TASMAN YACHT RACE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 8

TASMAN YACHT RACE

CONTEST NEXT YEAR AN AUCKLANDER’S CHALLENGE AUCKLAND, June 23. The Norwegian yacht Teddy, winner of the trans-Tasman yacht race, will be called upon to defend the cup next season, Mr T. Gill, „f Auckland, owner the schooner rigged yacht Aorere, having decided to enter a challenge for the trophy. Providing the rice eventuates, Lieut. Commander W. C. Juler. who recen’is sailed tho Rangi to Sydney and baci, will be in command of th? Aorere and Mr McGill, who has had considerable experience in deep-water sailing, will form one of the crew. Although the announcement that .tie Aorere would be a competitor in the r ice next season was only made yesterday, a number of yachtsmen have ilready expiessed a desire to make the -.rip m her. The Aorere was designed and built by the late Mr R. Logan, at North Shore for Mr T, Kilfoyle, and was launched in 1894. Her principal dimensions are:—Length overall, 43ft.; waterline. 34ft.; beam, Bft. 7in.; and depth 6ft, 6in. Until the outbreak of war the Aorere was always a regular competitor in the various club contests for keel yachts and has a large number of wins to her credit. She has changed hands on a number of occasions and was purchased by her present owner from Air A. Woolley in 1915. The Aorere was then cutter rigged, but, when Air Ale Gill bought her he convertvl her into a schooner and also made very extensive alterations to her cabin and fittings. She is registered as a B class yacht. Th-' boat is now hauled up in Messrs. Lowe and Sons’ yards in Freeman’s Bay, and during the winter she will undergo a thorough overhaul. It has been suggested that the race for the Trans-Tasman Cup next year beheld early in the season, so as to enable the yachts taking part, to continue on to Melbourne. On arrival there they could start in tho race across the Bass Straits to Tasmania. Following this a visit could bo paid to South Australia, where the yachts could take part in + he Royal South Australian Yacht Club’s race to Kangaroo Island and back, a distance of 120 miles. Returning to Melbourne, the boats could then take part in a race from Melbourne to New Zealand in accordance with tho ar rangemonts made by the Australian body which organised tho AustraliaNew Zealand ocean yatdit race, tor which a cup has already been donated by an Australian yachtsn®. Under normal conditions it is estimated that a boat taking part in the suggested races would be absent from New Zealand for three months. Tho Aorere will flv the Akarnna Yacht Club’s penna in.