AQUATICS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9337, 30 January 1892, Page 2

AQUATICS.

YACHTING.

Notes by Topmast.

Yachtsmen had the pleasure of enjoying a delightful spell of fine weather last week. Sailing was therefore delightful, and was largely indulged in on Saturday afternoon, most of the yachts staying out overnight. At all portions of the bay they were to be found, some evidently having a quiet picnic, while others were bent on getting over as much ground as possible, only, having a look in at each watering place. I noticed that the Muritai, Anonyma, Leader, and Adelaide reached as f ar-as the heads. The bay on Sunday afternoon presented a very pretty picture, when yachts of all sizes and descriptions were to be seen on their way homeward bound. I am pleased to notice that the Myrtle is again m commission, her owner having gone in for a new mainsail, which, by the way, was much required. The new sail has made a vast difference in her speed, and I hope to see her competing in the second-class yacht race at the forthcoming Dunedin regatta. I regret to learn that we are about to lose the valuable services of Mr A. Purdie, secretary of the D.R.C., who during.the short time he has been in office showed every sign of becoming a most energetic secretary, so his place will be hard to fill.

Last Friday week saw the first champion yacht race ever sailed in New Zealand, which took place in Wellington, and in which a lively interest was taken by' our local yachtsmen. Despite the fact that there was a cold southerly wiud blowing, accompanied by heavy squalls of rain, which helped to make it anything but pleasant for onlookers, a large concourse of people turned out to witness the event. As was anticipated, the winner turned up in the still unbeaten Mascotte, the strong wind and lumpy sea suiting her particularly well. ,The Mascotte has won sis regatta races and i few club races; her total winnings amount to the decent sum of L395, which is not a bad record, and an exceedingly profitable investment.

The open boat Volunteer has changed hands at a price satisfactory to her owners. An ingenious Briton has devised, and is now patenting, an expedient wherewith to obviate the structural weakness of centre-board vessels. The centre-board has one or more slots cut in it, each slot being curved according to its position. These slots permit of thro jgh bolts, connecting the two sides of the wood or lead keel, and tying them together. As the boards must be put in place before the bolts are driven, and are then a permanent fixture in the boats, another invention is called for in order to scrub and paint it at times, together with a special dock when repairs to the board are required. In theory nothing can weaken a vessel more than a great slot down the length of the keel, and in yachts like this is often coupled with a cabin trunk, with no entire beam through the middle half of the vessel; but in practice it has been found easily possible, in this country at least, to give all needed strength to the hull and trunk. Many examples of poor construction may be found, and mishaps to the board itself in the way of straining and wrenching are not uncommon; but when (says " Forest and Stream") trading schooners of 300 or 500 tons, often of comparatively poor construction, are found up and down the coast and on the great lakes m winter, all with large centreboards, there seems no pressing need for an invention of this kind for yachts. The Yachtsman also shows a design for a two and a-half rater with a gun-metal board 2in thick, the lower edge carrying a cigar-shaped mass of lead. The board is slotted in a manner somewhat similar to that described above, allowing the augle floors to be carried across the keel and through the trunk.

Some time ago it was pointed out iu a weekly paper that due south could always be found by the aid of a watch, and the fact was regarded as an interesting discovery. The « fact" is by no means new (says I'ield), and the instructions are as follow— "Point the hour hand direct to the sun, then south will be at the half distance between the hour hand and XII. Thus, if the hour hand be at VI, due south will be in the direction indicated by 111, and the sun will, of course, be at due west. If it be at 8 o'clock, IV will point due southland so on. Some years ago Mr John Dunkm Lee, when he was commodore of the New Thames Yacht Club, made use of this knowledge, and set out a watch as a compass, the points being outside the hour numerals; but to use it the sun must be visible or due south known."

Last evening the committee appointed to draft rules for the proposed Philp's Hotel Yacht Club met at Philjj's Hotel, and drew up a scheme for its constitution and rules. A general meeting o f yachtsmen will be held shortly after the Dunedin regatta to proceed with the lormation of the club. To give it more general interest, it is proposed to include the owners of open boats among the club members as well as yachtsmen,