YACHTING.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume V, Issue 235, 24 January 1895, Page 3

YACHTING.

The Judge’s Bay regatta comes off on Saturday, and with suitable weather will be good’sport in every way. The yachting contests will be very close, and the entry list is a satisfactory one. The committee are doing their utmost to make it a success, and their efforts deserve a good return. It is safe to say that there has never been so much interest taken in a Judges Bay regatta as the present one is causing, and the winners of the four sailing events are very hard to pick. The course is arranged as near triangular as possible —up and down the harbour from the Arawata to a mark off the Bastion and out to Bangitoto Beef —so that each boat will have a good show on her best point. Added to this the spectators on the flagship will have the yachts in view the greater part of the afternoon. On Saturday afternoon the Messrs Logan Bros, launched the new 5-rater for Waiheke. She lay at anchor off the firm’s slip on Saturday and Sunday and her smart clipper-like appearance was the admiration of all yachting men. Dr. Coates should be proud of his little craft, and she will prove a welcome addition to Auckland’s yachting fleet. During the past week the majority of the yachts have been measured ready for the regattas. Some of the boats, especially the 2|-raters, have had to “ sweat down ” considerably to get under the measurement.

The regattas are drawing near, and the intending contestants were out on Sunday doing their preliminary. I hoped to obtain a little idea of the chances each of the competitors had in the coming carnivals, but they all appeared so evenly matched that I am as much in the dark as ever. This applies particularly to the 5-raters. The Yvonne was not out, and the Aorere and Thetis were each beating the other on different points, so that the result will depend to a great extent upon the direction and strength of the breeze. "With a good wind and a beat I think the Aorere will do the trick, the steel yacht and the Yvonne fighting close up for second place. The other two competitors —Ngaru and Eangitira —in my opinion, have .“ Buckley’s chance,” but the race between them will be worth watching, as the owners each think their boat the fastest. My idea is that the Ngaru will beat the Bangitira, unless it is alight day. For a straight out tip I must give the Aorere the preference, as she has been showing pretty good speed lately.

In the 21-rater race next Saturday there are five entries— Gloriana, Zinita, Daisy, Bogue, and Mahoe. On past performances the Gloriana will pull off this event, with the Daisy and Zinita close up. The race for centre-board yachts in the Judges Bay regatta is creating a great deal of interest. I think the Lilian will be in first in this event, but she is a good-sized boat (aljout 3|jrating), and the Mauola is too fast a boat to be given time. The Clio people also think they have a big cut in it. However, my idea is that the Manola will take the first prize. The entries received on Saturday night for the sailing events in the Auckland Begatta, which takes place on January 29th, were very small, and the committee decided to keep the list open. The following are the entries : —Scow Bace: Bee, Hobsonville. Yachts, 7-rating and over: Viking, Tawera, Volunteer. Trading vessels, 40 tons and under, exclusive of scows: Henry, Tay. Wanderer. Yachts, 5-rating and under : Toroa, Bangitira, Thetis, Aorere, Yvonne, Ngaru. Fishing boats, over 4 tons: Cooee. Waimeri, Maroro. Fishing boats, under 4 tons : Italy, Venice. Centre-board boats, 30ft over all and under: Cynisca, Lilian, Manola. Yachts, and under: Bogue, Daisy, Zinita, Gloriana. Yachts, 2-ratmg and under: Mahoe, Waitangi. Open boats, 16ft and 20ft over all: Colleen, Violet, Minnie. Open boats, 13ft over all and under : My Jack, Bit o’ Blue, Una.

The following entries were received for the Judges Bay regatta, to be held on Saturday next: —Yachts, 5-rating and under : Thetis, Ngaru, Aorere, Yvonne, Bangatira. Yachts, 2|-rating and under : Daisy, Bogue, Zinita, Gloriana, Mahoe. Yachts and fishing boats, centre-board, 4-rating and under: Clio, Zealandia, Venice, Manola, Italy, Kotiro. Open sailing boats, 18ft and under: Minnie, Irene, Bit ’o Blue, My Jack, Violet. By mistake Mr Duder’s centre-board yacht, the Lilian, was entered to compete in the Auckland Begatta; she should have been entered for Judges Bay. The Wellington Championship Begatta came off on Tuesday, and although the weather was very calm at the start, a splendid breeze sprang up afterwards, and some good racing eventuated. Space will not permit a detailed account of the races, but the following telegrams, received by the Logan Bros., will give a good idea of the two principal events: — “ Wellington, 12.20 —Pastime rounded Halswell Point two minutes before Waitangi, Mascotte close up. Good southerly breeze. Waitangi splendid show.” “3.12 —Waitangi winning easily. Atalanta leading second-class race.” “ 5.20 — Waitangi won easily. Bona won secondclass.” This is a feather in Mr Logan’s cap, to design, build, and sail the winner of a first-class championship. Wellingtonians make a great mistake if they think the Mascotte would have won in a breeze. The Waitangi would leave her hull down in a good thrash to windward. The Atalanta beat the Bona, but was disqualified for excessive rating, which was hard luck for the Napier sportsmen. The Waitangi got home 28 minutes ahead of the Mascotte.