PORT NICHOLSON YACHT CLUB

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1508, 24 January 1901, Page 42

PORT NICHOLSON YACHT CLUB

ANNIVERSARY REGATTA. Commodore, Mr A. H. Turnbull; vice-commodore, Mr R. T. Turnbull • rear-commodore, Mr E. C. E. Mills ; committee, Messrs Geo. Mee, J. S. Winstanley, W. R. Symons, W. Munckton and W. N. Johnson; handicapper, Mr W. Munckton; measurers, Messrs Jr;o. McLean and C. W. Tanner; starter, timekeeper and judge, Mr Jas. B. Speed. The anniversary regatta of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club was held yesterday in favourable veather. There was a north-westerly wind, which varied in power, but was never more than moderately strong, and the w T ater w 7 as almost smooth. One of the features of the regatta was the meeting between the Auckland yacht Rainbow and the Wellington yacht Waitangi. Another feature was the large number of secondclass vachts which entered for the races for that class- In the principal race Rainbow was an easy winner. She looked a picture, and she was w r ell sailed. Most of the members of the crew were Wellingtonians. Spectators were full of admiration for the. sailing qualities of Rainbow, as exhibited in the light breeze which prevailed. Atalanta and Mahina were successful in the races for second-class yachts, and Ruru and Maroro in those for half-raters. The steamer Mawhera, chartered by the club, followed the races in the morning, and she also we at out in the afternoon. She carried numerous excursionists on each trip. The Newtown Brass Band was aboard, and played selections during the day. Mr J. B. Speed, who combined the duties of starter, handicapper and judge, took up his stand at the southern end of the outermost berth, Queen’s Wharf. He was very attentive to his duties, and received valuable assistance from Mr T. M. Collins, secretary of the Arawa Sailing Club, who also handicapped the half-raters, and from Mr R. J. Walters, a supporter of yachting well-known in Auckland and Wellington. Following are details of the various events:

First-class yachts, rating; open to yachts of five rating and over; prizes, first £4O, second £io; twice round following course : —From starting line at Queen’s Wharf, thence to and round buoy off Pinnacle Rock, thence to and round club buoy off Koro Koro, thence to and round buoy off Queen’s Wharf; finishing race across starting line; yachts to keep on town side of Somes and Ward Islands. Two yachts started—Gecrgeson and Co/s Waitangi, rating 11, scratch (James Jamieson) and A. T. Pittar’s Rainbow, rating 6.9; time allowance, 9min 50sec. J, Alexander). Rainbow crossed the starting line at lOh 30min 55see and Waitangi at lOh 31min 7sec. Rainbow, as seen from the Queen’s Wharf, went round Point Halswell over a minute ahead of Waitangi. Coming back from Pinnacle Rock, Waitangi, to leeward, opened the harbour at llh 39min lOsec and o.tainbow 40sec later. Off the quarantine station Rainbow was quite a mile and a half to windward of Waitangi. Rainbow at the Koro Koro buoy had increased her advantage, and she finished the first round of the course at 121 i 46min 2sec. Waitangi’s time was 12h 56min 59sec. Both yachts jibed very prettily at the buoy off the Queen’s Wharf. After the second journey to Pinnacle Rock, /Rainbow opened the hai - hour at about 2h 3min, and Waitangi followed a little over Bmin later. Rainbow did well on the close haul to Koro Koro, and she rounded the buoy there at 2h 35min, or 12-min to the good. The Auckland yacht finished at 3h llmin ssec, and the spectators gave a hearty cheer as she crossed the line. At this time Waitangi was off Ngaliauranga; and she did not finish till 3h 27mm 26see. Rainbow thus finished 16min 21sec ahead, and with her time allowance won.

hv 26min llsec. Rainbow’s crew comprised Messers Alexander (in charge), E. C. E. Mills, Monckton, B. Smith, Kinneberg. Knowles, Swindley and Rhoderick. First race for second-class yachts, rating ; open to yachts of 2\ rating and under > rating. Prizes, first £5, second £2 10s. Course, from starting line at Queen’s Wharf, thence to and round buoy on Hope Shoal, near Ward Island, thence to and round club buoy off Koro Koro, thence to and across starting line. —The following yachts started at the times given:—J. H. O. Schwartz’s Atalanta 4.6, 28sec (McComish), 10b 45inin 38sec; A.’ H. Turnbull’s Rena, 4.9, scr (A. H. Turnbull), lOh 45min 55sec; Petherick and Co.’s Kotiri, 3.2, 3ruin losec (Petherick), 10b _ 4 omin 55sec; Penty and Co.’s Mawhiti, 2.7, 4min 40sec (Moore), 10h 45min 55-see; Dr Fell’s Mahina, 3.2, 3min 16sec (Dr Fell), lOh 46min csec; Moffatt an.: Seager’s Kotuku, 2.5, omin 19sec (Moffatt), lOli 46min 22sec; R. C. Renner’s Muritai, 3.1, 3min 32sec (Renner), lOh 46mii> 22sec; Johnson and Co/s Siren, 3.5, 2min 33sec (Wiltason). lOh 46min 37sec. The finishing times were as follow : Atalanta, 12h 19min 43sec; Siren, 12h 23min S6sec; Mahina, 12h 25min 29sec; Rona, 12h 27min 21sec; Kotiri, 12h 27min 38sec ; Mawhiti, 12h 28min 58sec: Kotuku, 12h 29min o3sec. Muritai did not complete the course. The race was won by Atalanta by lmin 48sec, reckoning time allowance. First handicap for half-raters. First prize, trophy; second, total of entrance fees received. Course, from starting line at Queen’s Wharf, thence to and round buoy off Point Halswell, thence to and round club buoy off Koro Koro, thence to and across starting line Starting times—C. Petley’s Dauntless, scr (Petley), llh Omin 33sec; M. Chapman’s Ruru, 3min (Beck), llh Omin 39sec; Moffatt and Seager’s Arawa, lmin 30sec (Seager), llh Omin 44sec; W. Highett’s Maroro, lmin 45sec (John Highett) llh Omin 51sec. The boats finished as follows. —Dauntless, L2h 49min 22sec; Ruru, 12h olmin 12sec; Arawa, 12h 51min 55sec; Maroro, 12h 57min ’ Slsec. Ruru won on her time allowance by lmin lOsec, second place falling to Dauntless and third to Arawa. Naval Cutters, scratch. First prize, trophy; second, total of entrance fees received. Twice round following course : From starting line at Queen’s Wharf, thence to and round buoy off Point Halswell, thence to and round club buoy off Koro Koro, thence to and across starting line.—Wellington Navals No. 2 and Petone Navals No- 1 got away at llh 15min 38sdc, and Wellington Navals No. 1 10sec later. The Wellington cutters completed the first round at lh 40m. The Petone cutter gave up. The race was won by Wellington No. 2 (C.P.0.. Rabe), finishing at 4h Omin lsec. Wellington No. 1 (P.O. Peterson) was second, crossing the line at 4h 29min. Second Race for second-class yachts. Prizes, first, £5; second, £2 10s.—Muritai crossed the starting line at 2h 30tnin 35sec, Muhina and Atalanta at 2h 30min 38sec, and Siren, Kotiri, Mawhiti, Kotuku and Rona at 2h 30min 39sec. It was a beautiful start.. Following were the finshing times : —Atalanta, 4h 11 min ssec ; Mahina, 4h Tlrnin 50 sec; Sir On, 4h 19min 52sec; Rona, 4h 23min 17sec; Muritai, 4h 23min 25sec ; Mawhiti, 4h 23min 35sec; Kotiri, 4h 23miu 39sec; Kotuku, 4h 29min lOsec. The close finish between Rona, Muritai, Mawhiti and Kotiri was one of the prettiest sights of the day. The race was won by Mahina on her time allowance by 2min 3sec, leaving Atalanta second »w.o third. Handicap Yacht Race, open only to yachts not competing in any other event. First prize, trophy; course, from starting line at Queen’s Wharf, thence to and round buoy off Point Haswell, thence to and round club buoy off Koro Koro, thence to and across starting line. There were three entries. —Geo. Mee and Co.’s Maritana, scratch (G. Martin); Jno. Black’s Jennie Reid, 45min (Black); O. Freyberg’s Mapu, 30min (Freyberg). Whilst manoeuvring for the start, a foul took place between Maritana and Mapu.

The windward boat was Maritana, which had four or five cloths of her mainsail torn by Mapu’s crosstrees. In consequence of this mishap Maritana did not take part in the race. Jennie Reid crossed the starting line at 2h4smin, and Mapu ssec later. The finishing times were: Jennie Reid, 4h 54min 10sec, and Mapu, 5h smin 43sec. Mapu’s leading jib carried away just as she was completing the course. Jennie Reid added another, to her long list of successes. Second Handicap Race, for half-raters,.. First prize, trophy.—The boats started,; as follows: —Dauntless, scratch, oh Omin 17sec; Maroro, Bmin, 3h Omin 25sec; Arawa, 25sec, 3h Omin 25sec: Ruru scratch, 3h Omin 52sec. The finishing times were: Ruru, 5h 6min 16sec.;. Dauntless, 5h 12min, 18sec; Maroro,, 5h ISmita lOsec. Arawa- was some minutes behind. The race fell to Maroro on her time allowance by lmin 6sec. INTERESTING YACHT RACE. At the anniversary regatta of the Port Nicholson Yacht Cilib Tuesday, much interest was taken in the meeting he-: tween the Auckland yacht Rainbow and the Wellington yacht Waitangi, which were the» only competitors in the race for first-class yachts. There was a light north - westerly breeze, varying in strength and being for some portions of the course fluky in direction. Out at the Pinacle Rock there was a nice whole sail breeze, but in the greater part of the harbour the wind was moderate to light. Rainbow was in charge of Mr J. Alexander, and Mr James Jamieson sailed Waitangi. The course was from Queen’s Wharf to Pinnacle Rock, thence to Koro Koro, thence to Queen’s Wharf; twice round. Rainbow got slignciy the better start. She had her sails trimming a little quicker than Waitangi and increased her lead. After rounding Point Halswell both yachts set spinnakers, mid the big boat drew up on Rainbow. On rounding the Pinnacle Rock buoy Rainbow was about 30 seconds ahead. She put in a short board, and then hove round and worked the Point Halswell shore, standing across the tide. Waitangi worked the eastern shore. The wind* freshened somewhat, an,. Rainbow went to windward of Waitangi. The Auckland yacht increased her lead, and rounded the Koro Koro buoy 9min 30sec to the good. She rather more than maintained her advantage on the lead down to the Queen’s Wharf, completing the first round with an advantage of nearly 11 minutes. Rainbow took down topsail, as the topsail yard had damaged the throat halyard block. Waitangi carried her topsail in the second round as far as the Pinnacle Rock buoy, and also on the beat up as far as Semes Island. This time she did not go so far east. Under reduced sail Rainbow held her own. In the beat up to Koro ixc\ro she made a further gain. From Koro Koro there was a free lead home, and Rainbow crossed the winning line. 16 minutes 21 seconds ahead of Waitangi. The vaehts sailed about up to their Lyttelton form. Rainbow perhaps did better, when it is considered that Waitangi was carrying a topsail, which she did not have at Lyttelton. The crews of both yachts did excellent work, and Rainbow was particularly well sailed in the first round.