AQUATICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3804, 8 February 1927, Page 55

AQUATICS.

MEETING OF DELEGATES. A meeting of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association was held on Wednesday, mainly for the purpose of completing arrangements in connection with the visit of Otago’s boat and crew to Lyttelton to compete in 'the races for the Sanders Memorial Cup. Mr J. T. Paul presided; and the following delegates were present: Messrs E. A. Davys. H. Camp, W. O. Martin, T. Anderson, T. H. Asher, G. Brooks. SANDERS CUP CONTEST.

The chairman said that .Winifred would be despatched from Dunedin on Sunday by rail and would reach Lyttelton in time to enable the crew to engage in sevearal days’ practice. Winifred’s crew, consisting of Messrs G. E. Kellett (skipper), R. Connor, O. Connor and R. Hill, and also Ray. Montgomery, one of the boys selected to sail in the Cornwell Cup contest, and Hugh Riddell (emergency) will leave Dunedin by" the second express on Tuesday next for Lyttelton.' A number of visitors and supporters have also signified their intention to travel by this express. The delegates to the Dominion Yachting Conference will leave by the first express on Friday of next week for Lyttelton. " / A letter was received from the Canterbury Yachting Association stating that the following remit would be submitted to the Dominion Yachting Association Conference to be held at. Lyttelton on Friday evening, February 11:-— That the present system of elimination of boats be revised to read : That all competing boats in the Sanders Cup contest contirie to sail . until three boats are left in the final races, providing, that any one boat has not previously won , three races. Tho reading of th’o letter raised 1 some discussion.' Mr Davys said that it was well known, that the Otago crews and officials were in favour of a points system.

Mr Camp said that, he was not in favour of boats being eliminated. He would like to see the points system adopted. . Mr Paul said he was of the opinion that all the boats should be given an oppor- , tunity to sail in all the races. The slower boajs would then, as a matter of course, >. be eliminated. It was resolved to place on record that the association was not in favour of tha / present system of eliminating any boat' after three races' had :been-sajled.'s,lt was decided to instruct the secretary.;tp notify the Canterbury Association aCCOridihglyl ~ BUOYANCY OF< .SMALL BOATS. A letter was received from: the secretary / of the Broad Bav Boating Club stating that the committee . had decided, not; to allow any sailing dinghy to compete in any club race unless pass.ed by the, Sailing J Committee as being of sufficient buoyancy. The secretary of the Otago Ya.cht and Motor,Boat Club also wrote stating that steps would be taken to make' every .small boat buoyant and seaworthy' before'-' she was allowed to compete in’ any; race. *2 The Chairman said that the replies were • quite satisfactory. It was . evident that the various' clubs intended' to take steps to make every boat buoyant, some in one way and some in another. GENERAL. The Canterbury Yacht and Motor Boat Club wrote "stating that the following challenges had .been received for the Corn■well Cup':—Lyttelton .(holders), Auckland,' Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Otago,- Canterbury, and Halfmoon Bay. • ■■■-■ It was decided to write to Mr A t , B. Moffett, of Invercargill, congratulating ' him on securing such a fine boat as Murihiku 11, and wishing the boat and crew good luck in the contest. It was decided to write to Mr H. L. Tapley, M.P., thanking him for. his efforts in connection with the free railage of Winifred to Lyttelton. . .

THE SANDERS CUP. - SOUTHLAND’S NEW BOAT. ' INVERCARGILL, February 6. A further demonstration of the interest that is being taken in Southland’s new contender (Murihiku II)' for tho. Sanders' Cup was given on Saturday afternoon, when big crowds assembled at the waterfront to witness the Murihiku II and old Murihiku go through the -final trials. The weathei - was delightfully fine for 14-footer racing, a pleasant northerly barely amounting to a full-sail breeze being in evidence, throughout. The new Murihiku' conceded the old boat ljmih start over , a course’of about six miles. This proved an easy task for the new craft which finished the course four minutes ahead of her older rival. , This result was all the more pleasing as the trial was run ■in conditions which suited the old boat, and which made her such a worthy, rival in previous light weather contests. Carl Hanson (skipper) sailed Murihiku II and was delighted with her performance. He considers that, whether light or heavy conditions, Murihiku II will behave equally well and should make a bold' bid for supremacy this year. A collection, taken up at the wharf realised £l3. The boat will be trucked to Lyttelton to-morrow. The crew also departs to-morrow, and will have one or two trial spins in Lyttelton Harlxmr during the week. ’ Several enthusiasts will travel to the north during the week, and Mr A. B. Moffett,' commodore of tho. Stewart Island Yacht Club, will’represent Southland at a meeting of yachtsmen on Friday to decide the conditions of the contest. •' * ‘ (■