YACHT AND MOTOR BOAT NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18765, 19 January 1923, Page 3

YACHT AND MOTOR BOAT NOTES.

By Rudder. [ltems of news or comment* on tho sport will he welcomed by “ Rudder,” and should reach this office not later than Thursday forenoon ol each week.] The good weather last week-end was again taken full advantage of by boating enthusiasts. Nearly all the yachts and launches made for the various resorts. lona and Mona, tho two Port Chalmers fourteenfooters, were cruising in the Lower Harbour. The second series of races held under the ‘•v.spioes of the Otago Y’acht and Motor Club will take place to-morrow afternoon, the fiist race starting at 5 o’clock, "'ho yachts and motor boats will race on the usual courses, while the fourteenfooters will have a new course allotted to them. This has been marked off by the veteran yachtsman (Mr T. Harridge). The course which lie has selected is a triangular one, and will give a quarterly, a lead and a beat to windward. Tho starting lino will be from the Boat Harbour Mole to the pile opposite and , from there to a mark buoy off Anderson’s Bay. and from thence to another mark buoy just out from the steamer basin, and then back to the starting lino at Boat Harbour. The race will be sailed three times round and will bo easily seen from start to finish. Mr Harridge has seen to it that the mark buoy off Anderson’s Bay is moored well out, so as to avoid the chance of a calm inshore, where Murihiku and Heather were becalmed on that memorable occasion when Desert Gold won the Sanders Cup. For tho general handicap for tomorrow the first prize is donated by A icecommodore Waters, and the second prize by Mr E. Davys, while for the third boat the club donates a trophy. His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. S, Douglas), who has always taken a keen interest in the four-teen-footers, is giving a prize for that class, and Mr B. H. Nces and Mr Fred Goodwin are donating tho second and third prizes respectively. For the two motor launch race; prizes are to be given by Mr R. Conn, Dr Moody, and Messrs H. A. Robinson. .1. T. Paul, and W. L. Colvin, as well a? a trophy from the club. An aquatic display will be hold at Dublin Bay to-morrow afternoon by the weekenders who make this part of the harbour their rendezvous. Over £2O has been collected, and it has been decided to put on an interesting programme. There will bo a yacht, dinghy, and model yacht race, swimming, and small b6at sailing races, etc. Messrs Brown Bros.. G. Kennedy, and the Star Rose Crib boys are principally responsible for this function. Mr Stan Butler, who is very keen, is the secretary. and nil entries are free. Prior to the war the Ravensbourne regatta was an annual function which yachtsmen and launch-owners looked forward to, but like sport of nil kind it. had to suffer on account of the youth of_ the country joining up with the expeditionary forces. At a meeting of the Ravensbourne Boating Club, held last week, it was decided to make an effort to revive the regatta once move, and at the meeting of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association on Monday evening an application was received on behalf of the Ravensbourne Boating Club eskjng to grant March 3 for the holding of a regatta. The Otngo Yacht and Motor Boat Chib is to be asked to postpone the harbour race for launches on that date so that the regatta will not be held ton late in tho season, and also to get the high tide on that day. A large party of yachting enthusiasts will leave Dunedin this morning. They will include Mr G. Sundstrum (representing the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association), the crews of (he Winifred and Murihiku. and others. The commodore (Mr IT. E. Moller) will leave for Auckland in a few days. Winifred was placed aboard the steamer Holmdale on Monday for transport to Wellington, and from there she will be sent by rail to Auckland. The crate which was used by the Heather when she was sent to Auckland and brought back the Sanders Cun two years ago was used for packing Wini fred. Mr D. Patterson, who has been appointed by the association to look after her, will take charge of her while away. Ho left here on Wednesday morning co meet the Holmdale at Wellington. Winifred 'should reach her destination on Sunday morning Winifred’s crew were present at the meeting of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association on Monday evening, when they

received definite instructions concerning their duties. One special point which was emphasised was that the crew while in Auckland were to be under the complete control of the association’s delegates, and that no outside interference would be tolerated. The headquarters of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association’s delegates, arid also the crew of Winifred while in Auckland, will be the Royal Hotel. The uniform worn by Winifred’s crow while racing for the Sanders Cup will be ■ —blue jersey and white pants. The wellknown Otago colours —dark blue —have been decided on, while .the letter O will be worked in gold on the jersey. in the course of conversation yesterday Commodore Moller casually mentioned that his association was very grateful to the public for so liberally subscribing to the fund for sending Winifred and crew to Auckland. Air C. Speight (owner of Winifred) was anxious to do more than the association was prepared to accept, an offer which, while greatly appreciated, had to be declined because it was felt that it was the people of Otago who were sending the boat to Auckland simply for the pure love of the sport. When the delegates from Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury', Otago, and Southland met in Dunedin last year an attempt was made to form a Dominion Yachting Council to control the Sanders Cup contests. Another effort will be again made this year to establish the council when the delegates meet at Auckland. It would have been definitely formed last year, but Auckland could not see its way clear to join in, as it was considered that the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association, could manage the contests, as they controlled the Cup, and there would be no necessity to form a Dominion Council. In any case the delegates from the various provinces will .make another endeavour to come to a decision concerning a future design for subsequent Sanders Cup races and also to form a council. Mr R. C. Miller, who was appointed one of the delegates to go to Auckland, now finds that for business reasons ho will not be able to make the trip. Mr D. Patterson has been appointed in his place. The association have also appointed him as sec-ro-tary to the local association officials while in Auckland. One evening when Heather was on exhibition in the Octagon some musical items were supplied by Mr Norman Arundel with

his Magnavox Power Amplifier attached to • a Columbia Gramophone. Mr Arundel also spoke through the special microphone, his voice being heard all over the Octagon and down Stuart street. Old yachtsmen will remember .Mr E. Arundel and fin' Atalania, and his son is displaying his late father’s keen interest in all matters associated with yachting. Dr A. J. Cottrell has secured the launch Viva, which formerly belonged to Dr Harrison. ’lire old engine lias been dismantled, and a new motor car engine installed in its place. Apropos the Wellington Sanders Cup challenger—Eyiiin the Wellington Yfieht and Motor P>oat Association is still in need of funds to send the boat to Auckland and maintain it there. At least another £3O or £4O will be required.

SANDERS CUP CONTESTANTS. In liis comments on tonic of the competing boats ''Speedwell" (of the Auckland Star) says: Mr S. Sinclair’s Linnet, which is to represent Canterbury again, was built expressly lor the contest last year. She varies from the design in that ho'' garboards. instead of being notched into the top keel, arc flush wnh (he bottom of the. keel, thus giving her a carvel build for about, two feet. This really makes little or no difference to her sailing qualities, but certainly proves the need of a conference to draw op a set of rigid plans and specifications for future guidance, as the loopholes in the earlier plans were too many. Mr .Sinclair sails her very well, and only hard luck prevented her being in the finals lust year. Murihiku —a Maori word meaning the end of the land—although owned and sailed by. Invercargill and Stewart Island men. was built by Mr J. M‘Phorson in Dunedin, and was not. in Invercargill waters prior to last year's race, and il is understood idle has been stored in Dunedin since (hen. Murihiku was an improved Heather according to her builder, and she certainly gave ns all a close e-all for the nun last year. With the same crew ns she carried last vear, T. Bragg or Carol Hansen at her helm. she will take a real lot of beating on the Waitemnta. which should suit, her even belter than Dunedin Harbour did. Our defender. Mr A. E. Gifford's Bonn, was the last boat built to the class by C. Bailey, jtuu. She has a very 'good

record, but if the juvenile races were expuvgccl and a count made of her races sailed after Desert Gold and Iron Duke returned from Dunedin Inst year and those sailed this season, it. will bo found that the honours are with Iron Duke. A. Matthews has sailed her very well, but in the writer s opinion it would bo safer to have a more experienced man also aboard if Matthews sails her, as when it comes to cross tacking rounding marks, or good judgment generally two heads are better than one in most oases.

As the number of competitors will be the same ns in the last contest, no doubt the same system of holding tiie cup races will be adhered to —i.e., all five boats take part in the first three races, say on Tuesday. Wednesday, and Thursday. In the next races only the boats scoring a win in the first three races will bo eligible to race in the remaining events. If the events are strung out like last year to the fullest number of seven races it would be possible to finish the event on Saturday. February 3, by holding one race in the morning and another in the afternoon.

THE EIGHT TYPE. Dear 'Tliutder,"—A tew weeks ago yon asked that suggestions might be sem in lor a suitable yacnt lor this harbour. With your permission 1 would like to give what 1 think would be a suitable boat tor boys to build who have not quite finished their apprenticeship in whatever trade . they might happen to follow. In any case boys can use tools to advantage if they will only try. Now tjiat the holidays are over the time is suitable to start operations right away. I would suggest a 20-footer, something after the stylo of the fourteen-footers, but more stable. Dimensions—2oft over all, 7ft beam, nibuldcd depth 2ft 3in, width of tuck stt, the midship section would show a good rise of floor with a hard bilge; camber of keel, Sin at rabet line; bottom of keel to run straight from midship section to stern. Tho hull would draw 9in and with centreboard would draw 4ft bin to sft. The ballast would consist of concrete blocks, eight in number, weighing a hundred-weight each to be moulded to the shape of the hull, to enable them to be fitted between floor frames on each side of centre-case. The centre-board would bo of the dagger type of «iu steel plate. The sail area would be ,of about 200 square feet, standing lug and jib. The hull would be clinker built of iin white pine or kauri, ■say 12 planks a side. The deck would extend to 18in abaft of the mast tapering off to the gunnel at the midship section to be finished off with a round coaming, to bn decked in aft ISin. to be bulk-headed off to form a locker. Two thwarts to bo fitted, one at each end of centre-case, sparred seats to bo fitted on each side to extend from after-deck to forward thwart. Material with the exception of the timbers which should be of kowhai. red birch, or ether suitable timber, the remainder of the materials could bo of white and red pine for the sake of cheapness and if a really good job was desired kauri would be principally used. If amateurs were to build Ibis typo of boat the cost of materials without labour, including duck and ropes, would cost about £45. A well-built boat by a boat builder fitted with all gear complete would cost-from £l5O to £IBO. To simplify tho matters for the amateur builder the same typo of boat could be built on the V bottom system. In that case it would bo carvel built. T am writing this hoping that it will be an incentive for. some of cur voting yachtsmen to try their band at building a boat of the typo suggested.”