Broad Bay, North-east Harbor, and Sanders Cup courses. Owing to the weather and distances to be travelled, boats were late in arriving at tho starting line* aad tho skippais jv«re not.

altogether happy over the changing of courses. Say a race was to be sailed at Broad Bay, and the day was wet. The crew would bo sailing clown from Dunedin in the rain for two hours, and would then have to sail tho race for another two hours. They could not be expected to do their best. Now that all the races will be sailed on the Upper Harbor the competing boats will probably be housed at the Yacht Club sheds, and there should be no repetition of those exasperating delays and battles againzt the tide and wind for tho boats. So far the association lias not received word from the Harbor Board officials who have been asked to map out tho set windward and leeward and triangular courses. “For’ard Hand” is informed, though, that the courses will be:— Windward and Leeward. —Start from the wharf, round tho Three Legs, round the association’s buoy at Challis’s, then to tho pile off the Birch street wharf, and finish over the starting line. In tho Sanders Cup races the boats were started from between a launch and the pile at the end of tho wharf, tho boats sailing over the course three times. Triangular.—-Start at the corner of the Victoria wharf, round tho Castle Beacon, then round tho red flag buoy opposite tho Anderson’s Bay inlet, and thence round the pile on the starting lino. The Sanders Cup boats sailed oyer this course four times in February. It is satisfactory that a points system will be used for the selection of Otago’s representative. Two good systems have been published in the ‘Star’s’ yachting column, and from these, together with other systems which yachtsmen must know of, the association should ho able to devise a plan that will please all. The points system is an equitable method of selection, as a boat might not strike suitable weather in the earlier races, and is eliminated. Tho hick might bo that she would have been in her element in later races. At any rate, it does not seem right that boats should have to travel from on© end of New Zealand to the other, and then be eliminated. The owners, skippers, crews, and tho provinces would prefer, “ For’ard Hand ” is convinced, to see all the representatives battling right through the races. Otago has given a lead, and it is to he hoped that a more satisfactory system than the eliminations will lie used in tho conduct of future Sanders Cup contests.

PRIZE MONEY OR TROPHIES. Aro big money prizes to the detriment of the sport? A debatable point, certainly, and it is one which is now interesting yachtsmen as the season’s racing draws near. As tho game has progressed on Otago Harbor, the value of the prizes has increased, but few will say that growing prize money has been in the best interests of the sport. In New Zealand yachting is not the sport of the few wealthy people. Tho boy with the dinghy is as welcome as the man with the cutter in a yacht club, and the absence of class distinction has fostered the sport. But when prize moneys continue to increase tho old-time sailers ask: Is yachting a recreation and sport or a money-making concern? Only the other day, “ For’arc! Hand ” was chatting to an old Otago yachtsman, who spoke deprecating the high value of tho prizes, and claimed that in his day the men had much better sport out of racing throughout tho season for the silk banner. Ho had a feeling that if the values went up further a certain clement of professionalism would enter into the game. “ For’ard Hand ” agrees that professionalism should be kept out of yachting. It is a sport in New Zealand for the ordinary man, and we should all endeavor to increase the number of yachts and crows by maintaining a keen spirit of competition. Money prizes for the boys, “ For’ard Hand ” belieces, is .not conducive to tho best sport. The boys should ho in the game for the healthy competition arid training, for yachting is a splendid training in anticipation, resource, courage, and emergency. Likewise, ail men should he in the sport for tho pleasure it gives them. Now Zealand clubs do not want the “yachtsman” who will sit on 'the clubhouse balcony and watch the races. It wants the practical owner, the man who, perhaps, would come in handy in times of naval defence. Tho paid skipper is a man we do not want in tho clubs. Agreed that quite a number of men, even on Otago Harbor, bare yachts sailed by skippers who take tho helm for the love of the sport, but would it not be better for yachting if those men who had given some of their money in fostering the sport by building boats were to sail themselves? Undoubtedly, big prize money would cultivate the professional skipper, and there would enter into yachting in democratic New Zealand bitterness, as tho skippers would take every risk of breaking the rules to get their boat home the winner. Yachting in the dominion waters should be a sport for all —the boy and the man. Tho growing popularity of the small boat places yachting within the reach of all who like the sea, and tho more active men in tho boats the better for the sport. In Sydney, the dinghy races held every Saturday aro worth £IOO. Big crews are carried in tho machines, which carry enormous areas of silk. Harbor ferries follow the boats, and a portion of tho fares is given towards the prize money. The bookmakers lay the odds on the races, and they, too, contribute towards the prizes. All very fine, but are we in New Zealand in yachting for the pleasure we get out of it or the money we hope to win ? Most of tho clubs on Otago Harbor give trophies for the winners, although at the regattas money is tho prize.' The amounts, however, are not large. A few pounds certainly comes in handy to the working boat owner, and “ For’ard Hand ” has no objections to prizes of £2 and £1 being given. A few wins in the season will give the owner something to assist him in overhauling his boat in tho winter. But, even then, would it not be conducive to cleaner and keener competition if only trophies were given. “ For’ard Hand,’’ who has competed for money prizes, thinks so. What have the yachting men to say? Opinions will bo welcomed. YAOHTS OF THE PAST No. I— THE CALLIOPE. A series of histories of old-time yachts on the Otago Harbor will be conducted in this column. Owners Would assist by forwarding the histories of their hoats. Originally the Dauntless, belonging to Mr B. 0. Haggitt, late Crown Prosecutor, who was commodore of the Otago Yacht Club about 1875, this boat was essentially a cruiser, and in many respects more suitable for cruising than i tho preseat-day type of Jwsdr

About 1890 she was acquired by Mr O. H. Brown, under whoso ownership many pleasant cruises were indulged in. Later she was sold to Mr Stentiford, who sailed her for somo time. Her later history is somewhat obscured, but latterly she has been sadly neglected, and for several years has lain at Kitchener street wharf. Last winter she was resurrected by Mr West, who has reconditioned her. She should make i a fine cruiser, being both strongly built and a seaworthy craft. Mr West is to be congratulated on the good job he has made of the bpafe*