YACHTING

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4258, 18 January 1901, Page 5

YACHTING

THE RAINBOW AT WELLINGTON. A MODEL CRAFT. * Auckland has loug been recognised as the home of New’ Zealand yachting, but it is more as a yacht-building centre that the northern city has established a name for itself among the yachtsmen of Australasia. The most famous builders in Auckland are the Logans, and one of the most successful boats that has been built in their yards is the Rainbow, a yacht which has never known defeat in an open race, and which will race against the local cracks at the forthcoming regatta. ■ The Rainbow was built by Messrs R. and A. Logan in November, 1898, and won her first important race at the native regatta held at Auckland during Christmas week of the same year, easily beating all the crack five-raters iff Auckland. Various club races were then annexed. An easy victory was scored at the Auckland Anniversary Regatta over Ida, which, until then, had been the champion 36-footer. All through, the 1899 season .Rainbow continued her victorious career, at times conceding htr opponents very loug starts. At the Waiheko Regatta she defeated the Volunteer (33ft rater), Thelma and others. Rainbow opened last year’s -season by beating Thelma and Viking (a 22ft -rater), by six and thirteen minutes respectively, oyer an eighteen, mile course for. the Donald Cop, and that in a. strong south-west breeze. The principal event at the.Ponsonby Regatta was won after a most exciting- race, by fifteen . seconds from Thelma- •

Then came the flyer’s Sydney victories: The first was the Intercolonial Challenge Race, -where she met Bona (a 36-footer, built for the x-ace), White(of Fife djesign), Meteor (the champion 30-footor), and severalother. Sydney cracks, winning easily by over six minutes. The next. Sydney yietpry was in a: match of three races wit!) Whitewings, Rainbow discarding the very considerable time allowance .winch Whitewings had to allow her on’account of her rating.

Rainbow started the present season by finishing first in the opening yacht races in Auckland harbour, and the next day left on her southern cruise. At Lyttelton she carried off the championship against such boats as Waitangi, Yvonne and Kia Ora. She also finished first in the handicap 'race on the following day, but had to be content with second prize owing to the Kia Ora receiving the 'handsome handicap of 21min over the fifteen-mile course. The Rainbow is built on the diagonal principle, with three thicknesses of kauri. The fittings are of teak, and the rail of cedar. She is hot built on purely racing lines, but is described as the happy medium. The object of the builders was to make her a fast cruiser, and, needless to say, they have achieved their object. "She is one of the few boats in the' colony which is possessed of a racing .suit of sails by the celebrated English makers, Lapthorne and Raise v. Rainbow is owned, by Mr A. T. Pifctar, a well-known dentist, of Auckland, and is sailed by Mr J- Alexander, a 1 solicitor of the same city. She will take part in the regatta on the 22nd, and will leave for Auckland immediately afterwards, in order to compete at the Auckland Anniversary Regatta. The total cost of the yacht, with two suits of sails, ivas £650. The following are her measurements: —Waterline, 34ft; beam, 8.10 ft; sail area, 1220 square' feet; rating under new rule, 36.5 ft; under old rule, a little under seven rating.