YACHTING IN AUCKLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21911, 21 September 1934, Page 17

YACHTING IN AUCKLAND

MANY NEW BOATS BUILDING

RENEWED INTEREST IN L CLASS

By SPINDRIFT

Although work on the majority of the larger yachts and motor-boats in Auckland has not yet been started in real earnest, crews of the smaller craft are well advanced with fitting-out operations. Each weok-end for the past month has found more yachtsmen on the job of burning off, sandpapering and painting in readiness for the opening of the season in November. During the winter months numerous yachts and launches have chanced hands, and with a large number of new boats on the stocks, there is every indication of the 1934-35 season being one of the most successful on record. The most important addition to Auckland's fleet of " White Wings" this year will be the keel yacht which Mr. A. Couldrey is building at Northcote for Mr. J. Mitchelson, late owner of the Little Jim, wrecked at the Great Barrier Island last Christmas. Designed by Mr. A. Logan, the new yacht is 42ft. 6in. overall, 28ft. on the water-line, 9ft. beam, and will draw 6ft. of water. She has 3£ tons of lead cast on her keel and will carry the modern Bermudan rig with a total sail area of 850 square feet. No bowsprit will be fitted, the jib being set on the stemhead. She has been designed as a fast cruiser and is expected to compete in the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's laces for class B. The building of the new boat has created a great deal of interest among Auckland yachtsmen, many of whom have had the opportunity of inspecting her. She has very graceful lines, and will be a welcome addition to Auckland's fleet ol pleasure craft. She is expected to be launched about the end of next month. Under constriction at the yards of the Speedcraft Boat Company (Messrs. Cox and Filmer) is an auxiliary ketch for Mr. N. de Berry Noakea, of Parnell. Her dimensions are as follows: Length, 30ft.; beam, 9ft. 6in.]; draught, 4ft. lOin. She is a strongly built frame boat with liin. finished kauri planking and full length sawn pohutukawa frames. She will carry 500 ft. of canvas and will fitted with a 10-16 h.p. 4-cylinder Ailsa Craig Kid engine. A 19ft. keel yacht to the order of Messrs. Tabuteau Bros., of Bayswater, has been completed by Mr. F. Lidgard. The same builder launched last week a larger keel yacht which he had built to the order of Mr. G. Kells, late owner of the 22-footer MarK The new boat is 26ft. .overall with 23ft. waterline, and a beam of Bft. 6in. She has two

been named Kohara, and is somewhat similar to the Komuri. Her registered number is LI.

Just completed at Panmure, by Mr. A. Tobin is another L class boat for Mr. H. Bull, of the Panmure Boating Club.

Well under way at the yards of Mr. Lang is a 22ft. x 9ft. L class boat for Mr. L. Gardner, of Ponsonby. She is rather shallow forward and has a nice clean run aft. Her tuck is much finer than the usual run of 22-footers, making her easier to handle on the wind and decreasing drag. The boat has been built to the restrictions of the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association, and will be completed by the end of November.

A new 22ft. L class boat that is creating considerable interest in yachting circles is well forward at the yards of Messrs. Collings and Bell, of St. Mary's Bay. This boat was designed by Mr. C. J. Collings, and is being built for his own use. She has a beam of Bft. lOin. and her lines indicate that she should give a good account of herself, both on and off the wind. In designing this boat Mr. Collings has not sacrificed strength for the sake of speed alone, as she is a stoutly built craft. The new boat will have a gaff mainsail and will be sailed by Mr. L. Pohlen in the various club fixtures. It is interesting to note that the first two mullet boats designed and built by Mr. Collings were the 26-footers Okere and Emerald as far back as 1902. Later, Ronaki, Glady, and many others were built by him. He has always been a staunch supporter of the mullet boat, and although many years have now elapsed since Mr. Collings actually built and owned a mullet boat ol the racing type, he has never lost interest in the class. His entry into the sport again is welcomed in all quarters, and ne is to be congratulated on building a Lipton Cup challenger.

With the five new boats added to the present big fleet of 22-footers the racing in class L should be very interesting this season. Komuri, winner of the Lipton Cup last year, will be rigged with a gaff mainsail this season, her owner, Mr. J. Worthington, having decided to discard her Bermudan rig.

Two new 18ft. V. Class boats have just been completed by Mr. W. Rogers, of Curran Street. Atalanta, one of the new boats, is carvel built", and is for Mr. B. Wilson. She is of the round bilge type and has a beam of 7ft. 6in. The boat is finer" forward than the usual 18-footer, and has a fairly hard bilge. She will be Bermudan rigged and will carry 330 square feet of canvas. The other boat completed by Mr. Rogers is to the order of Mr. K. C. Scott. She is of the square bilge type, clinker built, and has a beam of 7ft. 6in. The gaff mainsail will be carried by this craft, her total sail area being 350 square feet.

cabins, the main being 9ft. long, and the forward 6ft. The yacht will carry the modern Bermudan rig and is equipped with a small motor. Mr. Lidgard will shortly make a start on a 30ft. keel yacht for hi 3 own use. She will have a beam of Bft. 6in. and a draught of 4ft. 6in. The main cabin will have four berths, and the forward cabin two berths. The yacht will carry the modern Bermudan rig. Another keeler is being built by Messrs. Tercel Bros., of Ponsonby, for a resident of Whangarei. The new craft is 26ft. by Bft. by 4ft. She will be Bermudan rigged. New racing craft always give an added interest to a particular class, and the majority of the centreboard fleet will have special additions this season. At least eight new mullet boats —three 26-footers and five 22-footers will make their first appearance when the season opens. Messrs. Cox and Filmer have just completed a 26ft. H class boat for their own use. Designed as a racercruiser, the new boat is of the raised deck type, with a beam of 10ft. 3in. and a draught of 3ft. The boat is a decided departure from the orthodox, both in rig, deck plan, and below. She has a flush deck from the stem to within Bft, of the tuck. Two cabins are provided, the main being lift, long by 10ft. wide, with sft. of headroom. The boat will be steered with a wheel instead of a tiller, the wheel working on a quadrant located under the after deck. The new yacht, which has been named Vigilant,* has a 50ft. mast, and •will be Bermudan rigged. In the mainsail she will carry 530 square feet of canvas, in the staysail 108 square feet, and in the jib 87 square feet. She wi be fitted with a small motor, and will be launched before the end of the month. Her registered racing number is HI Mr R. Lang, of St. Mary's Bay, has just finished a 26ft. by 10ft. mullet boat for Mr. H. Moy'lan. She is a. full bodied craft, and although specially built for cruising she may race occasionally/ Provision has been made for an engine, but the motor will not be installed for a month or two. The boat has a large cockpit, and 4ft. 9in. of headroom in the main cabin with bunks, skylight, and sliding hatch. She will have a 45ft. mast, and will carry the t modern Bermudan rig, her total sail area being 550 square feet. The yacht will be launched on September 29. The third 26ft. H class boat is being built for Mr. J. Strongman, of Dominion Road. The new craft is now well forward and will be ready for launching early in the season. A Logan designed 22ft. L class boat has recently been completed by Mr. P. Vos, of Freeman's Bay, for Mr. R. Judd. She is a very smart looking craft and should give a good account of herself. The new craft has been named Marika, and will represent the Richmond Cruising Club in the annual contest for the Lipton Cup. During the winter Mr. F. Lidgard built a 22-footer for Messrs. Bradley, Prisk and Stevenson. This boat has