NAVAL WHALERS TO RACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21344, 19 November 1932, Page 11

NAVAL WHALERS TO RACE

NEW SAILING CLUB FORMED FIRST CONTEST TO-DAY Adding still further to the variety of craft seen on the Waitemata Harbour during the summer, navaj whalers will appear definitely as a class in competitive sailing this year. A new Naval Sailing Club has been formed in Auckland, its members consisting of officers and ratings of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy and members of the Auckland branch of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Six naval whalers will probably appear to-dav in a special race in conjunction with the opening day of the yachting season. Commodore F. Burges Watson is piesident of the new club, with Commander E. L. Berthon, of H.M.S. Philomel, as secretary. The committee consists of an officer or rating from each ship. All the racing will be carried out in 27ft. naval whalers, which are the service boats supplied to ships on the New Zealand station. When all the ships of the division are in port it is expected that theie will be an entrv of 12 whalers in every race held by the club. As the whalers are all built to the same design in every detail the contests should provide some interesting and exceptionally close sailing. Several of the local yacht clubs have included fixtures for naval whalers m their programmes for the season and have offered trophies for competition. However, apart from these fixtures, it is the intention of the club to hold races in a competitive spirit every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon. For these a special course has been mapped out. The boats will cross*a starting line off H.M.S. Philomel and from there the course will be to the Sandspit Beacon, thence to the compass dolphin in Judge s Rav, a finishing line off Sheerlegs Wharf. "We are looking forward to some keen sailing" said Commander Berthon yesterdav. "The club will provide valuable recreation and it is also hoped that as a result of regular competition it will .raise the standard of sailing in the division. Naval whalers are well-found craft and can look most attractive under sail. •