AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 674, 28 May 1929, Page 14

AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

By

KEELSON

RUSSELL REMOVES LAUNCH RESTRICTIONS

(Special to THE SUN) WHANGAREI, Today. Yacht and launch owners Mho intend to proceed north next season will be interested to learn that the Bay of Islands Harbour Board has agreed to allow visiting craft to anchor on the south side of Russell wharf. In the past both sides of the wharf have been set apart as protected areas for local launches, and whenever a visiting yacht or launch happened to drop anchor inside the boundary line it was ordered to shift further out into the bay.' This necessitated a very long row to and from the shore and many owners, rather than put up with this inconvenience, left the bay altogether, while others refused to include Russell in their annual holiday cruise. The rescinding of the prohibitive bylaw was the outcome of pressure brought to bear by the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association, the Whangarei Cruising Club and Russell business people.

OUT OF THE LOCKER

Mr. J. Lowe has sold his 24-foot mullet-boat Maru to a resident of Coromandel. Prize-winners in the Birkenhead and Northcote regatta are notified that prizes will be distributed on Thursday evening in the Onewa Hall, Northcote. It is desired that all prize-winners should be present. The 57th annual prize distribution ceremony of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron will be held in the squadron rooms on Friday evening. Ti presentations will be made by his Ex. ilency the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson. An attractive musical programme has been prepared. The younger boating men are reminded that the Takapuna Boating Club has a grand carnival night on Monday evening, June 3, the King’s Birthday. Several more boats were pulled up during the week-end on the Manukau Yacht Motor-Boat’s slip. They i were Norma, Gold Light, Florine, Mebel and Waiapu. Owing to a poor tide it was not possible to get Mam'selle up. A working-bee of three has been busy lately in making alterations to the Manukau Yacht Club's clubhouse. New lockers and cupboards are well under way.

SIR HENRY SEGRAVE’S SPEEDBOAT

AMERICAN VERSION OF GREAT CONTEST Here is an account of the recent great contest for world speed-boat honours between Sir Henry Segrave’s Miss England and Mr. Gar Wood’s Miss America, as witnessed by American eves and described by W. F. Crosby, writing in “The Rudder.” “The much heralded race between Major H. O. D. Segrave and his Miss England, and Gar Wood’s Miss America VII.. proved to be a considerable disappointment at the meet held recently at Miami. “Major Segrave, in an interview with the writer before the race, admitted that his boat was no match for Miss America. However, if there were ever a sport it is Major Segrave. Although his boat was much slower than Miss America he won because of a breakdown on the part of the American speedster. “The first heat of 12 miles showed that Gar had the best of it. But it was seen that on the third lap Miss America was in distress. She ran off the course, and in a second or two Miss England roared by. The major slowed her down considerably, and the speed was much less than was anticipated. He finished in lonely splendour amid the plaudits of the crews of the hundreds of assembled yachts. Fate had played a hand in Gar’s defeat.

“It turned out that the American had broken his steering quadrant. The following day saw him in the running again, and as the two boats roared over the line Gar jumped into the lead and at the first turn was well ahead of his British rival. The race resolved itself into a procession with Miss America gaining speedily. “On the third lap Major Segrave’s boat developed engine trouble, and it was seen that his boat had slowed down to a mere crawl. The mechanic went forward and raised the hatch over the forward rudder. A few minutes later Miss America lapped the British boat, but the major continued ultimately to finish after Miss America had again lapped him. “Thus, since Miss England won the first race and finished the second she won on points, and the great Gar Wood went down to deefat before a foreign challenger for the first time s in his racing history as far as can be ascertained. The fastest lap made by Miss America was at the rate of slightly in excess of 65 miles.” Miss America a few* days later, however, set a new world’s record of 93.12 miles an hour at Miami, bettering her former record of 92.83 made last summer at Detroit. FACTS ABOUT MISS ENGLAND Miss England is designed and built along seaplane lines, closely resembling such a hull shorn of its wings. She is a V-bottom all the way aft. even aft of the step, but the V at the stern is very nearly flat and, according to her designer, gives ample lateral stability. She uses two small rudders of synchronised action. The forw*ard rudder acts somewhat like the flaps or ailerons at the end of an airplane wing. It is claimed that these two rudders eliminate all danger of a capsize when turning causing her to bank at the correct angle. This rudder system has been tried in sev-

eral fast British hulls, with great success. The hull is 27ft 6in long. 7ft 6in beam, and weighs I.ooolb. For planking a double skin of copper-sewn twoply wood is used. The propeller revolves at 6,500 r.p.m., which is about double the engine speed. The engine is a 930 li.p. Napier Lion. The weight ratio is 0.8931 b a horse-power. NEW LAUNCH RAUTANGI ENJOYABLE WEEK'S CRUISE The new cruising launch Rautangi recently completed by Collings and Bell for Mr. L. Sterricker, the wellknown outboard speedman, was taken for an extended trial cruise in the Gulf last •week. Mr. Stericker had with him Messrs. C. J Collings, builder of the launch. A. Hintz and R. Coughlin. The party left port on Tuesday morning, May 20, and after an easy run reached Kawau in three hours. There they found the schooner-yacht v alkyrie, which had left earlier on her six months’ cruise among the Pacific islands. The ship was busy taking in water, and all on board were as happy as sandboys. She left that morning for feuva amid shouts of “Good-bye o'd New Zealand!” and “Good luck Valkyrie from the crew of Ra.utar.cv Next mornir;-- ;f .

schooner was back in Mansion House Bay. The Rautangi party were up on the hills and did not hear what was the reason for the return. Valkyrie finally sailed away from the south end of the island and faded out on to the horizon. The Rautangi men did a little net fishing and secured a good haul o* piper. On Thursday the cruiser visited Warkworth, where a glorious sunset was seen. The boat stayed there for the night, and next day droPP--; into Puhoi and Waiwera, and pottered into the Wade for the night. OjJ Friday it was blowing and raining hard. The cruiser arrived back in Auckland last Saturday after a ® osl delightful outing. Mr. Stericker is said to be very pleased with the performance of his new command. She has a good turn ospeed even with a brand-new engmeis comfortable in a sea-waj T , and is ® fact an ideal boat. Mr. Col lings is very pleased. He say? the Rautangi is one of the best cruisers of her class that has left his fir® 9 yards. Mr. Stericker does not intend to relinquish outboard racing. On the contrary, he has just given an order tor newer and better engine.