AQUATICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 824, 21 December 1905, Page 20

AQUATICS.

(By

“The Reefer.")

There was a fairly strong westerly in evidence on Saturday when the fleet of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron started for the cruising race to Kawau. The entries and handicaps were : Ariki, scratch; Thelma, Imin; Moana, 17miti . Ida, 18min; Rangatira, 30min; Ngatira, 30min; Huia, 32min; Wairiki, 37min; Wairere, 37min; Windward, 37mm; Thistle, 39min; Janet, 40min; Viola, 47min. The two latter did not start, while Ida, which had been 'n collision with Ngatira, was put out of the race through springing her bowsprit. Moana sailed exceedingly well, and she led the fleet to outside the beacon, when Thelma went to the front, and gradually drawing away finished a good way ahead. .The breeze had fined down to almost nothing at the finish, Mr. J. C. Hardie timing the yachts in as' follows:—Thelma, shr •55min; Moana, 6hr 4min 35sec; Ariki, 6hr 4min 55sec; Tliistle, 6hr Simin; Rangatira, 6hr 34min; Ngatira, 6h 36 min;; Windward, 6hr 39min; Wairere, Huia, and Wairiki did not finish. On time allowance prizes go to Moana, Thistle, and Thelma. Messrs. R. S. Reynolds, P. H. Cole, H. Wright, and W. E. Alexandei’ were the officers of the day.

Alva won the first-class handicap for yachts of the Victoria Cruising Club on Saturday, Emerald being second and Tere third. Masher took the secondclass race from Elsie and Princess, while Seahorse won the third-class race, with Countess second.

With regard to the mishap to Commodore Murdoch’s smart cutter Ida on Saturday at the start of the Royal N.Z. Yacht Squadron cruising race, there seems very little doubt that this was partly due to the shortness of the start-ing-line. With a fleet of thirteen big vessels to start, it is imperative that the starting-line should be at least four hundred yards in length, whereas on Saturday it was much less than half this. The inevitable result was that there was too much crowding in on the line, and it was only by smart handling that a worse mishap did not befall. The matter is such a simple one that a word to the sailing committee should rectify the present state of affairs. If this is not done it is

crjj-ite withn the bounds of possibility that we may see a repetition on the Waitemata of the celebrated Valkyrie-Sata-nita disaster which was caused by much the same thing.