YACHTING

Evening Star, Issue 20671, 19 December 1930, Page 16

YACHTING

[By For’ard Hand.] YACHTING CALENDAR. —1930. December 20.—Sanders and Cornwell Cup trials. December 26.—Macandrow Bay regatta. —1931. January I.—Broad Bay regatta. January 17.—Ravepsbournc Club races; Otago Club races. February 21.—Otago Yacht Club races. • March 21.—Otago Yacht Club races. SANDERS CUP CONTEST. The dates for the first three races of the Sanders Cup contest are as follow • *~[** February 17, 18, and 19, 1931. WILL EILEEN COMPETE? SYNDICATE SHOULD TAKE ACTION. If Eileen is selected as Otago’s defender of the Sandora Cup without Allan’Hunter as skipper, it is on the cards that the champion will not sail in the contest. “ If the boy docs not sad the boat nobody else will sail her,” declared Mr P. Hunter on Saturday. In adopting such a stand Mr Hunter is not showing sportsmanship. He should be one of the first yachtsmen to see that Otago is represented by the best boat and crew, irrespective ot his .personal feelings. 1 Mr Hunter claims that ho is the owner of Eileen, a claim which is now being challenged. When Eileen, was built a syndicate found a portion of the cost, and Mr Hunter, ’ who started the syndicate, found the balance of £l2, a condition of the construction being that George Kellett was to sail Eileen. But there was no agreement or understanding that the Port Chalmers yachtsman was to have full control of the yacht when Kellett retired. The syndicate can have . only one opinion—that Eileen is the only boat capable of defending the cup. And the majority of the members will support the sailing judges in any selection of Crew which may be made. To declare that M'Culloch or any other skipper will not bo allowed to step into Eileen is not sporting. The judges are not likely to be influenced by Mr Hunter’s attitude. Otago must be represented by the best boat and crew available, and any action taken by the judges will be endorsed by the general public. Eileen is the boat, but Allan Hunter does not appeal as the skipper. The syndicate should meet at the earliest possible moment to discuss the position. Action has already been taken by supporters to give other promising skippers every chance of showing their capabilities, DAWN’S NEW RIG. Dawn was launched last Saturday afternoon,, and the crew immediately proceeded to step the new mast and set up the rigging. On Sunday the new English mainsail was given a couple of hours’ airing as the yacht lay to her moorings. It is of Ratsey and Lapthornc’s usual high quality, and embodies several new features that will bo of interest to yachtsmen. The outside luff wire has been dispensed with, and in its place a woven copper wire is inserted in the luff cloths, the strain being adjusted on an outside lanyard. Considerable differences? have been made in the size and shape of the afterleach battens. Tho oldtime narrow battens are replaced by a fanshaped type about five inches wide oh the outer end and tapering to Jess than half this width at the inner end. the idea seemingly being to give a more equitable bending arc when the sail is filled. , . , WATCH YOUR SPINNAKERS. Like the Sandfers Cjip Race, the Takapuna class event sailed on Saturday was not a real test of seamanship on account of the light airs which blew fitfully across Anderson’s Bay. For nearly half an hour after the race started there was not a capful of wind, and tho boats drifted in the general direction of the mark buoy off Sunshine. A light breeze later sprang up,- but there was no weight in it. After rounding the mark spinnakers were set, but the skippers failed to use them to the fullest advantage. Without exception they were all hauled flat and given no opportunity to balloon when an occasional puff made itself felt. The spinnaker work was on< the whole slow. Not one sail was hoisted in stops'ready to be broken out, and no attempt was made to hoist the sail before the buoyAvas ro..checl. With the spinnaker in stops much, time can be saved at the buoys by hoisting the sail before rounding; all that remains to be done then is to run out the boom and break out the sail. If Colleen’s crew had done this before the second race the for’ard hand would not have been required to leave the cockpit to clear his sail, and the resultant capsize would not have occurred. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. , Given a fine day, the regatta to be held at Macandrew Bay on Boxing Day should be a success. The entries for the various events are very good, and the numbers are well up on last year's. Some idea of„tlie entries may be gained from the following figures:—A total of thirty-five yachts have entered for the various sailing events, and the launch entrants number twenty-seven all told. In the reiving section there are also good entries, the largest number in one race being seven and the smallest number five. ■ The skippers of the sailing craft are reminded that the yacht races will, bo started on the Mark Foy system. This will bo a new departure for the majority of them, bub it will bring them into line with a large number of overseas clubs. If the crews are wise they will practise in this method of starting before the actual race, and so obtain the full advantage of their time allowance. The local sea scout troop has offered its assistance to the committee as messengers and general .helpers. This is a very generous offer, as the lads will not be able to pay as much attention to the racing as they might wish, but it will make the task of the officials a much lighter one. A musical, programme will he in the hands of the Orphanage Brass Band. Sir Charles Statliam lias always been an ardent supporter of the regatta, and lias accepted an invitation for himself and Lady Statliam to be present.

In preparation for the Boxing Day regatta the Macandrew Bay launches Hera, Marato, Tni, and Min are undergoing exhaustive tests during the. week. .

The skipper of Southern Star was evidently under the impression that he had wheels pn his keel last Sunday, and as a result spent a large part of the afternoon on the sand ! 'anks in the Lower Harbour. But her troubles did not end when she floated off at high water. She had just icached the boat harbour when a coupling carried away. Miti has been slipped-at the boat harbour for overhaul. It is .said that she will be painted white this season.