AQUATICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13307, 13 October 1906, Page 8

AQUATICS.

. - . ' ' > « With the fine weather which has pjevaikd during the past week yachtsmen on both - sides of the harbour have been busily engaged in getting their boats in readiness for , tbe c-onii ll season. If the weather con- - tinues.anything like fine during the next few a weeks there should bo a great fleet oat on • the opening day (November 9). , Waitemata Boating Club held their annual meeting on Monday night last, at which • there was a large -attendance of members. - Tho report and balance-sheet submitted „ were of a. very satisfactory character, and j the membership of the club is steadily in- •> creasing. i An order has just been placed with Mr. j James Reid for a 28ft tunnel launch for 3 Rotorua. » Labour Day was celebrated at Devonport c by the yachtsmen working hard at their various craft. The crew Oi the Royal New i Zealand Yacht Squadron flagship Ida had - a very busy day,' and Commodore Murdoch is to bo complimented on the fine order iu' - which the Ida is. i Tho footer Eileen was launched on Labour Day. She has had a lot of new rig- , ging put into her this season. Her owners ! have tho little craft in first-class order. She went out for a spin, tho new mainsail (which • is a crosscut one) and staysail being used for t the first time. Tho Iris and Mavourneen are well underway for the coming season, and it is expect- ' ed that they will both be launched next 1 Saturday. ' The launch dingey which Mr. James Re id j is offering as a prize to be rowed for by crews from tho motor launches who take ' part in the procession on the opening day j (November 9) has been completed, and is now being fitted with the small engine, i given by Mr. R. Spinks (W. A. Ryan, Limit ted). The little boat is very neat-looking, I and there should be good competition for such a valuable trophy. J Captain Gibbs is getting the Spray ready, and I am sure all yachtsmen will be pleased to see "the captain" afloat once more. The 22-footer Essie was launched on Wednesday, and she is in fine order. Whangarei Rowing Club are applying to the Rowing Association to have New Year's Day fixed for tho club's regatta. It is proposed to have five rowing events, the principal one to bo a heavy-weight maiden fouroared race, carrying a first prize of £12 and a silver cup, and a second prize of £3. The death is announced of the Rev. Frederick Luttrell Moysey, of Bathealton Court, near Wellington, New South Wales, in his 91st year. He was believed to be the oldest University oar living, having rowed' stroke in the Oxford l boat from Westminster to Putney on Juno 17. 1835. Cambridge won bv one minute, and Mr. Moysev scaledlOst 61b. DEVONPORT YACHT CLUB. The Dovonport Yacht Club lias decided to offer tho under-mentioned cash prizes for the class races, to be held during the coming season, the dates of which were published in last Saturday's Herald :—For first-class yachts, first prize- £5, second £1; for .secondclass yachts, first prize £5, second £1; for i third-class yachts, first prize £5, second £1; for fourth-class yachts, first prize £3, second 10s; for fifth-class yachts, first prize £2 10s, : second 10s; for sixth-class yachts, first prize £2, second 10s. It will be seen by the above that the third prizes are dispensed with, the first and second prizes being increased sub- > stantially. This club has been the first ; yacht club in Auckland to put on a race for 26ft keel yachts exclusively, as the fifth-class 1 in the Devonport Yacht Club is now for keel yachts only,' centreboard yachts being ! catered for in other classes. It would bo 1 well if this could be done in other clubs, as there, is always a considerable amount of dis- ' satisfaction among owners of keel yachts 1 when they are compelled to race against centreboard craft. AUCKLAND ROWING ASSOCIATION The annual meeting of the Auckland Rowing Association was held in the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce last evening. The . president of the association (Mr. H. Marriner) occupied tho chair, and there, was a good attendance, all the Auckland and country clubs being well represented. The annual report, a summary of which has already been published, stated that the , past season had been a most successful one ' from every point of view. Twelve clubs, with a membership of 631 active members, | were affiliated with the association. The prospects for the coming year were good. The balance-sheet showed that the receipts for the year totalled £181 8s 2d, including £10 credit balance from the previous year, while the expenditure totalled £3"8 lis sd. leaving'a credit balance for the vcar of ' £52. 16s 9d. • . In moving the adoption of the annual report and balaiico-shcet, the chairman said ' he had never had such a pleasant duty. The ' finances wore most satisfactory. The as- ' sociation had now the largest membership 1 of any association in the colony. Ho hoped ' all the country clubs would hold regattas, and that the city clubs would support them. ; Two clubs had been started during the year at the Northern Wairoa. Three regattas had already been applied for, to be held ■ during the coming season—Whangarei, Mer- , cor, and I'onsonby. : Mr. Dyson seconded the motion. i Mr. (J. If. Res to n, on behalf of the Waitemata Boating Club, claimed that that club had won the pennant competition last year, and asked that a committee should be apr pointed to investigate the matter. 1. The Chairman said the Waitemata Club should have protested to tho association, and backed the protest up with a deputation, if they desired. Tho association believed the West End Club won the pennant. An amendment by Mr. Reston, that the meeting adjourn, and that the executive again investigate the pennant points and call evidence, was carried by 30 votes to 25. The meeting then adjourned till next Fric day evening.