SANDERS CUP COMPETITION.

Evening Star, Issue 21254, 8 November 1932, Page 9

SANDERS CUP COMPETITION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Since your correspondent, !“ Yachtsman,” has opened a discusion on the Sanders Cup competitions and voiced an opinion, I would be glad of the opportunity of voicing mine. So far as my memory serves me, the original object of the Sanders Cup competitions was to popularise small boat sailing amongst boys and young fellows with limited, and frequently very limited, means, and I am sure everyone will admit that that objective has never been aimed at at all, let alone approached. With the coming of another and bigger model, as “Yachtsman ” advocates, I maintain that the original objective will be still further away from most of us. My contention is that the boat should and must come within the financial reach of the average young fellow, and must necessarily bo smaller mid not larger. I have had a good many years of experience, and maintain that the small boat of proven design and properly handled will afford a maximum of sport and pleasure, and test the resourcefulness of youths without being a scrap more dangerous, and perhaps in many cases less so. With this object in view, I consider a great stimulus would be given to the sport if something in the nature of a competition be started, each competitor building his own idea of a boys’ boat and entering it. There can be no doubt that boys will have to “ roll their own,” and I think should be encouraged in this direction. There are plenty of good designs that are quite simple enough for a lad of average intelligence to construct, and so build up a lasting interest in the sport, as well as the craft. I .would aim at a small, simply-constructed boat, and might do worse than draw attention to the one-design class, ■“ Snipe,” recently sponsored by “ Rudder,” from which design hundreds have already been successfully built by amateurs, though personally 1 advocate an even smaller model. _ My own boys’ boat will be a 10ft sailing dinghy, froni which I know from experience they will get a maximum of pleasure and knowledge at a minimum of cost, and yet with ample safety.—l am, etc., Limited. November 8.