YACHTING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 234, 17 January 1895, Page 3

YACHTING.

The Yacht Club picnic on Saturday was a success in every way, with the exception of the weather which at times might have been more favourable. The fine ferry steamer Eagle was crowded with club members and their friends, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy their trip. Drunken Bay was at its best, with a full tide, and the green hills of Motutapu showed up well in comparison with the .rugged-looking Rangitoto. The yachts (nearly forty in number) also lent their share to the picturesqueness of the scene, with their many-hued crews pulling about in the dingheys. Tea-and plenty of it—was supplied by the Club, and judging by the way it was rushed, was greatly appreciated. Members of the Orchestral Union and Liedertafel, under the conductorship of Mr Towsey, gave selections during the evening. The Club is to be congratulated upon the successful manner in which the picnic was carried out. The new steel 5-rater was out on Sunday. She was sailing alone when I saw her, so I can scarcely give an opinion as to her speed, but, somehow, I don’t think she will set the Waitemataon fire. And vet report says she left the Rangitira a good distance astern in a lead up to town from Drunken Bay. However, Saturday week will decide the question.

I believe we shall have heaps of fun re the measurement of the yachts during the regattas which are close at hand. Some of the owners are kicking against the proposed charge of 10s for measuring their boats, and I myself think it a bit rough on the smaller fry, but anything will be better than a repitition of the recent dispute and unpleasantness over the Gloriana-Zinita business. Through a bit of an accident to her jigger-mast the Viking has been sailing about lately with mainsail and headsails only, which gives her rather a bob-tail appearance. I suppose she and the Volunteer will soon be donning their racing canvas, ready for another flutter. The Viking won the event last year, but the Volunteer should have done a lot better than she did in that race. Mr Kilfoyle’s yacht, the Aorere, has been given a new suit of sails, and she will now compete as a 5-rater. I suppose her owner could not see any fun in giving the Yvonne —a boat of the same size—time, and this will be a far handier cruising rig than the old one. Mr Archie Logan will handle her in the coming regattas, and the boat that beats her will about take the prize in the race for second class yachts. I have never put much faith in that old saying about the early bird catching the worm, but it was so in the case of getting tickets for the Yacht Club picnic. Those who were lucky enough to apply early got as many as they wished, but at the latter part they were very scarce, and even members had some difficulty in obtaining them. Would it not have been better if the committee had sent the members their’s first and then shared the remainder ? The 10-rater Waitangi, on her way from this port to Wellington, was spoken by the Dingadee between Gisborne and Napier on Sunday. The yacht had experienced heavy weather in the Bay of Plenty, during which she had an accident to her compass. The captain of the steamer supplied them with another compass, and left them with a fair wind and good weather. All being well she should now be in Wellington. Lord Dunraven’s suggestion that the international yacht race for the America Cup next year should take place at Marblehead instead of New York Bay recently came before the committee of the New York Yacht Club, who, after considerable discussion, decided that the races be continued as heretofore in New York Bay. The other suggestion thrown out by His Lordship, viz., “ that the yachts be measured withall their weights on board,” evidently found more favour in the eye of Cousin Jonathan, as a committee was appointed to consider the matter.