AMONG THE YACHTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17217, 7 December 1923, Page 2

AMONG THE YACHTS.

REVIEW OF THE YEAR’S SAILING. PRESENT PROSPECTS. From th© viewpoints of racing and the progress of building, th© 1022-23 3’achting season was far from a success. But th© 1923-24 season’s opening is a pleasing contrast. So far the weather has been exceptionally good for sailing, the races both at Lyttelton and Redcliffs have drawn record entries and provided keen contests and there is a boom in yacht building among th© amateurs. Perhaps th© most gratifying event in yachting circles for years has been th© recent formation of a Canterbury Yacht Association. Canterbury had taken overmuch time in forming a controlling body. Auckland (the Cowes of the Dominion), Wellington (where yachting is increasing in popularity) and Dunedin have had associations for 1 tears and save for small differences, the wheels of the bodies have run smoothly. But the Lyttelton and Redcliffs Clubs have been at loggerheads. Neither consulted the other, when cooperation would have been beneficial and the inter-club contests, a feature of over a decade ago, have drifted into oblivion. In 1904, the Estuary yacht, NYaterwitch. which is still sailing well, won the Perpetual Challenge Cup against competition from a strong Lyttelton fleet. Since then, no contests for the cup have been held. As well as arranging trials for the Sanders Cnp 1 epresentative boats, the new association should exert itself in the matter of inter-club fixtures.

Dunedin’s loss has been Lyttelton’s gain as regards first-class yachts. The 32ft Waimana was sailed from the southern port to Lyttelton during last season, while Miro’s recent arrival has increased Lyttelton’s register of firstclass yachts to five. No new yachts have been launched at the port, but the yachtsmen there have shown a decided preference for the larger yachts. That is evidenced by the non-building of 14ft restricted design yachts. Originally with two of the type, Linnet and Tomtit racing, the Canterbury Yacht and Power Boat Club has only Linnet remaining. Tomtit is racing in Dunedin now. Although the public have taken a great interest in the fast, yet small, craft, the boats are not suitable for sailing on the harbour, with its heavy range and openness to the gales blowing from all points. Their oost istoo great also.

The Lyttelton Club has made strides since it has Ifeen re-established. Two classes of yachts are now racing. A new club shed has been erected, but the mooring space is becoming cramped, and the question is one which cannot be easily solved. If the Lyttelton fleet continues to grow, the new yachts will have to take up their quarters at Diamond Harbour.

Boat building has engaged the attentions, during the winter months, of several Redcliffs yachtsmen. Two yachts, constructed on the plans of Anti, have been launched already, two Seabird type 26ft cruisers are being planked, and Secret, the restricted Rona design 14-footer, now competing in the Sanders Cup trials, was launched during October. Another yacht shortly to take tho water will be a V bottom Seatnew, a type which is popular with the Estuary yachtsmen in that it is fast and is a first rate sea craft.

The Canterbury home of the small boats is growing bigger every year. Tho moorings at Redcliffs, also, are now becoming too cramped near the club’s pavilion. The membership is increasing rapidly, with a consequent shortage of acconhnodation in the pav-

| ilon. A proposal is being considered to enlarge the shed and to provide more lockers. The time is not distant when the club will have to put the work in hand. A feature of the year’s activities is the construction of a slipway, capable of hauling up launches of any euce for repairs. The work coat nearly £BO which, with the renovating of the club house, will considerably reduce the credit balance. The racing of last season was not at all keen. At Lyttelton, particularly, yachtsmen were lacking in support. The tired feeling dominated several of 1 the skippers every time a race was scheduled. It was detrimental to the sport and to the public’s interest. On an a’. r erage, eight boats left their mooring on a race day. There was onlyone class racing, the cup going to Waimana, skippered by C. D. Harkeas. Th© Lyttelton Club has both first and second class yachts competing in separate events this year, and the innovation is meeting with success, 14 boats sailing in the two races.

Redcliffs yachtsmen were more enthusiastic, but bad weather completely marred the eeaaon. Two of the boats which improved their times round the triangular course considerably, as the racing progressed, wore Seamew and Resolute. Resolute, a skimmer sailing in the A class, was allowed a handicap up to Bmin at the opening of the year. When the season concluded she was racing from near the scratch mark. Her energetic and voutbful crew, with. C. Allen, one of Secret’s crew.’ as a skipper, deserved to win the Cummings’ Memorial Cun, Warau tying. The competition in the A class was good, compared with previous years.

The club’s decision to include a B class, for yachts over 14ft- and under 18ft, did not seem warranted early this year, as in some of the contests only three boats were under sail. J. Abernethy’s and F. Taylor’s Kiwi, which had come from Lyttelton earlier in the season, was a regular performer, and she won the Old Members’ Cup. As it was the first year that the cup had been completed for the competition was all the more disappointing. When the C class yachts were under sail, it was a great spectacle to see the big crowd of small craft under clouds of canvas. At no time did the entrants fall below twelve. The Beanland Cup was won by Seamew, sailed by Commodore A. Round. Th© alteration in rig from cat to sloop and the commodore’s skilful lielmsmanship made a great difference in the performances of Seamew, which, when the final races were being sailed, was allowing time to yachts which had previously conceded her starts.

So far as the racing season has progressed this season, it has been an unprecedentedly successful. The yacht* on the register number nearly forty, and on one Saturday, when three class races were held, twenty-nine boats were out.

The formation of the Diamond Harbour Yacht Club should give another fillip to the sport in Lyttelton, as the many week-enders will be tempted to take up yachting. Yet the club has insufficient yachts on it* register to run off a successful series of races. The wi9© and commendable fostering of sailing among the small boys of the port by the Canterbury Club cannot be too highly praised. The boys delight in sailing their cockleshell dinghies in the inner harbour. There are only two of the boats on the water now, but it is understood that twelve will soon be the number competing in the race* organised by the club.

All sports in Lyttelton have died unnatural deaths at various times. The last branch of the aquatic sports to fail lias been motor-boa ting. The competition among motor boat owners has been nil since last year. And until some new boats are launched or bought from other centres by private owners at Port, motor boating will be a back number.

At Redcliffs motor boating interest i* dormant. The Christchurch Sailing and Yacht Club commenced the 1922-23 season with a number of good resolutions as to attending to the welfare of the few motor boat enthusiasts. That was as far as the club went. The motor boat owners are no more satisfied to-day than Uiey were two years ago. The club’s action in not- arranging even one race is not likely to attract any of the speed enthusiasts to the clut>.

The only motor organisation making arty forward steps is the New Brighton Power Boating Club. This season the club’s fleet is increasing quickly and the races are keenly contested. As well as holding races in the Estuary, the club intends holding an ocean race —from Sumner to New Brighton Pier,