AQUATICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 830, 1 February 1906, Page 14

AQUATICS.

(By

“ The Reefer.”)

NOTES ON THE ANNIVERSARY REGATTA.

There was rather too much strength in the breeze on Monday to make the regatta a great success from an enjoyment point of view, but it was the very thing for the larger vessels M a little trying for the launches and mosquito fleet. Th e Huddart Parker liner Zea andia acted as flagship, and she was well patronised dur ng the day. At the close of proceedings she was taken for a run out to the Beacon, this making a very p easant wind up. Captain Entwistle and his officers and men worked hard to make the day pass pleasantly. The secretary and comm ttee had a ot of work to do, and in the main this was well carried out, although there were one or two details which had been overlooked. To give an example, it 's not usual for a pressman reporting a regatta to have to pay for his ticket, but such was the case on Monday. This, however, was the least of the trouble, for after reaching the tender we were all “ referred back” to a ticket office down the wharf. Tickets should, of course, have been for sale near the gangway. Also, it wou'd have been far better to have moored the flagship in. a line with the Prometheus and Iris, instead of so far across the harbour. A landing stage alongs de the Zealandia was. also badly needed. The Trading Vessels’ Race was, perhaps. the feature of the day. A very striking sight was presented when the starting gun fired and the fleet of twe've schooners, ketches, and. scows crossed the line with every st’tch of sail set. Out to Tiri was a fair wind, and very fast time was made, the Vesper do ng the run in two hours and ahalf. with Gannet but five seconds astern, Seagull, 'Will AVatch, and Refiance being very c’ose up. When they came on a wind for the long thrash home the smart ketch Vesper immediately commenced to walk away from the schooners, while the b'g ketch Will Watch also improved her position. Vesper came right away m grand crossing the I,: ne over 42 minutes ahead of Will Watch, her nearest competitor. Gannet and Seagull were close up third and fourth, and then came Kahu, Reliance. Havoc, and Zior. The scratch boat Vesper, although handicapped to g've. away as much as 95 minutes, won easFy, Seagu 1 ! being second and Kahu third. ’ ■

The Ouen Handicap was a very poor iffair. Ariki winn'ng, easily from her so’e rivals. Moana and Rainbow.

r: In the Cnrsers’ Race a very popular win was , scored by Rangatira, Anona and. Thist’e fi I ling the places. Emerald won the Half-decked Centreboard Yacht Race from Tiro and Flora. Miro,; .sai’ed excellency m the 25ft hand cap, just beating' the scratch boat, Queenie, without her handicap. Other races resulted as follows: — Fishing Boats: Little Jm, Schop'o, Cooee. Tuck-stern Fishing Boats: Mystery and Okere. Yachts under 26ft: Bona, Mavourneen, Rose. 22ft Yachts: Mowai, Maro, Essie. 16ft .Boats: Estrella, Anona, Fiona. Patkis: Doreen, Wariho, Va'dora. The motor launch race was followed with much interest. In the event for boats of over 10 knots, Grey Witch was asked to give time to Togo, but failed, the ilatter boat winning eas’ly from her “ stalemate” Union. The event for launches of between 7 and 10 knots went to Ikatere, with Matauka, and A’leyne filling the places. r Piere were seven starlers for the race for boats under 7 knots, Esme winning from Blue Bell and Hau’ti. A number of smaller acquatic events helned to make up a lengthy programme.

News is to hand that n her maiden run at Svdney the Auckland-built Rawhiti fa ; led to give away the handicans to the I’mit boats in the A’l Yachts’ Race, and could get no nearer than sixth. The placed boats were the three 30-footers, Magic, Cooya, and F.’eetwing. * • • •

Mr.. Moss Brown, of the Sydney Mo+nr Boat Chib, was on the flagship on Mondav. telling us all how a regatta should be run. Apparently our comnrttee. despite a good many years o* exper ence, barely know the rudiihents. whi-e our launch peop’e are in WaddPhg clothes. It must have been just luck that let us achieve so many notable successes before.

The second cruising race of the Royal New Zea and Yacht Squadron, which took place on Saturday, drew ten starters, Arik 1 being on scratch and Emerai.d 32min on the limit, the rest of the fleet being made up by Moana, Ida, Ladye Wima, Rangatira, Wariki, Wairere, Windward, and Thistle. The course was round Motutapu to Drunken Bay, and Ariki, sailing in fine style, managed to not on y show the way to the fleet but to give away the handicaps also. Wth time allowance attached she beat Emera.d by 55sec, Thistle 65sec, and Moana by 70sec. This must be taken as something of a triumph of handicapping, and Mr. C. Kilfoyle ; s to be congratulated on bringing the boats so close together over a long course.

The smoke concert given by the New Zealand Power Boat Association on Friday to celebrate the opening of the new club rooms, proved a conspicuous success. The Auck and D ning Room was filled to its utmost capacity, and proceedings were of a most enthusiastic nature. Commodore Whitley presided, with Secretary R. Wh tson' and Treasurer H. Whitley- supporting him. The following toasts were honoured: —“ The King’ (the commodore), “ Our Guests” (Mr. C. A. Whitney), “The Roya'J N.Z. Yacht Squadron” (the commodore), “ The N.Z. Power Boat Association” (Captain Duder), and “ The Press” (Mr. H. Wh’tley). During the evening a very enjoyable concert was gone through with Messrs. Wihitley (2), Partridge, Whitson, Winkelmann, Brown. E. C. Smith, Holmes, McFarlane, Logan, and others contribut ng some ex n °l l eut items.

At the “ smoker” on Friday Mr. R. Whitson, hon. secretary to the New Zealand Power Boat Association, drew attention to the fact that in October 17 last the membersh’p list was made up of six names, while now 101 members have been enrolled and. 49 launches registered. Mr. Whitson stated that he was proud of such a record of progress, a statement which can easily be believed.