YACHTING

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 15

YACHTING

THE SANDER’S CEP. The wealthy man may have his steam yacht a floating palace—the man of means may have his cruiser, but it is the man who owns the small yacht who has made yachting what it is to-day, writes E. C. Powell in the Lyttelton Times. They are the yachtmen who gave the fillip to the sport and, in their small craft, even the schooner owners admit, the small man gets infinitely more enjoyment. Saturday arrives. The weather is fine and a breeze is blowing. The call of the ozone is made. Into his locker, the owner of the small boat packs his provisions, calls in the services of a companion, and they go away on a pleasant week-end cruise to the bays. What schooner or big yacth owner can do that? They have to prepare for days ahead, and take whatever amusement you will, the impromptu jaunt is all the more enjoyable. In New Zealand, yachting is not a sport for only the aristrocrats. The man who draws £5 a week can sail to his heart's content. New Zealand is the place for the small yachts. The sport, which is favoured by kings would be even more popular if more interprovincial regattas were held.

Years ago, such contests were held among the cutters and nearly every year New Zealand yachts sailed to Australia, where they competed against the Commonwealth’s best. However, the Dominion can boast of one annual yachting contest—the Sanders Cup. Inaugurated four years ago, this contest will be a memorial to Earl Jellicoe’s interest in yachting during his stay in New Zeaalnd. From his design he had a 14-foot yacht built in Auckland for sailing on the Waitemata. In design, the craft was different from any other class of boat in New Zealand. Auckland took a fancy to the new boat and an Auckland firm of jewellers gave a handsome cup for competition for the class. The cup was in memory of the late Lieutenant-Commander Sanders, R.N., an Auckland boy who gave his life in a naval encounter. The “Jellicoe” class became popular. Mr W. J. P. McCullough placed an order with an Otago boat builder for a craft, and late in January, 1921, the first series of races for the trophy were held on the Waitemata. The two competitors were Lord Jellicoe’s boat, Iron Duke, named after his famous flagship, and Heather, Otago’s pride. Heather won. When the contest rolled round next year, five boats were in the field. Desert Gold (Auckland), Iron Duke (which carried Wellington colours), Linnet, Mr Sam Sinclair’s yacht, which had beaten Tom Tit in the Lyttleton trials, Heather (Otago) and Murihiku (Southland). The contest was keen. Iron Duke went out of the races early, being capsized in the first event. Linnet, which was considered to be a likely winner, was the next eliminated, through its skipper making a mistake as to the fishing pile. And in the last race, Desert Gold had a walk over, after a very unsatisfactory race. Auckland was the venue of the next contest. Rona represented Auckland and Linnet, Murihiku, and Heather were the other racers. Rona won so decisively that an immediate move was made to create her the standardised boat and the other yacht associations fell into line. With the new Rona restricted one design class, the boat builders were given latitude. Sets of moulds were prepared and all boats which were to be built with a view to competing in the tournament were practically the same, but the new rules permitted of boats built before the Rona design was adopted being allowed to compete in the races. This made the contest really a test of a skipper’s ability. Any association which wins tho cup may fix a centre as the venue and, so as to stimulate yachting in Wellington, Auckland decided on that locality for the 1924 races. Napier and Wellington had Rona class boats in, as did also Dunedin, Winifred. Linnet again represented Canterbury, the new Rona boat Secret being outclassed in the trials. Rona won easily and this month the races will be held at Auckland. Rona will not be competing. Queen’s March, which Mr E. Davies donated to the Sea Scouts, taking her place, Wellesley will be Wellington’s representative, and for the fourth tirfie in succession Linnet will carry the red and black colours. The exLyttelton yacht Tomm 111., now named lona, will represent Otago. But the fast Murihiku will not make the trip from Stewart Island, which all yachtmen will regret. The club there consists of a few and between they they have always paid the expenses of the trips; and they are not a small item. All over New Zealand, save in Auckland, yachting folk would have liked to see the Stewart Islanders conducting the races this year, and it would certainly have been an act of good grace on the part of the Auckland Association to have changed the venue.

But will the Sandera Cup races be perpetuated? Probably, within a few years, no contests will be held. That is not because yachting is not popular in New Zealand, for it is the reverse. But, firstly, the cost of sending a boat and crew to distant centres is too costly. The Linnet's trip to Auckland will cost nearly £lOO, and as in previous years, difficulty will be experienced in Canterbury in raising that sum. This year Southland and Napier have dropped out, and it was on the cards, too, that Canterbury would not be represented. The second question which looms darkly is, "Is the Rona class popular?” The craft are mere cockleshells. Comfortable? Hardly. In any seas they are wet as any boat could be, and they take a strong man to hold the tiller. Also that skiper must be well up in the finer points of the sport to manage these frail crafts. What yachtmen want are small boats, easy to manage, will go anywhere, at nearly any time, and are cheap. The Rona boats are expensive, which has acted strongly against their being popular in Canterbury. Their cost is over £lOO, and when a working man wishes to spend that amount he desires a boat which will be serviceable.

If the tournaments are to be held in the years to come, all yachtsmen will agree, the class of boat will have to be altered. The interest in the class is slowly dying, but for the sake of yachting in the Antipodes, let it be hoped that some sort of annual racing contest should be continued. Why not a six metre class, now so popular in America and the Continent, or a Star class