AQUATICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 7

AQUATICS.

The formal opening of tho yachting season will take place to-day, in the harbour. The yachts of tho Auckland Yacht Club. Ponsonby, Parnell, and North Shore Sailing Clubs, will assemble off the Queen-street Wharf at half-past two o'clock this afternoon, and after a series of evolutions, will prooeed for a, cruise in company under ViceCommodore Murdoch.

Rainbow is to leave for Lyttelton this afternoon, to take nart in the Jubilee Regatta. Mr. A. T. Pittar (the owner) will be accompanied by his two brothers, and Messrs. J. Alexander, Foster, and Basley, as the crew.

About 20 yachts are expected to start for the handicap race to Kawau next Saturday afternoon, for the trophy presented by Mr. Hicks-Ross, the popular manager of the island. The handioaps are to be arranged by the committee during next week. The steamer Kawau will accompany the yachts during the race to the island, for the convenience of friends of yachtsmen engaged in the race. The Payne-designed boat for the Messrs. Fairfax, of Sydney, has arrived from England, and will compote in the race on January 26 next for the champion prize. Logan Bros, have the new 30-footer for Mr. A. T. Pittar now well In hand, and she is to be finished by the end of this year. The new boat is of the extreme racing type, and judging from present appearances. she should be a fair " heeler." Thistle, owned by Captain Kennedy, of Putiki Ray, Waiheke, is to be rigged as a cutter this season, and her new spars are now being got ready by Logan Bros. A new suit of sails for the yacht were brought out by Captain Kennedy from England last week. The new 24-footer for Mr. W. A. Wilkinson is now in frame at Bailey's yards. Auckland Rowing Club were again unfortunate with the weather last Saturday afternoon, and the "At Home" and trial fours had to be postponed. I hear that St. George's Rowing Club will be represented at the Mercer and Ponsonby Regattas by several good crews, which, through careful and persistent ooaohing by the senior members of the club, are getting into "rare buokle." It is proposed that if the weather is favourable, and Rainbow leaves for Lyttelton this afternoon, the yaohts engaged in the display in the harbour will escort the " crack" down to the North Head, and wish her " good luck" on her journey South. Auckland Anniversary Regatta Committee are working energetically for the success of tho aquatio carnival on January 29, and, judging from the support they are receiving, the event should be successfully carried out. West End Rowing Club has over 25 new active members so far this season, besides several honorary members. Ponsonby Regatta Club met on Wednesday night, for the transaction of general business in connection with the regatta on December 15 next. The committee meet again next Wednesday, when the prize money will bo allocated. West End Rowing Club crews have now settled down into thorough training, and are shaping well, and expect to retain the premiership of the Waitemata this season. A number of the yachts went away cruising last Saturday, notwithstanding that the weather was very unfavourbale, but the lower reach of the harbour was most visited. The weather last Saturday was extremely bad, a strong wind from the north-west blowing, raising a very heavy sea in the harbour, and in consequence the races of the Parnell Sailing Club were put off until to-day. Ponsonby Sailing Club, after the display in the harbour this afternoon, will proceed down to Howick. North Shore Rowing Club received their new clinker outrigger from Melbourne this week. Crews of the club are now engaged in steady practice for the forthcoming regattas, and are expected to give a good account of themselves in the contests. The formal opening of the club rooms of tho Auckland Yacht Club took place on Tuesday evening last, the proceedings takin'g the form of a social. Songs, recitations, etc., formed the programme, and as there was a large attendance, there was a very successful reunion. Owing to the Thelma being engaged in the opening display of the yaohting season this afternoon, the Messrs. Bloomfield have kindly placed their fine yacht Viking at the disposal of tho Parnell Sailing Club to-day as flagship. The secretary of the Tauranga Regatta Committee (Mr. C. C. Norris) writes me that a strong committee is at work to carry out the details of the regatta, which takes place during Christmas week. Tho final programme has not yet been arranged, but it will probably include a heavyweight maiden, light-weight maiden, and the usual skiff races. A very interesting race took place amongst a number of yachts last Sunday from Drunken Bay to the North Head. About 17 yachts had rendezvoused in the bay on Saturday 'night, and on Sunday a handicap was arranged. The race was started at three p.m., the Ida acting as flagship. All the boats were got away to a good start, but off Brown's Island a heavy westerly squall came down, which gave the yachts a bit of a time. Kotiri finished first, Ida second. Halcyon third, Thetis fourth, and Peri fifth. Mr. W. Jagger, owner of Thelma, tells me that the new sails for the yacht recently received from England are very satisfactory. The new yacht building by Logan Bros, for Mr. A. T. Pittar, for the intercolonial yacht race at Sydney in January next, will be the only boat to really represent Auckland in the contest, all the other boats built here being ordered by Sydney owners, and will therefore be classed an Sydney yachts. PARNELL SAILING CLUB. The Parnell Sailing Club's races, postponed from Saturday last, will take place at Judge's Bay this afternoon. Mr. F. W. Coombes will be starter and timekeeper. The first race will be started at half-past two o'clock, and as times of starting will be strictly adhered to, competitors must he promptly on the starting line. The following are the entries and handicaps for the various events: — 26-footers' Handicap: Pastime scratch, Kotiro 5m., Waitangi sm. 22-footers' Handicap: Myra scratch, Melissa 2Jm., Wnimoa 3m., Colleen 9m., Kotare 10m., Merlin 12m. Special Patiki Race (handicap): Rambler scratch, Eka 2m., Zoe 5m., Rita sm. Open Handicap: Rainbow scratch, Aorere 17m., Ida Bm., Corinna 24m., Kotiri 17m. The course for tho 22-footers and Patikis is: From markboat off Judge's Bay. thence round markboat off Queen-street Wharf; thence round buoy off Calliope Dock; thenoe round Sandspit buoy; thence round mark off Hobson's Bay, back to starting point; twice round; finishing south side of markboat in Judge's Bay; all rounding marks to be kept on the starboard hand. Should the wind be northerly, the course will be reversed, and marks kept on port hand. The course for the 26-footers and the open handicap is from markboat off Judge's Bay, thence round markboat off Hobson Bay, thence round chequered buoy (second buoy in Rangitoto Channel); thence round mark (iff Queen-street Wharf, finishing south side of markboat off Judge's Bay, twice round. All marks to be kept on port hand.

THE AMERICA CUP. '

The following are the latest details regarding the challenge issued by Sir Thomas Lipton fo» the America Cap, Hie races to be sailed in August next: ; London, October 11.Further particulars regarding Sir Thomas Linton's new challenge for the America Cap confirms the statement that the boat will be named Shamrock, and will be selected by a series of contests between the yacht Watson is designing and the old Shamrock, after the latter has undergone the improvements proposed by Fife. Both yachts will be kept fully manned by Sir Thomas Lipton, and may cross the water together. The challenger will be commanded by a well-known amateur yacHtsman, whose name Sir Thomas does not wish to divulge at present. None of the old Shamrock's former captains will be employed in the coming races. Nbw Yobk, October 11.—Sir Thomas Lipton's reference in his interview with a representative of the press in London to the " amateur skipper" who is to have charge of his cup challenger possibly meant John Jameson, the well-known English yachtsman, for years the adviser of the Prince of Wales in racing the yaoht Brittania. Glasgow, October 11.— can be said that the design of George L, Watson for Sir Thomas Lipton's America Cup challenger, while embodying several novelties, follows more closely the lines of the American yachts than any previous cup challenger. Belfast. October 11.—Charles Russell, representing Sir Thomas Lipton, attended a meeting of the Royal Ulster Yaoht Club on October 2, and requested the club to take the necessary steps to convey Sii Thomas' challenge for a series of races for the America Cup to tho New York Yacht Club. The announcement of Sir Thomas' ■ intention to make another attempt to capture the great yachting trophy was received with the greatest satisfaction, and Vice-Commo-dore Crawford and the committee took immediate action. Lxnx.