YACHTING NEWS

Evening Star, Issue 22535, 31 December 1936, Page 15

YACHTING NEWS

[By Spinnasbb.]

(Secretaries of clubs are requested to forward brief notes of general interest before Tuesday of each week to ensure insertion.) fixtures. December 28.—Start of Moffatt Cup contest at Tauranga. ' January I.—Burkes-St. Leonards regatta. January 2.—Mussel Bay Boating Club. , _ „ _ January 4.—Start of. Cornwell Cup contest at Tauranga. January 9.—Ravensbourne Boating Club. 1 „ , „ . January 16.—Otago Yacht Club. January 22.—Masport Cup contest at Piet On. .. January 23.—Port Chalmers Boating Club. , _ ... January 30.—Ravensbourne Boating Club. , January 31.—Macandrew Bay Ladies Day. February 4.—Start of Sanders Cup contest at Lyttelton. February 13.—South Island championship regatta. A GREAT SUCCESS MACANDREW BAY FUNCTION Excellent yachting and sailing conditions nrevailed for the majority of the events' on Saturday, when the Macandrew Bay regatta was completed. Though the seas were choppy in the early afternoon, compelling a postponement of the rowing, and also the speed boat demonstration, much more favourable conditions were experienced later, enabling all to be decided. This did not suit the late yachting events, unfortunately, and slow times were registered with the failure of the wind, very light airs being the. rule. Conspicuously absent features were the swimming and model yachting events, which nad to be postponed temporarily owing to the epidemic. These will be staged later in a special little regatta. Undoubtedly the most popular race of the day was that in which the Miss Otago gave her speed demonstration. Few have had an opportunity to see her in action, and many were amazed at her capabilities. According to her crew, Messrs S. Algie and D. Hardie, she was not full out at any part of the journey, her best speed being estimated to be about 55 miles an hour. It was a. thrilling finish, however, Mr W. Sell allowing the Otago to come right up in the end, and she shot past the Miss Victory to win by about six lengths, almost doubling the spped of the slower boat, which maintained a steady 30 miles an hour. The Victory had a clear two-mile start, and towards the finish it was obvious that the Otago could not catch her, but to give the public an idea of the comparative speeds of the tfo they came past the post in brilliant style by clever arrangement. Everything being considered, the regatta was an outstanding success, and bad the epidemic not influenced the public attendance and a postponement of some events not been necessary the day would have constituted a record. The strong committee,- headed--by, -the commodore (Mr E.‘ 0. Yates) and the secretary (Mr R. Tyfie) is to be congratulated upon, its excellently arranged and despatched programme. THE CORNWELL CUP. The 1937 contest for the Cornwell Clip will be commenced on January 4, and preparations are well in _ hand at Tauranga to entertain the visitors and t* carry out the contest in a satisfactory manner. The coming contest will be the thirteenth, and 10 crews will be taking part, representing Whangarei, Auckland, Manukau, Hamilton,. Tauranga, Wellington, Paremata, Plimmerton, Lyttelton, and Christchurch. In the first race each crew .will sail its own boat, changing to a different one in each succeeding race until they have sailed in every boat. This is hardly likely to happen, however, as the contest seldom runs more than seven or eight races. Otago, although it has forwarded a challenge, will not send forward a boat and crew; THE MONOTYPE CHAMPIONSHIP: After completion of the Cornwell Cup the ' monotype championship of the Dominion will be sailed in the same boats. This contest is decided in one race. It was inaugurated in Wellington two years ago, and last year was won by Mr C. Banks, the Kaiapoi representative. The race is for seniors only, one man, one boat. It will be remembered (says “ Speedwell ” that the race last year was ■ailed at low water, starting off the end of Bayswater wharf. The boats -bad to keep in the steamer, channel, and several went aground beating out to the outer pile beacon. On the lead -back from Northcote mark the boats lad; to sail across the bay, and were ■gain in shallow water. The Hamilton ■kipper, Mr Harold Martin, was unfortunate enough to capsize his boat, but ■tanding up to his knees in water and mud he soon got her clear, and continued the race. Another skipper lost his hat overboard. He simply jammed the centreboard into the mud, effectively anchoring his boat, and calmly got overboard and walked after his at,; resuming the race; and he was not last to finish. All this happened on the first round, but the flood tide had made a foot or so on the second time round, and the race was sailed .without mudlarks. Tauranga has many natural advantages for smallboat sailing,‘and with the local club’s enlarged premises right out in deep water, and the proverbial hospitality of the good folks of Tauranga, all who are fortunate enough to be present at the next contest are assured of a very pleasant holiday and a keenly-fought contest. NEW BRIDGE-DECK CRUISER. A fine type of bridge-deck cruiser for Mr C. H. Court, of Stanley Bay, Auckland. has been built at the yards of Mr C. Wild. The boat is 45ft in length and has a beam of 12ft, The guest cabin is forward and has berths for four adults, while accommodation for a similar number is provided in the owner’s cabin aft. The bridge deck will be used as a saloon and lounge. Separate toilet arrangements have been provided for both cabins; also two lighting units and plant for charging batteries, an electric outboard motor boat, and a refrigerator. The cockpit will be finished in blackwood, the owner’s cabin and deckhouse in American walnut, and the forward cabin in monotints. The outside joinery and railings are made of teak. The motive power will be a 300 h.p. Lycoming V-12 motor, which will give the launch a cruising speed of 14 knots. The new craft is very attractive and will be a welcome addition to Auckland’s fleet of pleasure boat*.

The results of the previous contests and the winning crews are as follow: 1924—Auckland, D. Mackie and A. C. Robb. . , „ 1926 Canterbury, H. Norris and G. Brasscll. 1927 Auckland, I. M'Master and D. Rogers. 1928 Auckland, I. M'Masteif and D. Rogers. 1929 Auckland, G. Carter and D. Rogers. 1930 Auckland, E. and R. Tabuteau. 1931 Auckland, V. Field and E. Tabu- • teau. 1932 Lyttelton, W. Tissiman and R. Hendry. 1933 Auckland, V. Field and R. BellBooth. 1934 Tauranga, G. Carter and R. Densen. , _ 1935 Tauranga, G. Carter and R. Densen. 1936 Auckland, H. Bailey and L. Jordan. ENGLISH J CLASS CONTESTS. Now that the English racing season has closed, the results of the contests for J class yachts should prove interesting, especially in view of the new boat Endeavour 11. being among the competitors. Following is a complete record for the season:—

Of the races in which Endeavour H. started two were abandoned owing to mishaps and one owing to the boats sailing different courses. Endeavour retired on account of a mishap from the other race, and failed to finish once owing to lack of wind. She was placed either first or second in all of the other races in which she started. Endeavour 11. was beaten twice by Astra and once each by Velsheda and Endeavour I.

On a 36 miles course with a good, true wind the difference between the vessels is roughlyEndeavour 11., scr: Endeavour 1., 2min 24sec; Velsheda, 4min 28sec; Astra, 9min 23sec. evening the sets. The Aucklander re-

Boat Starts. 1st. 2nd. 3rd. P£s. Endeavour I. 34 7 12 1 53 Velsheda ... 34 8 7 1 47 Endeavour H. 18 9 4 — 44 Astra 32 8 6 1 43