WITH SAIL and MOTOR

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 6, 9 February 1910, Page 8

WITH SAIL and MOTOR

NEWS FROM THE WATER (Special to " Graphic.”! • FIXTURES. _ frobWMry 12 — Devonport Yacht Club’s Picnic. February 12 — North Shore Yacht Club's Cruising Race, to K»wau. THE annual picnic of the Devonport Yacht Club takes place on Saturday afternoon. The fourth cruising race of the North Shore Yacht Club will take place on Saturday afternoon, the destination being Kawau. At last the “weather god” has looked upon local yachtsmen with a friendly eye, Saturday and Sunday last being ideal days for yachting. There was a nice breeze fropi about east north-east, which suited the sailing boats, whilst it was not strong enough to raise a sea to interfere with the power boats. There was a great fleet of all sorts of crafts afloat for the week-end cruise, and those on board had probably the most enjoyable time they have experienced this season.

I am of the opinion that something will have to be done to galvanise the Anniversary Regatta into life. The regatta of 1910 will be remembered as one of the most unfortunate aquatic carnivals ever held on the Waitemata. The question is, What is to be done? If extreme measures are not taken to save the situation, then the Anniversary Regatta will be a thing of the past. It seems pertinent to ask why the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron does not take the matter in hand. The Squadron was established for the purpose of encouraging aquatic sports in Auckland, and it is therefore reasonable to suggest that it comes within their province to see that the Anniversary Regatta is not allowed to fall through, or suffer the humiliating state of things that prevailed this year.

ROYAL NEW ZEALAND YACHT SQUADRON. THE HORTON CUP. The race for the cup presented to tho Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron by Mr C. E. Horton was sailed on Saturday afternoon under the most favourable conditions so far as the wind and weather was concerned. There were 11 entrants, and all faced the starter. The squadron officials, had the new ferry steamer Pupuke chartered for the occasion, and for the first time for some years past those interested were enabled to watch the race from start to finish. The Pupuke left Quay-street Jetty No. 3 about 2.30 p.m., and the race was started at 2.35 p.m. by Mr J. C. Hewson, hon. secretary of the Squadron, from oil the tower of the Harbour Board’s shed at the eastern end of Queen-street wharf. The Pupuke, which was in charge of Mr C. P. Murdoch, as the officer of the day. was well patronised by the lady and gentlemen friends of the Squadron, all of whom took a very keen interest in the event. There was a nice breeze from about east-north-east, enabling tho competing craft to carry all sail throughout the race, and a very pretty sight the eleven boats made as they got over the starting line, there being only a few seconds difference between them. Afternoon tea and refreshments were provided and heartily enjoyed during the progress of the raee. It was a very good race throughout, and the winner turned, up in Victory (Messrs Jagger Bros.), which has been one of the most consistent competitors in all tho races of this season. The following are the details:—■ Entries and handicaps.—Rainbow (scratch), Rawene (6m), Thetis (10m), Ilex (84m), Heartease (81m), Kotiri (141 m Ngatira (141 m Victory (11 m), Aorere (15m), Waione (15m), Thistle (20m). Course: From off the end of Queen-street wharf, round black buoy off Brown's Island, thence round blaek buoy near Rangitoto Beaeon. finishing at the starting point. Distance, 15 knots. A very good start was ef-

fected at 2.35 p.m., Heartease and Vi» tory having the best of it, but there very little difference between the boats* There was a nice breeze blowing from about east-north-east, with a strong flood tide. Some of the boats worked over, to the northern shore, but the majority, kept on the soutliem side, and did much better on the beat down to the Brown’s Island buoy, which was rounded as fob lows:—Rainbow, 3h 55m; Victory, 3h 57m; Rawene, 3h 58m; KoKri, 4h Om 50s; Ngatira, 4h Im 50s; Heartease, 411 3m 40s; Hex, 4h 8m; Thistle, 4h 8m 30s< All soon had their balloon jibs out, and Rainbow was first round the Rangitoto mark.

The finishing times were: Rainbow, 5K 5m 30s; Rawene, 5h 15m 15s; Victory y 5h 15m 265; Heartsease, 5h 18m 40s;] Hex, sh, 20m 17s; Waione, 5h 21m 10s;; Kotiri, 5h 22m ss; Ngatira, 5h 24m 15s;; Aorere, 5h 26m 355; Thetis, 5h 27m 325; Thistle, 5h 30m 30s. On corrected times the result is: Victory . „ 1 Rainbow 2 Waione 3 * Fonsonby Cruising Club. The Ponsonby Cruising Club held the final cruising race of the season on Saturday afternoon. The course was from off the Clubhouse, St. Mary’s Bay, round the red luminous buoy in Rangitota Channel, finishing off Orakei Wharf. The entries and handicaps were: Alva scr M Glady scr, Ranee scr, Mistletoe 2m, Echo 3m, Foam sm, Waratah 12m, A good race ensued, Alva getting home first, Glady second, and Mistletoe third. The corrected times make no difference in the positions.

Waitemata Dinghy Sailing Club* The Waitemata Dinghy Sailing Club held a race on Saturday afternoon, the competition being for youths under 19 years of age. The entries and handicaps were as follow:—lkatere scr, Olivene scr, She 10m. The three boats were sentf away to an excellent start, crossing the line together, and a very good race ensued, Ikatere being first, Olivene second, and She third. On corrected times Ikatere is first, She second, and Olivene third. OCEAN LAUNCH RACE. MR W. J. PROUD'S TBOPHL WON BY SYBIL. The ocean launch race, over a 53-knoU course, for Mr W. J. Proud’s (Sydney! trophy, a silver tea and coffee service, valued at 86gs, was concluded after our, first edition went to press on Saturday last. The boats finished off the Queen-street wharf, and the end of the race was witnessed by a large number of spectators assembled on the wharf.

A heavy sea was encountered throughout! the course, and a number of the boats received a severe dusting. By the tima Canoe Rock was reached the boats were drawing iu close together. Here the limit boat, Marore, was oveihauled by the Buffalo Bill, then by the Sybil, and she was overtaken by lone halfway between Tirfi Tiri and the Rangitoto beacon. Off the Rangitoto beacon the Sybil took the lead from Buffalo Bill. The scratch boat, Seabreeze. was • going well up ta within a short distance of Tiri, when hen engines got out of order, the pumps refusing to work. The fact was reported to the officials at the finish of the race by the Eliza, which slated that she was helpless between Canoe Rock and Tiri. It had beeni arranged that all boats should cross the finishing line, and as the Seabreeze did not cross a search was at once undertaken foe her. The water front was searched, without result, there being no sign of the boat in any of the bays round the foreshore.: It was then decided to make a search from the point where the boat was last seen, and the Alleyne and the Buffalo Bill spent the whole of Sunday in an unavailing hunt, to find on returning to town that the boat had been hauled up on Lane's slip at five o’clock on Saturday afternoon. The Sybil! ran well throughout, while the Buffalo Bill* which finished second, put up a splendid! performance in finishing four minutes behind the Sybil. The order of finisHagi was Sybil (W. R. Twigg), 4h Gm 75.. 1 , Buffalo Bill (D. Reid), 4h 10m 45s 2 \ lone, 4h 24m 50s 3 Other finishing times were: Winsome, 4H 85m 28s; Marore, 4h 36m 255: Zephyr, 4U 4Rm 40s: Maroro, 4h 51m 30s; Eliza, 4h 54m 16s. Theae were the only times taken. The first six boats receive prizes. Tho actual times occupied hv the different boats in completing the course were as follows:—« Sybil, 5h 38m 7s; Buffalo Bill, Ch 34m 45b; lotus 6b 30a) sOs; Winsome, Uli 38m 58s; Marore, 7h 36m 255; Zephyr, fib 44tu Rte;

Maroro, 7h; Klixa, «h 43m Th* Matakana and CountMa retired after reaching Tirl, while the Virginian pulled out earlier in the race. ' Another race round Canoe Bock will be decided some time this month, Mr. W. K. Twigg having donated to the New Zealand Power Boat Association four trophies of a total value of thirty guineas for a race round this rock and back for bonafide. cruisers only.