AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 664, 27 November 1902, Page 8

AQUATICS

(By

“The Reefer.”)

The crack 25-footer Speedwell has been purchased by Commodore Jenny, of the North Shore Yacht Club, from Mr Wilkinson. The latter gentleman will, however; be at the helm of the speedy little racer during the season. Hei record to date is twelve firsts, two seconds and two thirds in eighteen starts. Not too bad, this !

The special number of “ White Wings ” is to' hand from Sydney, and is easily the best number yet turned out to date. As is usual, New Zealand matters are well to the fore, there being a photo of the Wellington 36-footer lorangi (which, by the waj r , is labelled as an Auckland yacht, while tlje name is incorrectly spelt), two or three clever snapshots by Mr I-I. Winkelmann of Auckland yachts, and also a clever design of'a cruising, yacht by Messrs Logan Brbs.

The opening race of the Prince- Alfred Yacht Club must have given. a lot of excitement to the water-siders in Sydney. Eleven yachts competed, including several Auckland-built ones, and the result was a dead heat ; between Culwulla and Fleetwing. Most of the spectators thought the former had won, and Mr Marks, the owner, was not satisfied with the decision, and has appealed on the ground that the judge was not in the finishing boat, but was on'the club steamer. Another Aucklander, in Aoma, had the bad luck to lose her mast, an expensive hollow spar, which snapped off soon after the start.

‘Z- •. * * j * Volunteer is hardly recognisable this season under her new coat of white paint. It is by no means an improvement.

General entries for the Ponsonby Regatta are due to-morrow (Friday) night at 8 p.m. It is to be' hoped that yachtsmen will make a very liberal response for the prize money, which is fixed on a generous scale, and every conceivable aquatic event is on the programme.

The popular Maori Regatta will take place . on Saturday, when given fine weather, there is certain to be a manjKnoth gathering on the banks of the Waikato. -Entries for the various events are very large, so- that plenty of sport will be provided for the spectators who will line’the river bank. A procession

of boats and a haka are to open the proceedings, after which things will be kept going briskly all day. The star feature of the programme is, of course, the race for the big native canoes, the Paparata, the Martiu Hanata, the Whawhakia and the Hao-nui-o-tana, and this should prove a most exhilarating spectacle, but J expect the song of triumph to come from -the sixty paddlers on the Paparata. The Northern Rowing Union events should be well worth watching, the course being a far better one for the boats than any on the Waitemata, although the current is rather too swift. Altogether the Mercer Regatta should prove very interesting, especially to those who have not seen this kind of thing before.

At the Balmain Regatta, Sydney, the big event was the “ All Yachts ” Race, for w'hich eight started. . .The three places were filled by Auckland-built yachts, these being Bona (J. F. Chinhery), scratch, first ; Sunbeam (A. W. Crane), smin 36sec, second ; Petrel (S. M. Dempster), lOmin 30sec, third. '

Saturday afternoon saw the yachts of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadrott assemble off the Queen-street Wharf for ai series of evolutions-, under. Commodore Murdoch, whose pennant was Hying from his 36-fcoter Ida. The tide was running out very strongly, and as the wind proved.,/, only light and from the west, it was some time after the appointed hour before the \ arious yachts could work up into position. “ Follow in line astern ” was then flown from the ( ommodore’s cutter, and a fairly good line was formed, and the vessels stood up the harbour towards Shoal Bay. Quite a large crowd had gathered- on Queen-street Wharf, from which vantage spot the sight was a very . pretty one. “ Tank- in succession ” was splendidly executed, the whole fleet coming ... down abreast, a really excellent line being kept considering the strong ebb tide and the different size of the vessels. After the various yachts had saluted the Commodore more signals were seen • fluttering on the >- Ida. and these were read to mean “Rendozvous at Long Bay.” and accordingly the whole fleet eased off sheets for the.run down the bay. I counted thirty-one yachts ■ in the line, but some of these were .not Squadron vessels. The pretty little bay at Newport, or Deep Greek, /is it. is. better » kno\vn, was the trysting spot, nearly twenty yachts eoiiiing to anchor there for the night. The weather being perfect, the outing pioved exceedingly pleasant, while the home coming on Sunday, with a crisp, southerly wind blowing, proved by no means the least enjoyable feature of a verv jollv excursion. ’ It is hard to fathom eno actions of some yachtsmen. Much time and trouble have been expended by the committee of the Royals in obtaining the Admiralty Warrant to fly the. Blue. Ensign, yet some of , \ the very vessels that hold the warrant were on Saturday flying cither the red ensign, or the old flag, which, it might.be pointed out, is no longer the Squadron's ensign. Others again were flying. Hags showing the yacht’s name, instead of the Squadron burgee. These are, perhaps, considered trifles, by some of the members, but there is such a thing as flag etiquette, . and by totally neglecting tne same a . '■ yachtsman " gives. himself away ”, just as much as though he had his stay, sail or . jib set wrong end up. The neglect of the blue ensign is a. very grave fault, and I do sincerclv hope that by next Saturday .- ■/ every owner who has obtained the . war-rant-will have the flag in. evidence, Apart • from every other consideration, it is now the Squadron flag. ■ The opening of the by the Manukau Yacht Club took place on Saturday, ' and if it had not clashed with the similar fixture of the senior club no doubt many b'.of the latter's members would have accepted the hearty invitation extended to he present. The new scow Rippie acted as flagship, with the launch„Mildura as ten-, ... dor. Various evolutions were very correct ly carried out. the muster, - and .also the general smartness displayed being exceedingly creditable to all concerned. The duh looks like having a prosperous sea- .'• ' son. •</ .'I ' l-’ine weather favoured the Auckland Rowing (Tub for-the annual picnic at the Lake Beach, and there was consequently

quite a good attendance on’the Eagle, which had been specially chartered tor the Occasion. Trial hours were held over a short - half-mile course, the water being beautifully calm. The winners turned up io Buddle, Kronfeldt, Benjamin, and Foreshaw, who took the final after a great , race. Everybody expressed themselves as very pleased with the outing.