YACHTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23334, 28 October 1937, Page 5

YACHTING

By Rudder

FIXTURES November 6.—Combined opening at Macandrew Bay. November 20.—Ravensbourne Boating Club. November 27—Otago Yacht Club harbour races. „ December 4.—Ravensbourne Boating flufo rs.CGS December 11.—Ravensbourne Boating Club Junior Yachtsmen's Race. December 27. —Macandrew Bay regatta. . „, , January I.—North-East Harbour Club, races. • January 3.—Combined Vauxhall and North-East Harbour Clubs, races. January B.—Port Chalmers Club, races. January 15.—Otago Yacht Club, Nees Memorial. „ , January 22—Port Chalmers Club, races. January 29.—Ravensbourne Boating Club, races. SANDERS CUP TRIALS In fairness to some of the skippers, who are not yet ready for the Sanders Cup trials, the association at its meeting on Tuesday night decided to postpone the first race until November 13. Only one week's delay was asked for by the skippers present at the meeting, but as the following Saturday is the combined opening day at Macandrew Bay, and it was desired to leave that date free of other events, a further week's postponement was agreed to. „ , E. M. Walker (Betty) and K. McCulloch (Heather) signified that their boats would not be ready next Saturday, and E. Cuthbert (Eileen) stated that his new set of sails would be to hand only at the end of this week, and it would be difficult for him to turn out unless absolutely necessary. The association made a further concession to the skippers, as it altered a previous resolution that the crew of the winning boat be chosen as a whole, so that the skipper now has the right, provided the rest of the crew is agreeable, and the necessity arises, to drop one man in favour of a better one from another boat. It is, presumably, the forward hand who is in mind when this request is made. Several of those present at Tuesday night's meeting admitted that some members of their crews did not have the experience required for a Sanders Cup contest. The boats which will take part in the trials will probably be Eileen (E. Cuthbert), Val (McLean). Colleen (H. (Latimer), Bettv (E. M.' Walker), Heather (K. McCulloch). Lynette (C. Pettit). Evelyn (Todd), and Winifred (Wray). WILKIE TROPHY RACE The race for the Wilkie trophy held on Lake Waihola on Labour Day proved to be a most interesting contest, the first four boats at the finish crossing the line within a space of four minutes and a-half, and there was added excitement when a fifth boat, which had an excellent chance of winning, swamped about half a mile from the finish. The breeze was a strong one from the north-cast, with a tendency to swing to the north, and the six starters were the 14-footers Joan and Agnes, Argo 11. Jolly Roger, Sigma X. and Te Ora. The 14-footers started from the scratch mark, and the others received 20 minutes each, the handicapping being under the Mark Foy system. Argo was first away at the start, with Te Ora next and Sigma X and Jolly Roger in close pursuit. Rounding the first buoy for the long run down to the southern end of the lake Te Ora went into the lead, followed by Argo 11. Jolly Roger, and Sigma X. At this stage the scratch boats were sent away. On the run Te Ora opened up a good lead, but Argo kept after her. The position was unchanged on the next leg over to Clevelands but the 14-footers were footing it through the water in great style, the Agnes making better time than her comarker, and they caught the rest of the fleet on the last leg to the finishing mark. With Te Ora out of the running, Agnes and Joan, sailed board J

for board to the line, the latter gradually catching her opponent. Agnes went across first, Joan crossing halt a minute later, followed by Jolly Roger. Argo 11, and Sigma X The placings, with the corrected times, vvere as follows: — Agnes scr, 56min 1 Joan (scr), 56min 30sec .. 2' Jolly Roger (20min), 60mm 3 Argo II (20min), 60min 30sec 4 Sigma X lost time through investigating Te Ora's mishap. The skipper of the winning boat was R. Baker, C. Stewart being skipper of the Joan. NOTES Good progress is being made with the repairs to Miss Otago, the Masport Cup representative of last season. The bottom planks, which were damaged in the last contest, have been removed, and a new bottom and engine bed will be placed in her within the next few The' Akarana Club. Auckland, has been given the right of putting " Royal " before its name. Lieutenantcommander Lean, who was largely responsible for securing the privilege has also gone further, however, and it is expected that confirmation will soon be received that King George VI has consented to become patron of the Val and Colleen, the Otago Yacht Club's nominees for the Sanders Cup trials, had a good try-out in a full sail breeze on Sunday, the former, well handled by her youthful skipper, I. McLean, finishing about 2min ahead of Colleen, which was sailed by E. Cuthbert, skipper of Eileen. E. Cuthbert, the skipper of Eileen, intimated at a meeting of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association on Tuesday that his boat may not remain here for the rest of the season. It is understood that she may be sent to Lyttelton. Should this, be the case, she will be a loss -to ■■the provinces fleet of 14-footers. Winner of the Sanders Cup in 1930, Eileen has represented Otago on three or four occasions, and has always been a consistent performer in trial races and regattas. She is recognised as probably the best rough-weather boat of her class on the harbour. The possibility that its mooring area at Mechanics Bay may be taken over bv the Auckland Harbour Board in the event of new docks being built has caused the Royal Akarana Yacht Club to look about for new grounds, and it has secured a price for the complete removal of the clubhouse to a point a little to the east of the Maori settlement at Orakei. Near there it is proposed to establish over an area of approximately 85 acres of sea space, its new clubhouse and mooring ground. There, also, it is proposed to create the finest and most elaborate yacht grounds in the southern hemisphere.