YACHTING.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVII, Issue 2420, 28 January 1895, Page 2

YACHTING.

An immense amount of interest was taken in the various sailing . events which took place on Saturday afternoon under the auspices of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club. The s.s. Mawhera, which had been chartered for the occasion, followed the races, with about,3oo passengers on board. Tho starters in the Handicap Yacht Race were :—Waitangi (scr), Mascotto (6min), Maritana (12min), Pastime (15miu), Isca (I7min), Mima (ISmin), Eona (22min), Waiwotu (30min), Mahina (35min), Jennie Eeid (50min). The Mapu (29miu) was unable to start through not being ready in time. Tho Kona was about two minutes late -in getting to the starting point. Tho Waitangi soon took the lead, rounding the Pilot Station buoy about one minute ahead of tho Mascotto. On the second board up to Korokoro, W. Haydon, one of the crew of the Mascotto 1 , fell overboard from the lee rigging. .After being a considerable time in the water, he was picked up, greatly exhausted, by a boat from the s.s. Mawhera. The Mascotte then returned to her moorings. This robbed the race of a good deal of interest. The Pastime, which had lost eight minutes, resumed her course, and on her time allowance; managed to secure third place—a very creditable performance. On rounding Korokoro buoy the Isca was 12i minutes behind tho Waitangi, the Maritana being two minutes later and the Pastime two minutes behind the Maritana, with the . other , boats a considerable distance astern. The boats finished the course i in the following order : —Waitangi, 4h 53min 4-ssec; Maritana, 5h 7min loseo; Isca, 5h Bmin Gsec; Pastime, 5h Smin 25sec; Mahina, 6h 40min 50seo j Eona, 5h 41min; Mima, 5h 43min s Waiwetn, 5h 44rain 20secj Jennie Eeid, 5h 59min. The Isca therefore wins on her time allowance by 2min l-sseo, the Waitangi being second, the Pastime third, and the Maritana fourth. The. committee of the ,Yacht Club held;a meeting the 'same night, and as it was considered- the , Masootte and Pastime had lost’their chances of winning by the 1 .accident to Haydon, ifwas decided-to re-aail "the race next Saturday between the Isca, Waitangi, Pastime and Mascotte, if the two last-named boats are still here! '

The annual race for the Levin Cup was re-sailed, the starters beingMaritana (scr), Eona (Hmin), Mahina (24min), and Jennie Eeid (39min). The race was won by the Maritana. For the Downes Challenge Cup the Waitangi (scr), Maritana (12min), and Isca (17min) started, the race resulting in favour of the Isca. This is the third .time the Isca has won this Cup (which is valued at 30 guineas), twice since she has been owned by Messrs Osborne and Co., and it now becomes her property. Tho Eegatta Committee of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club held a meeting at the Empire Hotel on Saturday night, Mr Geo. Mee (vice-commodore) presiding. Tho yacht Iris, which came in first in the race for third-class yachts on Anniversary Day, was disqualified on the ground, as alleged, that she refused to take a fair-play man on board. The prize of illO was awarded to tho Greyhound. It was also decided that the boats, Myra, lona, Eita and Pearl should re-sail the race for 18ft boats, in consequence of some misunderstanding as to the finish.

The prizes won at the Anniversary Day Eegatta were presented on Saturday night at the Empire Hotel. Great enthusiasm was displayed when Mr Logon, who entered the Waitangi, received Commodore Mills’ Cup and a cheque for .£IOO, and his health and success to the new boat were drunk in bumpers. The annual picnic of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club was held yesterday, and was a distinct success.

The second heat for the IBft and 14ft boats belonging to the Arawa Sailing Club was to have been sailed on Saturday, but boat-owners apparently considered it too rough to race. At the next meeting of tho Club the rule referring to tho number to start ‘ will probably be altered so that one boat may sail over and claim the prize. ■ . ■

This morning, at 9 o’clock, the great reduction sale of the season will commence. It will surpass all other sales ; 23 thousand pounds’ worth of drapery and clothing to be sold at prices that must claim attention. Not only a tew articles, but everything reduced throughout tho shop, some at half, some at quarter price, and in other cases tho rednotipn is not so largo, bnt everything willbe reduced. C. Smith, tho Cosh Draper, Cuba street.