TRAINING VALUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23770, 25 September 1940, Page 17

TRAINING VALUE

OLDER MEN RETURNING DEPLETION AMONG KEELERS SMALL BOATS PREDOMINATE The rallying oi' those who had retired from active yachting, and the promotion of good boys from the smaller boats is assuring the carrying 011 of the keel classes during the approaching season. A survey of the various haulingout sites suggests that tho A class keelers will too depleted, but quite a number of the H and C class boats will be showing their white wings. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron will hold its annual meeting 011 Friday night and the policy to bo followed 111 racing this season will probably bo discussed then. General'opinion lends itself to following upon last season, the lines whereby class racing was held, provided there were sufficient entries in each class to make a race. If this was lacking, then two classes would be sent away together in a general handicap. While the small boat classes will have a sufficiency, and in some cases an over-abundance of prospective starters, it seems to be the larger mullet boat and E classes which, with the big keelers, will be most missed. The value of yacht training during the present crisis has been well proved by the responsible posts which New Zea landers who have gone Home are filling. As one speaker said at a recent prize night: 'Yachting makes a man versatile and there is practically nothing that a 'yachtie' cannot do, or at least try." As the lads migrate through the various classes and pit their knowledge and self-reliance against the elements, they learn a lesson which is ingrained as part of their lives, and the return to the boats of the older men is ample proof of the contention that a man is never too old to indulge in the great sport of yachting. LOCATING THE NORTH A handy tip, particularly for the small boat owner who does not carry a compass, is the ability to at least locate the north by the use of an ordinary watch.- To do this, point the figure 12 011 your watch to the sun, and north is exactly halfway between the figure 12 and the hour hand. For example: Assuming that it is six o'clock, the figure 12 will be pointed to the sun and the figure 3 (half-way between 12 and 6) indicates due north.