YACHTING NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12603, 5 March 1903, Page 2

YACHTING NOTES.

Br "White Wings." Ravensbourne regatta ou Saturday was a conspicuous success. As a yachting locality, | West Harbour continues to flourish with everincreasing vigour. It is a' pity Dunedin yachtsmen do not borrow a little enthusiasm and revive that formerly most successful fixture tho Dunedin regatta. Tlio turn-out of sailing craft at Ravensliouriie was most refreshing to see, and clear evidence that in the last year or. two yachting in the community has progressed rather than gone back. There are now rnoro boats, more entries, and more than ever. It was reminiscent of. old times to seo the Muritai a visitor to Kavensbourne. Still better would it- have been ti seo her start in the Cruisers' Race. No loss than three yachts sailed away in their respective races serenely oblivious of the fact that they wcro over tho line before gun-fire, and wero hence disqualified for not returning. Tho Roma's display in tho First Class was disappointing. She got through the water very fast, but held a poor wind, and lipw her helmsman expeoted to do anything with the Tholnia under the oircninstanees is. a mystery. The boat to hold tho Thelma must hold tho same wind, or very nearly so. The Waitiri deserved her win. She won on her mmlitios to windward, pointing higher than either the Roma'or Leader, and coming out ahead of both. The Waitiri's headsail was drawing badly, and tho is too slow in going about and in getting up speed. Probably she would do better with a much shorter fin. The Tiielma never sailed better, nhd opened out a substantial lead ou her opponents, though not quite giving the winner her allowance. The Leader appeared dead in the moderate breeze. It was unfortunate that in the White Wings' maiden attempt to start in a race this season her mainsail should have declined to stay up. The Eileen did not get far away from the Ruru in tho Second Class. Both boats sailed well, but the Ruru would lwvo done b'etter without a reef in her mainsail, and lost, ground ill shaking it out. Tho performance of tlio Result was unaccountably poor, and the Ircno's 'even worse. Neither boat appears to be handled to any advantage. Both the Lennox Lass and the Drenm hung on very well to the Port Chalmers crack, Kia-Ora, in tho Third Class, and had a splendid race to finish second, the finkceler just forging ahead in time. Tho third-classers showed a touch better turn of speed- than the twenty-footers over the course. Tho Ventura, after beating the Lennox Less handsomely ,in the sail-off of the Ravensboume Club races, camo to tlio lino some four minutes lato and eventually gavo up. Tho race was thus deprived ot con-' oiderable, interest. I understand tho. crew Were, as usual, responsible for the Ventura's being behind time, but she would have done Well to liavo kept on with a wind falling light. . _ _ : And in this connection it is noticeable with what regularity certain boats are first across the line at gun-fire, and with what monotonous regularity others are ihvariably somewhere else at this- critical moment; Tho art of making a good start should be' cultivated by every skipper, nnd it is a significant fact that tho yachts that are in the habit of finishing first are nearly always across the line first. It points a moral about good handling. The Cruisers' Raco proved an easy capture for the old Thistle, capitally handled. The Thistle's appearanpe more often in the third class.would help to make the racing there oven more interesting. . Sundry arguments were heard on the flagship on Saturday In the matter of cruisers* in which race the old Volunteer was conspicuous with a particularly permanentlooking piece of foro-decking. Someone was contending that tlic entries of onon boats should not be received, as they are not Cruisers. But open boats, be it remembered, are, if you like, both yachts and cruisers, and unless the Regatta Committee had made beforehand an elaborate specification of the meaning of tho Ifrm " cruiser," it would havo a difficulty in finding reasons for refusing tho entry of even a mud-pitnt. There was a capital turnout of open boats on Saturdav, and the Runa showed good form. In the Yacht Club's races there will have to be a sail-off in the First Class between the Tiielma and the Waitiri, and in the Second between tlio Hileen and tho Ruru. The handicappers need not bo envied. On Saturday the Kavensbourne fleet race for the local challence cup. The Winifred changed hands last: week. The nw ovmici's are Messrs A. ntio N, ' TO>red in the Otago Yacht Club's, races sesson have been as follows:—. JVt Class: Tiielma. 6; Waitiri, 6; Leader, S; Vnnti, 1 &-cond Class: Eileen, 6: Ruru, 6; Per-, 4 iMI. 1. Third Class: Kia-Ora, 6; E'.t.i, <■ L"imox Lass, 3; Dream, 3. Open beats ' !irJ».no, 3. NOTES. Ravei'fn.nKof has oome and gone. Alio the D/m' Fours have not had their "yo." 'Jfc* »at<?r was too rough to put the 'riov' l . iw'i on Saturday from tho "Dabs' suwl G'laflc. gVj;, although tho North.

| End and one of tho Port boats managed to do so, and, consequently, had tho race ,to themselves. Tho Selection Committee f • originally intended to test their two maiden ioui':> at tho above regatta, and retain tho one that showed _ better form to represent - their club at Waihola on 23rd March; but as the crews did not get out they have . selected one from the two, which vviil be composed of tho following:—W. Wilholm--6011 (stroke), H l . Patoit- (3), W. Robertson (2), B. Brown (bow). This crew will, of course, bo subject to alteration, but looks well on paper. ' The" club pSir-oiir races have almost in - every heat been close finishes, especially tho 1' two semi-finals on Monday evening, each ■ being only won by inches, and when his ) Worship the Mayor (Mr J. A. Park) judges I the finals on Thursday evening ho will ■ not have an easy task.