Yachting

Free Lance, Volume XVI, Issue 870, 9 March 1917, Page 21

Yachting

. Last. Saturday the Port Nicholson "Yacht Glub held their annual race for lady skippers. The following were the starters : Rona (scr), Viola (ojrtiin), Wairere No. 2 (6min), lolanthe (15Jmin), Venus (16min), Rawene (18min). • Hie wind was a light southerly "with no sea, and the conditions for a ladies' race could not. have been better. The start was a good one. The Viola, Rona. and. Wairere were the first to show out prominently. The first two ■boats round Korokoro buoy . were - the Viola and. Rona; the others followed some distauce astern. Upon sheets being hauled in for the return journey it was at- once seen the big black , cutter was making her way to windward "of the fleet, though the Viola was/ getting through the water in a fine manner. '■ ' '' - The Rona .wa§.__ not caught and finished first, €lie Viola second, and the Wairere third. The finishing times were>:—Rona, -4,44:,30; Viola, 4,46,20; Wairere-, 4,46,53; Venus, 4,501,50; Rawene, 4,53,50; and 10-' lanthe, 5,0.36. Mrs. PetHerick sailed the Rona, and Miss McLean the Commodore's - boat, which finished second. The Rawene ought to 'have been closer up, but she used the Ngahanranga- side too much. . The Venus was one of the best handled boats-in the. race. ' - y Next Saturday will be used for. tlie usual points race, and a good field is expected. *- ; The race for the rose bowl is set down for the Saturday after, and. Mr. Brooke Taylor's Maui is the defender. / Yacht and motor boat owners take a great pride_ in the -appearance of their boats, and it is rather upsetting when an owner goes-aboard to find several large dents made in the hull of his craft by the careless use of a boat hook. Surely this useful : article: is not meant for a purpose of this kind. Very bad seamanship; must be exhibited when a launch lias to fend-off another with such force, as to nearly pierce the side of the other's hull. It is to be hoped, that, an example will be made of the sneak thieves who have been- paying the Boat Harbour a visit lately. Owners of yachts are determined to combine and obtain punishment for the offenders. 1 . ' The. Doris has had a new engine installed, and is back in the Boat Harbour. Ted Hannan is busy fitting the Nikau with a small engine and intends to have a shot at the rose bowl. The Dauntless, Resolution, Wolsley and Anderson's launch spent last weekend fishing near Baring Head and had a very successful day's sport. The catcli comprised hapuka, trumpeter, blue cod, and terakihi.

Tlxe Port Nicholson Motor Boat Club ; held a relay race on Saturday. The following launches the -respective teamsWaiorie (Captain Palmer), Tunanui. and Nevada versus Naomi - (Gaptain. Downes), Nellie, and /Wolsley. The Waione team' won on actual time, buthad r to. allow their opponents' eight minutes arid, lost the contest by two - and a.-half. minutes. ,• ■ •• ■ The annual picnic, of the above Club "• will be held this week-end. The motor-boat race to Black Rock happens this Saturday. .