YACHTING.

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume I, Issue 7, 1 April 1900, Page 541

YACHTING.

By F. W. Coombes (Tho Reefer)

6) \ VS/HETHER or not, the old Phoenicians, YY wonderful mariners that they were, ever indulged in the pastime of yachting is not recorder 1 , although it is extremely probable that this was the ease with these lovers of the sea. Nor can there be much doubt but that the Greeks also

gave considerable time to the sport, judging by the spirited accounts which have reached us from those distant centuries of the great trireme races. Long years after, when an Englishman, named Pett, visited the Mediterranean, the scene of these old time encounters, he paid great attention to the

picturesque craft turned out by the Venetians and Genoese, and on his return to England is recorded to have built the first yacht. This progenitor of the present enormous fleet of pleasure craft was christened the Disdain, and is described as a handsome little vessel, althongh her measurements, viz., twenty-eight

feet long by twelve feet beam, strike us moderns as rather odd. Probably the first yacht race in England, certainly the first of which wo have any record, was on October Ist, 1661, when Charlos 11. sailed off a match against his brother, the Duke of York. This was ovor

a course from Greenwich to Gravesend and back, and was for a hundred guineas aside, the King's yacht proving successful. The Thames must have presented a very different

sight in those days to what it does now, when yachts attempting to race over this part of the river would have but a sorry time of it. The Royal Cork Yacht Club, or as it was then called, the Water Club of the Harbour of Cork, was founded in 1720, and thus ranks as the oldest yacht club in existence. Some of the regulations applying to the members in those early days possess a quaint humour all their own. Thus we read : " That for the future, unless the company exceed the number of fifteen, no man be allowed more than one bottle to his share, and a peremptory," which would suggest that the members were inclined towards conviviality. Evidently yachtsmen of that day were also given to wearying their friends with all sorts of tales of alleged prowess on the main, for we note in. the old rules " That such members of the

club, or others, as shall talk of sailing after dinner be fined a bumper." It was not, however, until 1815, a year famous in English history, for it was then the great Oorsican met with his final overthrow at Waterloo, that a number of gentlemen founded that world-famous club now known as the Royal Yacht Squadron, and from that time the pastime has increased to immense proportions. A love of the water has always been a distinguishing characteristic of the Anglo-Saxon race, and, therefore, it is small wonder to find that wherever the people have settled this fondness for aqnatics has always obtained. In the United States, in Canada, in India, China and Japan may be found devotees, but i" no other part of the world has it secured a greater hoi I than in the Australasian Colonies. Climatic influences, as well as eminently suitable surroundings,

have also largely helped to develop these inherited tendencies. It is, however, more with yachting in New Zealand that the present article is intended to deal, although, of course, it is practically

impossible fco do justice to the subject in such narrow limits. In both Islands the sport has many followers, although, curiously enough, there hardly seems to be that spirit of rivalry between North and South which is to be found in other branches of sport. Brought up on that famous stronghold of yachting, the Clyde, as so many of the early residents of Dunedin were, it is small wonder to find the Otago Yacht Club a flourishing institution. Unfortunately the city itself lies some distance from the ocean, and the long arm of the sea leading up past Port

Chalmers to Dunedin is not particularly well suited to the pastime, many ot the bays being very shallow, while sudden gusts from the lofty surrounding hills prove treacherous. Still a good deal of fun is obtained, a shallow type of boat proving the most popular. The Thebna, a 2|-rater, built by Bailey, of Auckland, for Mr. S. S. Bannister, has proved herself the champion of the district, and her sporting owner has twice taken the crack north to Lyttelton, where she has proved victorious. Dunedin also boasts a model yacht club, and by those who cannot afford a big boat it is surprising what an

amonut of sport can bo got out of the ■miniature racers. Although many good trials of strength take place at Port Ly Melton during the season, yet the big annual Regatta is the great feature. This aquatic carnivul is attended by thousands of people from Christchurch and the surrounding districts, and is probably the biggest function of it.H kind in New Zealand. Special trairm are run and heavy loads of excursionists convoyed clown to the Port to witness the racing. A club also exists at Akaroa. At the Empire City yachting is looked

after by (ho Port Nicholson Yacht Club and thi! Arawa Sailing Club. The former chiefly devotes its energies to the bigger classes, and possesses a good fleet. Of these Wai/am/l, Maritana and Ngaira among the big follows, and Itona, Atlanta, Koliri, Maha/ci, M/ihina and Mapti in the smaller ships, are perhaps best known. Mr. A. H. Turnbull holds the position of commodore, and Mi 1 . J. B, Speed hon. secretary. The "Ports" are also allied to the Thorndon Yacht Club, which boasts a very comfortable club bouse. The Arawa Sailing Club is also a very live institution, Mr, T. Collius, the bon. sec,

keeping things going, and there have been mnny good encounters between Iliru, Dauntless, Buru and Co.

It. is, however, in Auckland that yachting has its greatest stronghold, and the reason for this is not far to seek. It is extremely problematical that any harbour in the world possesses -finer facilities for cruising than can be obtained in the Hauraki Gulf. Port Jackson is justly famed as a great anchorage and a beauty spot, but in the opinion of yachtsmen it must lie far behind its sister of the Waitemata. The Clyde and the Solent cannot for a moment challenge comparison with this ideal cruising ground. Stretching far away to the northward past Whangapavoa, Kawau, Waiwera and Mahurangi is a peaceful sea, whose slumbers are guarded to the eastwai'd by those mighty bulwarks, the Great Barrier and Cape Colville. What an infinity of sheltered havens are to be found in this yachtsman's paradise, many of them veritable dreams of loveliness ', Then again,

for more extended cruising there is Whangarei with its orchards, Russell with its suggestions of the olden days, and its bay of a hundred islands, beautiful Whangaroa and its reminiscences of the massacre of the Boyd, and Mangonui — all well worth visiting, and all possessing numerous and most picturesque anchorages on their own account. The Auckland Yacht Club, although founded some years earlier, started its pi^esent successful career in 1881, and may now be considered one of the most powerful clubs in the Southern Hemisphere. Mr. J. Wiseman (Matanqi yawl) is the present commodore, and is an extremely popular officer, while Mr. G. H. Bellamy, the hon. secretary, makes a very able first lieutenant.. Among nearly fifty yachts on the roll are some very up-to-date specimens, and, therefore, each season witnesses plenty of good and exciting racing. The Parnell Sailing Club and North Shore Sailing Club also help

to make matters very lively during the summer months on the Waitemata. Some three seasons ago when the writer, who for many years was closely identified

with the sport in Sydney, came to Auckland to reside, he was naturally much struck with the many fine yachts belonging to the Port. At that time, and for some two years previously, the crack yacht of her class in Port Jackson was Bronzewing , a 2| -rater built by the great Scottish designer Watson. This smart little racer's great deeds had virtually extinguished the class which she

represented, as no other could approach her for speed. In Auckland, however, there was a yacht with a somewhat similar reputation, this being the 30-f ooter Meteor. The writer immediately conceived the idea of an Intercolonial match between these champions. Mr. A. T. Pittar, the owner of the Aucklander, and a very keen enthusiast, was immediately willing to cross the Tasman Sea, while the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron at once

accepted the challcngo on behalf of Bronzewinq. Very great interest was taken in the encounter, but up to the last Sydney yachtsmen refused to believe in the possibility of defeat for their favourite, whoso sail plan was altered, and improvements made in every possible way. The result of the encounter came as a surprise to the water-loving folk on the other side, for in the races Meteor completely outsailed her rival, winning the match very easily.

Another race of an Intercolonial character occurred during the following season. This was a championship for one-raters, and took place in the Waiteraata, when the local fleet were opposed by Mr. Ryniill's Geisha, of the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron, and Mr. S. Hordern's Bronzewing IK, of the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club. Victory, however, rested with the Aucklancjer Laurel,

a boat built and owned by Mr, 0. Bailey, after a hard fight with Bronzewing and Mercia. And now again this season has Auckland shown her supremacy, when Mr. Pittar once more crossed over to Sydney with his racing cutter Rainbow, and defeated all comers at the New South Wales Anniversary Regatta. The winning yacht, which was built by Logan Brothers, further enhanced her reputation by somewhat easily outstripping White Wings in a match. The latter cutter belongs to Mr. S. Hordern, a Sydney millionaire, and is from the designs of W Fife, who, it will be remembered, turned out the America Cup challenger Shamrock. In connection with the last Intercolonial Race in Sydney, a good object lesson may be drawn as to the superiority of Auckland builders by the fact that out of six competitors in the big yacht race no less than five hailed from the Waitemata. Much might be written of the joys of a cruise in the Hauraki, and other New Zealand yachting grounds, and truly in the later summer months an idle jaunt in these placid waters must be a near approach to the lotos eater's paradise. What wonderful effects of

sea and sky! The dim grey dawn first heralds the coining of the day, and then, as the golden streamers shoot upwards, and the sun god rises from the bed of waters, a faint zephyr will steal along the surface of the ocean, which immediately scintilates like a myriad diamonds. Then, as the haze dispenses, the emerald islets one by one steal into view and complete a perfect picture. Hut the yachtsman is a prosaic mortal, and is more concerned with the prospect of breakfast than in any study of wonderful atmospheric effects, and surely the countless millions of the finny tribe are ready at hand — a fisherman's heaven ! Then, after a refreshing dip, the anchor is weighed and sail hoisted, and once more the good ship is bowling along before the breeze, until some other charming islet haven is reached. As the night closes in and " the floor of heaven is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold," while evei'y where is peaceful stillness, broken only by a laugh from the deck, where the smokers lounge and gossip, surely, then, it must seem that there are worse ways of spending a holiday in New Zealand than in yachting !