Sports and Pastimes.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 23, 7 December 1910, Page 8

Sports and Pastimes.

WITH SAIL AND MOTOR

NOTES FROM THE WATERFRONT.

(By

RINGTAIL.)

THE Auckland Yachting Association held a meeting on Tuesday, Noveinber 29th, at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron Rooms. The matter of the pillaging of the yachts was gone into deeply, and it was agreed to offer a large reward for information that would lead to the conviction of any person or persons thieving from yachts, etc. Last year hardly a yaeht eseaped without losing something or other. This sort of thing is a disgrace to the port, and it is high time something was done to stop it. For years yachtsmen have had to put up with this wholesale thieving and river piracy, and have had very little redress, even when the culprits have been eaught. But it is to be hoped that the first culprit caught this year v ill be properly dealt with. The Association also decided to adopt the rule of the International Yacht Racing Association, and to have copies printed for distribution, so that all yachtsmen may become acquainted with the same. This will be a very wise move, and if every skipper will attend to the rules when racing a great deal of trouble and ill-feeling may be saved. It might also save a great deal of trouble if the rule of the road was more strictly observed, especially by some of the motor-boat skippers, as the harbour at times is rather crowded, and a serious accident might be caused by the boats not keeping to the rule of the road. Of course, some of the motor-boat men are old yachtsmen, and some are not. A meeting of the Committee of the Auckland Regatta was held last Wednesday, when details were gone into in a thorough and energetic manner. There is no doubt that the Committee intend to leave no stone unturned to make this year’s function something to be remembered. The collection promises to be a record one, and, given good weather, we think the Aucklanders and their visitors will have something to see on the 29th January next. ROYAL N. Z. YACHT SQUADRON. The Royal N.Z. Yacht Squadron held their first yacht and motor boat races on Saturday afternoon. The wind at the time of starting -was well easterly, a good sailing breeze, but it died away as the afternoon wore on. The course was from Queenstreet wharf, round the North Head, keeping in the fairway, then round Rangitoto and Motutapu, finishing at Matiatia. The following were the entries for the yacht race:—Ariki scratch, Rawene ssm, * Ilex €}m, Ida 10m, Marangi 11m, Kotiri 15£m, Aorere 16m, Victory 19m, Windward 25 Jm. Ariki and Rawene crossed the starting line together, followed by Hex one minute later. Windward 2m, Marangi 4m, Kotiri 6m, Ida 4jm, Aorere 11m. Victory did not start. All yachts worked the North Shore to escape the strong flood tide that was sweeping up the harbour. At the North Head Ariki ha destablished a very fair lead, and Rawene was sailing extremely well, standing well up to her canvas. After passing the Rangitoto Beacon, Ariki stood well out to sea, while Rawene worked closer along the shore, which gave her -all the advantage, as at Billygoat Point she had gained considerably on Ariki, which could not make up time sufficiently to win. On corrected times Raw'ene is first, Ariki second, and Aorere third. The entries in the power boat race were: Tahatu, Matareka, Elsie, Winsome. Matareka crossed the line one minute after the starting gun had fired, Tahatu Im 5s after, Elsie Im 10s, and Winsome Im 14s. All boats steered a course to clear the Bandspit buoy, and after rounding the North Head kept to the fairway, going the same course as the yachts. The Winsome gained all the way round, and made a very easy win. The results are as follow:—Winsome 1, Tahatu 2, Elsie 3, Matareka 4. VICTORIA CRUISING CLUB. The Victoria Cruising Club held their first series of harbour races last Saturday afternoon. Though a good breeze wa« blowing down the harbour, it did not have the Mime strength where the club was stitrting the races, though quite enough for lome of the amaller boats. The following ere the entries, with their handicaps: Muhaki scratch. Miro scratch, Wairikl ■cratch, Valdorn 7m, Bona 11m, Rose 12m, Ntobe 14m, Koninl 16m. The finishing times were: Miro, 5h Om Ils: W’airikl, 5h Bin 4s; Vol dor a, 5h 9m 8s; Niobe, 5h 2»m 295; Rose, 5h 34m 335: Koninl, fih 34m 41s Bdahakl did not finish. Corrected time*

place Miro first, Valdora second, Wairikl third. Second Claes.—Sadie scratch, Calypso scratch, Emerald 2ni, Glady 6m, Cyrona 6m, Maru Bm, Lira 11m, Gauuet Ilin. The finishing times were: Sadie, 5h 6m 395; Cyrona, 511 11m 10s; Calypso, oh 11m 38s; Maru, oh 13m; Emerald, 5h 15m 235; Glady, 5h 21m 2s; Lina, 5h 25m 275. Gannet did not finish. Corrected times place Maru first, Cyrona second, Sadie third. Third Class. —Venus scratch, Mowai scratch, Acacia scratch. Hetty 2m, Hilda 4m, Pawong-a 4m, Winnie sm. AU the boats kept close together, the Venus finishing first, Mowai second, and Acacia third. Corrected times place Venus first, Pawonga second, Mowai third. Fourth Class. —Decima scratch, Seahorse Im, Eileen 11m, Rio sm. Finishing times were: Decima, 4h 48m 58s; Rio, 411 53m 575; Seahorse, 4h 59m 12s; Eileen, 4h 59m 545. The corrected times were: Rio first, Decima second, Eileen third. The Rio won by one second. Fifth Glass.—Slceptre Scratch, Mistra scratch, Eclipse sm, Lasca Bm, Wandonga Bm. The finishing times were: Mistral, 5h Om 255; Sceptre, 5h Om 295; Eclipse, 5h 42m 20s. Lasca did not finish. The corrected times place Mistral first, Seeptre second, Eclipse third.