YACHTING SEASON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19469, 27 October 1926, Page 18

YACHTING SEASON.

outeioar:) motor racing. SPEED CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST. FIVE NEW BOATS AT RUSSELL. BT STTXDRIFT. One of tho big attractions of the Russell regatta is the open speed championship for outboard motor-boats. Last year five new boats were built, and so keen is the interest now that five more new boats will make their appearance at Russell this season. In the past the club has styled this particular race the New Zealand championship for outboard motors and will do so again this year. With the idea of possessing the right to conduct the championship at Russell, the Regatta Club made application through one of tho delegates to the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association, to have this particular fixture allotted it. but as the club is not affiliated to the association the latter had no jurisdiction in the matter. However, it was the general feeling of the meeting that the Russell. Club would bo quite within its rights in calling the raco the New Zealand championship. The chairman, Mr. J. B. Johnston, pointed out that as the association was at present constituted, it did not allow for any except a permanently established yacht or launch club to become members. He promised to go into the matter and see whether such recognised regatta clubs as Tauranga, Russell and Whangarei could not be admitted to the association. In America and also in England some remarkable speeds have been registered with the outboard motors and 2 according to a well-known enthusiast, several of the boats at the Russell regatta this year will exceed 12 knots. First Eace on Saturday. The first race of the 1926-27 season will take place on Saturday, when the Richmond Cruising Club will hold a sweepstake handicap for all classes. The race will start from between the Ponsonby wharf and the Watchman Island at 2.45 p.m. The courso will be direct to Howick and, in the event of the weather being unfavourable for that place, the boats will proceed to Islington Bay instead. The 36ft. launch Deben, owned by Mr. S, Sbeppard, is being equipped with a new 28-36 h.p. Ailsa Craig engine, which is expected to give her a speed of over 10 knots. She is a very up-to-date cruiser, and has more room than most boats of her size and type. Her pilot house contains the steering platform, controls and engine, which is housed beneath a table. Several cupboards, a built-in sink and a cooking box have also been arranged in the pilot house. A big generator is used to supply the numerous lights. This aiso supplies power for an electric fan and cigarette lighter and an electric pump, which pumps water from the cawks aft to tho sink. When Deben takes the water she will Ije fitted with a five-valve radio set. A special general meeting of the Akarana Yacht Club will be held in the clubrooms, Swanson Street, to-morrow evening for the purpose of considering th« question of registering the club and changing its name to the Akarana Yacht and Motor-Boat Club. Finishing Touches to CTaft. The fine weather experienced last weekend enabled a large number of owners to put the finishing touches on their craft. A number of boats took the water on Saturday, while others which had already been put into commission, left on a three days' cruise, returning to town on Monday. At a smoke concert tendered to the outgoing officers of the Victoria Cruising (Jlub last week, Mr. L. A. Tercel, retiring commodore, and Mr. C. Clark, boathouse captain, were each presented with a photographic shield of the officers and committee of tho club. "In making the gifts, the patron, Mr. E. H. Davis, paid a tribute to tho good work done by both recipients during their term of office. The benefit dance tendered to Mr. J. Breen, of Wellington, by the Akarana Yacht Club last week was a financial success. The 'Hist" started at tho annual meeting is being responded to, and when this is called in the club hopes to be able to forward a substantial sum to the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, of Wellington, which is making the appeal for such a deserving cause. Mr. Breen, who was seriously injured through his yacht falling on him last November, was a member of the Akarana Club when it was known as the North Shore Yacht Club.

Sanders Cup Trials. The yachting season in Dunedin will he opened on Saturday, and on the following Saturday the first Sanders' Cnp trial race be held. The trials will then be carried out weekly until December 11. A number of keen yachtsmen have been successful in forming a controlling yachting body in Wellington. It is known as the Wellington Provincial Yacht and Motor Boat Association and, while one clnb holds aloof from the association, it has a good future. Owing to dissension between the clubs in the past two or three years, the old association disbanded. Every effort is now being made io bring yachting in Wellington back to its former popularity and place it on a plane with Auckland and the South. One of the most important duties which the newly-formed association will have to perform will be the control of the Sanders Cup trials. i

CAMERA TO DECIDE. FINISH OF CLOSE RACES, In addition to the new timing regulations, one of the most satisfactory decisions arrived at by the International Amateur Athletic Federation at its recent congress at Tho Hague was its authorisation of an official moving picture camera to photograph the finishes of all the track events at the next Olympic Game 3 at Amsterdam, in 1928, says London Sporting Life. The camera is placed directly in line with the tape, and in the event of a close finish, where the judges might have good cause for disagreement—there has i>een several such at previous games—tho picture, run off slowly, would make the positions of the men as they passed tho tape absolutely clear. Tho suggestion was, it is believed, put forward, prior to the Paris Games, but was outvoted. Electric timing would now i seem to be all that is required to perfect i the organisation of track racing.

HARVEST OF WICKETS. C. PARKER'S PJEW RECORD. In dismissing G. B. F. Rtwid in the Gloucestershire and Leicestershire cricket match at Bristol recently, Charles Parker, the Gloucestershire slow left-hand bowler, obtained his 200 th wicket of the season, thereby creating a new bowling record in taking 200 or more wickets for the fourth time in his career. In addition to Parker three professionals, T. Richardson (Surrey), W. Rhodes (Yorkshire), and M. W. Tat-e (Sussex), had gained 200 wickets three times. 'lTie number of wickets taken by these men are as follow: Parker. Richard son. Rhodes. Taio. K22 206 1895 290 1900 261 1923 219 1924 204 1896 246 1901 251 1924 205 19&5 222 1897 233 1902- 213 1925 228 1926 200