YACHT AND MOTOR BOAT NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18725, 1 December 1922, Page 3

YACHT AND MOTOR BOAT NOTES.

By Ruddeu. [ltems of news or comments on tha sport will be welcomed bv " Rudder." nml should reach this office not biter than Thursday iorcxioon of each week.] Tho first series of club races in connection with the OUigo Yacht and Motor Boat Club will bo sailed on the club's course to-morrow afternoon, starting at 2 o'clock. TVree races—a general handicap for yachts and motor boat races for 5 h.p. and under and for over 5 h.p.—will be decided. Tho third test race for tho Slanders Cup will bo sailed to-morrow afternoon on t!i« ■Kavonsbotirno course, starting at 3 o'clock. Ihc Yacht and Motor Boat Association will control the race. The course is once round, starling at. tho boats-hod, Itavensbourne, and finishing there, the turning points being tho Yacht Club's buoy. It has been suggested that when tho third test race is started to-morrow only the officials should be allowed on the end of the jetty at Kavensbourne. If this is clone it will bo the means of giving officials a better chanco and the crews of the boats will also have a clearer view of the signals. Boating nion who visit Broad Bay are showing increasing interest in the regatta on New Year's Day, but I' am informed that much greater interest and enthusiasm would bo much appreciated by the faithful band which at present is working hard. On tho other hand, tho Macandrew's Bay Regatta Committee is reported to be "0.K."

On the run homo at the week-end beautiful weather and a full sail steady nor'east wind prevailed. Miro, Result, Viking, and Heather took advantage of the fine breeze, using their spinnakers to advantage. Every crew was happy at the change for the better in weather conditions. For many years past the Adelaide has been a familiar figure in Otago Harbour. Mr G. Latimer has his crew busy getting her into trim, and it should not be long before she is in commission again. Eileen has been lying on the Otago Yacht Club's slip since she was disabled in the famous Saturday afternoon gale of last season. Last Saturday afternoon Eileen was taken down to Port Chalmers, 11. Kemp, one-time skipper of Tucana, having purchased her. A good story is told of the late Mr J. M'Lennan, who built and owned Eileen. It is related that he was very proud of his workmanship, and used to admire the beautiful lines of Eileen as she lay in his shed. Under no consideration, however, could he be persuaded to launch her. One evening, however, some of his friends, unknown to him, went down to the waterfront and put her in the water, much to his dismay. From that time on Eileen had a very succcessful racing career. Two of her most successful skippers were Charlie Lyng and Bob M'Culloch (brother of \V. J. P. M'Culloch), who sailed here in the Iron Duke in the Sanders Cup races. The Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association has made it clear that there will be no recalls in future. The start of last Saturday's test was anything but satisfactory from a competitor's point of view, Winifred and Agnes both losing time at the start through coming back to the starting line after the last ball dropped in answer to what they considered was a recall of the whole fleet, when it was only meant for Eunice. An analysis of the results of the first two test races for the Sanders Cup' is interesting. It will be remembered that Mona in the first race withdrew, while Winifred and lona capsized. This permitted Heather, Agnes, and Valmai to have a free run, resulting in these boats taking first, second, and third place respectively. Mona, Winifred, and lona have now made good by securing first, second, and third in the last test race. Heather, Agnes, and Valmai, which gained their respective points in the first test, crossed the line fourth, fifth, and sixth in the race last Saturday. Of the seven 14-footors which competed in the race three owners (Messrs M'Culloch, Millor, and Francis) sailed their own boats. The other skippers were H. Watson (Mona), G. Kellett (Winifred),. Eunice (C. French), and A. Wiseman (lona). Comment was made on Saturday when the youthful crew of Mona made their appearance. H. Watson, who sailed a boat tor the first time in a test, is only two years past his majority, while the other two members of his crew (R. Souter and. W. Johnston) have reached the age of 16 years. This is without doubt the youngest crew 60 far competing in the tests, and has the proud distinction of having won the race. Time will probably show that youth will prove victorious in this branch of the sport. A contrast in the weight of crews: Mona (first home), 25 stone; Eunice (last home), 45 stone. On the run the advantage was strongly in favour of the light crew. The _ points so far secured by the local boats in the Sanders Cup tests are as follow: —Heather four, Mona four, Agnes two, Winifred two, Valmai one, and lona one. During the week the old Blue Jacket made a reappearance, christened Spray. The Brothers Field have made many improvements, including a centre board, and \he old 13-footer looks well." Last Saturday Lennox Lass sailed up from Port as far as Boat Harbour, just before the test race started. After a cruise round she left for Broad Bay. W. Sell has built an 18ft launch. Last week he launched her near the Kitchener street wharf. Speed will be aimed at, as it is Mr Sell's intention to instal a 25-50 horse-power Ford engine in her. Kia Ora has been sold by her owner, J. Proctor, to Hyman Isaacs. , It is Mr Isaac's intention to give his sotis an opportunity to follow the sport. On Thursday evening last a very successful variety entertainment was given by the Port Chalmers Girls' Club in aid of the Port boating clubs, and something like £33 was taken for tickets. The Port boys have a lot to bo thankful for, and it speaks volumes for Mrs Morgan, under, whose direction the entertainment was conducted, also for the Girls' Club that they should be so willing to_ assist other clubs. The Port Chalmers Sailing Club will benefit to the same extent as the rowing clubs.

Mr J. W. Thomson, the well-known Stewart Island yachtsman, returned to Dunedin this week on his way home from a business trip to the North Island. Mr Thomson nlaced an order with Messrs E. C. Miller and Co., of Port Chalmers, a few weeks ago for a cruiser launch, and ho made a visit of inspection to Port on Wednesday, when he expressed himself as well pleased with the progress which the builders are making. The new cruiser, which will bo known as Pegasus, is 45ft long by 10ft beam, is of the raised fos’cle head typo, and the power will be a 40 horse-power suction gas Twigg marine engine Auckland’s latest proposal to substitute another boat in the event of the first nominated boat being damaged, is not being favourably received by the other provinces. If this proposal is carried out it will probably assist Auckland at the expense of southern yachtsmen. There is still time for the Auckland Association to reconsider the unfairness of such a proposal. The conditions laid clown by the Wellington Yacht and Motor Boat Association governing the Sanders Cup compotitois were discussed at a meeting of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club (says a Wellington writer). Some discussion took place upon the rule that the representatives of the association should have the solo rigiit to select the skipper and crew of the successful challenger. It was decided to recommend to the association that the rule bo amended to provide that the representatives of the association shall select their helmsman, and that the hitter should also have a voice in the selection of the crew. “Windy Wellington” lived up to its reputation on Saturday. The ■ 14-footer race was out of the question, and was postponed after some preliminary niishap.i. Altogether five craft suffered accident. Mahan (14-footer) was the_ first victim. Rigged with a fine new mainsail, she was beating out of the boat harbour in a cross wind. A squall struck her, and the crew endeavoured to reef the sail, but unfor innately the new ropes buckled and caught in the pulley, and over she went, Soon afterawsrds another Sanders Cup .nominee, Claire, was in imminent danger. She was racing before the wind, but when turning to avoid a collision a gust struck her sideways on, and she capsized. There were now two crews in the water. Launches soon came to the rescue, and crews and boats were conveyed back to safety. Claire suffered no damage, but Mahan split her mainail nnd broke a mast. Evnin nnd the Tivi (both 14-footora)_ respectively smashed and carried away their rudders, while Wvlo, one of the second-class contestants, carried away a jib, which prevented her from completing

the race in her class. On the morning of these mishaps "Xereus," in the Dominion's "Yachting Notes,' had this paragraph:— "Dunedin seems to be a Jonah so far as one-designers are concerned. Last Saturday the first of the seven races to select an Otago representative to challenge for the Sanders Memorial Cup was held. Thero ■was a strong breeze* and lona, formerly Tomtit, had the misfortune to capsize when in a. winning position. Winifred also turned turtle." "Old Sport" writes re "Motor Boats of This Harbour" as follows:—"I would suggest through your columns that the Ota go Yacht and Motor Boat Club should insist 0.. launch owners giving their proper horsepower. I would suggest that the club should insist on all engines being measured up by a practical man—say, Mr G. M'Gregor—before the season's racing starts, as I know for a fact that owners have entered their boats at a certain power and have had as much as four horse-power to spare, and, of course, secured prizes in this manner and baffled the handicappors. l'.ook after tho sport and make racing worth while." THE MOST SUITABLE TYPE. Tho following letter speaks for itself:— "Dear 'Rudder,'—l was very much interested in reading your last week's yachting notes, especially the paragraph dealing with the most suitable design of yacht to meet the requirements of this harbour. There has been a good deal of talk lately of the six-metre boat. This design would no doubt suit Auckland and other ports, where they are blessed with plenty of water under the keel, but here those boats would bo able to race with comfort only at high water, as they are drawing from sft to sft 6in. Another point against them is that there is too much variation in the design. You can have a water-line length from 17ft to 22ft, and with more or less beam accordingly. Also tho sail area varies to about 200 ft. Last, but not least, the cost of building and fitting out a six-metro boat would be prohibitive to the average yachtsman. What we want to try and evolve is a typo of boat suggested by your last week's correspondent, say. 50ft over all, 10ft beam, easy midship section, spoon bow, and tuck stern, drawing about 4ft 6in with plate down. The centre plate to be placed in slot in lead or iron keel and the keel to weigh about 30cwt. The top of plate, when drawn up, should be flush wyith the floor of the cabin. Sail area should be about 600 ft, standing lug or yawl rig. The cabin could be fitted with four or more berths, and could be made very comfortable for week-end cruising. If fitted with a watertight souttle hatch and eelfbaling cockpit, she would be practically unsinkable. This design would be very pleasing to the eye, would not bo a hard boat for amateurs to build, and would cost considerably less than the six-metre boat."