YACHTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19497, 4 June 1925, Page 5

YACHTING.

By Ruddbe. Mr Brown, jam, of Leith street, visited* tho boat harbour on Sunday for tho purpose of securing a 14-footor mainsail and staysail Mr Brown has built a 14ft square bilge boat, which he intends placing in commission during next season. The launch Marowa (Mr A. Robinson) made .her usual week-end trip to Portobello. ... Mr Hazelwood and party, in his launcu Stella, went on a fishing expedition last week-end, and met with a fair amount of success. Tho launch Nell (Mr R. Cahill) went for a spin as far as tho islands last week-end. Tho linos wore cast, and a good haul of fish was secured. Tho launch Kelvin was launched from tho Otago Yacht Club’s slipway on Sunday. Her owners deserve credit for the thorough manner in which they have carried out their work on tho boat. She has been thoroughly overhauled from stem to stern. Mr it. Cahill, convener of the Slip Committee, has had numerous applications for mooring berths in tho boat harbour. Fie is doing his best with his fellow-commillee-men to place the applicants. The yacht Viking, after a short spell on the hard, has had a coat of compound put on her hull. The boat has been launched again. Messrs Angell and Harvey’s experience of last year in trying to keep the yacht above water after such a long spell ashore is not likely to bo a recurring event. Mr A. Grant, of Ravensbourne, writes .as follows: —“Dear Rudder, —With reference, to a letter appearing in last week’s Yachting Notes, your correspondent takes exception to the prize presented by Mr C. W. Sluncistrum being, awarded to a boy who sailed only ono race in a 14-footer. I would like to point out to him that the prize was for I tic most improved boy from \j acandre.v's Bay under 17 years of age, sailing small boats, and not 14-footers, in particular. Had he tak n the trouble to find out those facts ho would not have rushed into print with his complaint and advocated the rights of a lad who is nearer 19 years of age than 17, and therefore not eligible for consideration. I wish also to inform him that Mr Sundstrmn communicated with me and stated that he intended to give tho prize to a Macandrow’s Bay boy under 17 years of age, and asked mo to award if, my decision to bo final. Then ho handed t-lm prize over to tho North-East Harbour Club. It will thus he seen that the club had practically nothing to do with awarding tho prize at all. I hope your correspondent will make sure of the facts before he again writes on any subject with which ho is not conversant.’’ The ringing, Hooks, and sails will, of course, require an overhauling during tho off season .The standing rigging is now generally made of galvanised steel wire, and if it has seen much service, ru-st from (ho inner strands will show itself, and tho “lay” of the strands ' will have been stretched nearly straight; also now and again a broken strand or wire may bo come across. Hemp and man ilia rone, if much worn, with a washed-out appearance, should in certain places be renewed, or untwisted, and if stranded, with a dried up dull appearance of the yarns, tho rope* should bo condemned. The shells of the block will require examination for splits, and tho hock, eye, sheave, and pin for flaws of any description. The sails should bo laid out and examined ; if tho stitching in the scams or roping bo worn and ragged, if tho sailcloth bo soft and thin admitting a great deal of daylight through the woof, it is then generally recognised they are no longer fit tor racing. Sails, if rolled up when they urn damn frequently mildew, and it is almost impossible to get the stains out entirely. Now sails suffer most in this respect, ns tho “dressing” not being entirely washed or worked out of them, will ferment and cause tho mildew. The stains can be partly removed hy scrubbing tho sail with fresh water and soap; then rub the sail with soap and sprinkle or rub whiting over it: leave tho sail to dry and bleach in tho sun, and repeat the process more than once if necessary. Both sides of the sail should he scrubbed. Chloride of lime and other caustics and "acids would remove mildoy, but would almost certainly make the sailcloth deteriorate. If chloride of lime ho used only 7 the clear liquid should be allowed to touch tho sail, and the latter should be well rinsed in fresh water afterwards. If sails are stowed away whilst wot Or damp, they should be hoisted as soon as possible for drying or airing. At a meeting of tho Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association on Monday night it was decided to hold the Sanders Cup contest in February next. The exact dates were left open to enable tho association' to obtain information front the harbourmaster concerning tho exact tides. It is stated that tho first race will be sailed on a F'riday (probably February 19), and the second race on the Saturday. This principle was carried out in Auckland early this year. It is to he hoped that this lime the association will bo alive to the fact that it will be necessary to flag the channel retaining wall. This wall was a bone of contention amongst tho competitors when tho contest was sailed here in 1922, and a great many hold that it was through the wall not being properly marked that Murihiku gained a decided advantage over Heather and heat the Otago boat in one of tho races The Harbour Board has been rebuilding this wall, and oven tho crews of some of our own boats in 1923 wore loud in their complaints that stones were tipped anywhere but tho right place. This was soon righted, liqwover, and last year, when the various crews know the wall, they found that thev could take no liberties, ami tho complaints ceased. This was rather surprising. In regard to tho sailing of tho 1926 contest in these waters, the association has a_ larger burden to carry than other associations, such as Auckland and Wellington, as iho sailing dates will have to bo so arranged to suit high water, whereas in Wellington and Auckland tho races can bo sailed at any state of the tide. The intricacies of Otago Harbour, .as compared with northern waterways, may_ prove a stumbling-block to some of the visiting crews, as lias been known to happen in tho past.