REPRESENTATIVE YACHTING

Evening Star, Issue 25956, 22 November 1946, Page 9

REPRESENTATIVE YACHTING

DEVELOPMENT OF CLASSES DISPLAY IN ODTACDN TO-NIGHT Interest in the three chief yachting contests in the Dominion—those for tiie aanders and Cornwell Cups and the ldleaiong -cnampiousnip—will ne stimulated by an exhibition of representative craft of each class to be held in the Octagon to-night. These contests are held annually on an interproviucial basis, usually at the port of the holder for the time being of the honour. The first two trophies referred to above commemorate V.C. winners of World War 1., Lieutenant-commander W. E. Sanders, V.C., D. 5.0.; 11.N.R., and Boy Jack Cornwell, V.C. Sanders was an Auckand lad who, while in command of H.M. Q-ship Prize, fought two actions with German submarines, in the second of which he lost his life. On April 30, 1917, Prize sighted a U-boat and sent away her “ panic party ” according to plan, leaving Sanders and his gun crews in hiding waiting for the submarine. to close the range. At last she was in a satisfactory position, and the signal to open fire was given. The first salvo disabled the submarine’s for’ard gun, and the commander and some of the crew were subsequently blown overboard. ' Though badly damaged in the initial attack by the enemy. Prize was able to limp into port, and shortly afterwards the award of the Victoria Cross to her gallant commander was gazetted. Before the investiture at Buckingham Palace, however, Sanders had Ifought his last battle. On August 14, 1917, Prize again went into action with an'enemy submarine. This time the enemy commander was not to be lured within range of the hidden guns of Prize. Instead he shadowed his prey until nightfall, when a torpedo sent the ship with her crew beneath the waves. For this action Sanders was posthumously awarded the D.S.O.

TO ENCOURAGE THE YOUTHS. It was about 1916 that the first 14footer was designed and built by Mr Glad. Bailey, of Auckland, as the prototype of a class for possible adoption as one in which youths could learn the handling of small craft. Named Desert Gold, this little craft was purchased by Messrs F. Cloke and J. Patrick, and proved so successful that numbers of similar craft were soon afloat on the Waitemata. ' _ Shortly aifter Admiral Lord Jellicoe came to New Zealand as GovernorGeneral in 1920, this class came under his notice, and lie was soon to be seen at the tiller of Iron Duke, as he named the boat which was built for him. Craft of this class then began to appear on Otago Harbour, and eventually the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Club issued a challenge to the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association for a contest between boats built to the specifications. The donation of a cup by Messrs ,Walker and Hall, through the firm’s Auckland representative (Mr John Hislop), in memory’’of Lieuten-ant-commander Sanders followed, and the Dominion-wide yachting contest was established. In this first contest Otago was represented by Mr W. J. P. McCulloch’s and Iron Duke was selected to represent the northern centre. March 24, 1921, was the date of the first race ,of the contest, and the Otago boat won-the majority- of these, Mr Gr. A., Wiseman, of Port' Chalmers, replacing McCulloch as skipper in the last two races. Since then the contest has gained in popularity and has given added impetus to the sport generally. There have been minor alterations in design, but, on the whole, the class remains much the same as that which started the contest in 1921. Since then Otago has won the coveted trophy on three occasions and Auckland on seven. Canterbury shows the best record, with nine wins, while Wellington held the Sanders Cup for three years in succession. No contests were held during the war years from 1942 to 1945. CORNWELL CUP. The Cornwell Cup perpetuates the memory of Jack Cornwell, V.C., the boy hero of H.M.S. Chester in the ißattle of Jutland. Chester was badly mauled by the fire of the German warships and all members of Cornwell’6 gun crew were either killed or wounded. Cornwellj however, kept the gun in action single-handed under heavy fire, for which deed • he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His age at the time was just under 161 years. Like the Sanders Cup, the Cor.nwell Cup was presented by Messrs Walker and Hall. The first contest was organised in 1924 under the • leadership of Mr 0. Moller, a former Dunedin yachtsman, then commodore of the Takapuna Boating, Club. This club had given its name to a class of one-design craft of 12ft 6in length, sft beam, and Ift 4iri depth amidships. The primary object of the contest is to produce skilful young yachtsmen rather than fast boats. Unlike the Sanders Cup contest, the races are sailed on an interport. and not an interprovincial, basis, and any port is entitled to be represented by one crew of two boys under the age of 19 on the January 1 preceding the contest. At least 17 stone live or dead weight must he carried. The main point about the contest, however, is that the association .in whose port the contest is held provides the boats, which are drawn for prior to each race, so that no crew shall have one boat more than once until it has sailed in them all. The contest continues until one crew has won three races. IDLEALONG CLASS. The ldleaiong championship does not commemorate any specific person, but the class may be considered a stepping stone to the more lively 14-footers. The class came into being when A. G. Harvey, of Wellington, drew out fullsized plans of an existing type on the floor of his sail loft and suggested a number of improvements. These were made, and the class became firmly established very quickly. The ease with which these boats can bo built and their comparatively low cost ensured their popularity, and in 1934 they appeared in Lyttelton and in Dunedin in the season of 1937-38. This year there were 15 entrants in the trial races for this class here, but a number were unable to start through the non-arrival of new gear, and it is confidently expected that there will he 20 on the harbour by the end of this season. The Ravensbourne Boating Club has done much to foster this class. When suitable timber became , difficult to obtain, the club offered to provide the timber to those who wished to build but who could not obtain this necessity, repayment to be made later. > This has done much towards the establishment of the ldleaiong class.