YACHTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20310, 19 January 1928, Page 4

YACHTING.

By Rudder. FIXTURES. January 23. —Port Chalmers Club (ladies’ day). .January 28. —Port Chalmers Club races. February 4.—St. Leonards regatta. February 18. —Otago Yacht Club (second series of races). February 26. —North-East Harbour Club (Strang Cup race); Port Chalmers Club (ladies’ day). March 3.—Port Chalmers Club races. March 17. —Otago Yacht Club (Moffett Cup race). April 16. —Broad Bay Club races. SANDERS CUP—STEWART ISLAND. February 15, first race; February 16, second race; February 17, third race; February IS, fourth race. The annual meeting of the Ravensbounie Regatta Committee will be held on Monday evening next in the boat shed. It is expected that the date of this year’s regatta will be decided on by the committee. A meeting of the Ravensbourne Boating C'lu 1 Committee will also be held on Mm y evening to fix a date lor holding the I'uces postponed on January 7. As the old identities’ picnic will be held on Saturday, the Port Cha'mers Yacht and Motor Boat Club has decided to postpone the annual outing for its lady supporters until Monday next. The ladies and children will be taken for a harbour cruise by motor launches on Monday evening. The annual harbour outing of the Otago Yacht Club will be held on Sunday at Blanket Bay, near St. Leonards. Supporters of the club will be conveyed to the bay by motor launches. Fiasco is the name selected by Mr J. Samson for his speedy outboard motor boat. The little craft is 10ft in length, with a beam of 4ft 4in. She has been built from an American design, and is equipped aVith a 4 h.p. Lockwood motor. Mr Samson intends to build another outboarder from tho “ Nizc Baby ” design. This boat will be known as Soap Bos. The New Zealand Power Boat Association held two races for outboard motorboats on January 7 on the Waitemata. The water was ideal for these %mall speedsters, and they made some fast times. In the first race there were seven starters, the scratch boat, Miss Akarana, just failing to catch Hop It, which won by 25sec, with Rose Marie third. In tho second race Miss Akarana got away with a great burst of speed, but sheered a pin on her propeller shaft and stopped before she had done half a lap. Elfa led on the first round, but Hop It caught her in the second and won by 35sec from Rose Marie after a very fast race. The competitors included Caille, the Dunedin boat, which competed at the Russell regatta. She made several fast runs before the races, but stopped in both events. While logging over 40 miles an hour on the Wairoa River (North Auckland) on New Year’s Day, the speed boat Miss Cleveclon struck a snag, and was smashed to pieces. Mr T. M. Roberts, her owner, bad his craft going all out when suddenly the steering gear fouled and Miss Clovodon sped straight for ' a pronged branch of a tree rising just above the surface of the tide. The boat struck the obstruction with terrific force, tearing her bottom out and reducing her to a wreck before the power could be shut off. The hull was reduced to so much matchwood and cannot be repaired. The engine, a 160 h.p. six-cylinder Beardmore, was recovered, together with accessories, and was found to be not greatly damaged. The 18-34 propeller was driven at 1800 revolutions. Mias Clevedon was formerly the original Fleetwing. SANDERS CUP CONTEST. In another four weeks the annual contest for the Sanders Cup will be commerced at Paterson’s Inlet, Stewart Island, the first race being fixed for February 1 5. Wellington has decided to pin its faith m the new boat Wellesley 11. She won tho majority of the trial races, and is stated to be a fast boat. The Otago crew is very keen, as the men have put in a lot of practice of late, being afloat almost every evening and Saturday afternoons. Tho orew is getting the feel of the boat, and -also that combination which is most essential to bring about success. It js understood that the Yacht Association will make early application to Mr B. S. Irwin for tho loan of Kia Ora’s sails for Eileen. When equipped with these sails and manned bv tho present crew, Otago’s challenger should be in first-class racing trim. Eileen will bo overhauled and her running gear will be renewed before she is shipped to Stewart Island. It is expected that Murihiku II will represent Southland. Mr A. Ball’s new craft, which has been renamed Susan B, is a splendid boat, but for all weathers she scarcely rivals Murihiku 11. Hawke’s Bay has dropped out of the contest this year. It is a pity, but the Napier Sailing Club has recognised that Kcnini is a back number, and the club has no other boat to send south. As Auckland’s challenger for the cup must he nominated by January 25, and time is short, the’ committee of the Auckland Yacht and Motor Boat Association decided to hold trial races this week. The first trial, held on Tuesday afternoon, was won fcy Rona. Tho second trial will bo sailed this evening, and the third trial on Saturday afternoon. The name of Auckland’s challenger should be announced early next week. The selection of Welleslev II to represent Wellington should he satisfactory to the enthusiasts of the northern centre. Wellesley established her nosition in the recent trials in both light and fairlv strong winds. Nothing definite has been decided by Can terbury, not oven trials being fixed so far. It is presumed that Betti- will be the choice, but there is opposition in certain quarters to her. All the same, there seems to be no option in the matter. While she was too good for everything at the last contest by a small margin, apart altogether from any question of measurements, she will not be nearly so hard a proposition when sailing in strange waters -as she was in her home port last year. VISIT TO AUCKLAND. When on a visit to Auckland towards the end of last year, Mr T. Anderson, secre tary of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association, was entertained by the Takapuna' Boating Club. Mr O. Moller, formerly ot Dunedin, and Mr Howard, secre tary of the Tnkapuna Club, did everything possible to make Hr Anderson’s visit interesting am! beneficial. In an interview with “Rudder” after his return to Duner’in, Mr Anderson said the Tnkapuna Chib has one of the most up-to-date boat houses in the Dominion. A swimming pool is attached to the boathouse. In referring to the Cornwell Cup contest, sailed this week under the auspices of the Takapuna Club, Mr Anderson said the committee controlling the contest had done exceedingly well. Great preparations had been made for the billeting' and providing for the boys. A portion of the boathouse had been partitioned off and provided with beds, and a separate kitchen and also a cafe and a, first-class chef had been provided. Everything pointed to the visiting boy crews bavins a very enjoyable holiday. A little humour had been introduced in the daily menu, as Maori names hud been supplied for the numerous dishes. , The Expansion League, Chamber of Commerce, picture theatre proprietors, and theatre managers were ii’ing the committee every support, and the leading citizens and yachtsmen were assisting in every way possible. In the ocean races from Auckland to Russell at Christmas tho winners of the principal event were boys who usually sail Takapuna class boats. This was proof of the splendid training the boys received on Auckland waters. It was an inspiring sight to see how the crews handled their boats on the Waitemata, and the capable way in which the craft were nursed through all kinds ot weather. No groat interest, Mr Anderson , regretted to say, vas being centred in the Sanders Cup trials. He understood that tho Auckland Yacht Association would select a boat shortly to represent the province at Stewart. Island. It was a pity that Auckland was taking up such an attitude, but yachtsmen seemed to be inclined to discard the 14-footer class altogether. The 18-footer class of racing yacht wa s creating more interest among boating men. Mr Anderson was taken for a cruise in an 18footer, and came to tho conclusion that they ore fine sea boats, Mr Anderson witnessed several trials between the Wellington 14-footers in tho evening. Keen competition was shown and there were sonic very exciting finishes between Wellesley 1 and Wellesley 11. There appeared to be very little interest centred on tho Sanders Cup contest in Canterbury. In fact, Mr Anderson stated, one could hardly raise a discussion in connection with 14-footcrs. Mr Anderson said that an effort was being made to induce the Railways Department to institute excursion fares for tho benefit of the large numbers who intended to witness the Sanders Cup contest.