AQUATICS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 881, 24 January 1907, Page 10

AQUATICS.

(By

“The Reefer.”)

THE AUCKLAND ANNIVERSARY REGATTA. Next Tuesday will be the anniversary of Auckland, and, as usual, the chief attraction will be the annual regatta. This promises to be a particularly attractive function this year, a really first-class programme having been arranged, particulars of which will be found in this issue. Thanks to the courtesy of Messrs. Huddart, Parker and Co., the fine steamer Victoria will act as flagship, and if the weather proves fine she will be a crowded ship, large as she is. The race for trading vessels is sure to cause a lot of interest, especially if as big a fleet starts as was the case last year. Every class of trading vessel is eligible, except cutters, and the prizes will be increased in proportion to the number of starters. The events include races for every description of yacht, fishing boat, motor launches, fishing boats with auxiliary engines, rowing boats, and there will be the usual amusing water sport items. A special event will be the race for country club fours. After the regatta is over the Victoria will take her passengers for a cruise outside the Rangitoto Reef. The committee are working hard on the details, and it would seem that in the event of fine weather a big success is assured. Entries closed last night, but too late to appear in this issue.

The North Shore Rowing Club are holding an “At Home” and trial fours on Cheltenham Beach on Saturday next. The entries close at the clubhouse on Thursday night at eight p.m. Mr. A. Kohn, a vice-president of the club, has donated a set of trophies for competition. * * * * Of the sum of £lOO handed over last year by the Government for swimming to the New Zealand Council only £2B 18s was spent in the advancement of swimming. The remainder was .spent in working expenses by the council and the centres, the former accounting for £l4 2s and the latter for £57. If the association does not wish to lose the grant I would advise a radical alteration in present methods; and as for the centres they will do well to finance their affairs from revenue which does not contain a cent from the grant, which was never intended to go to assist towards the paying of working expenses of centres, says a Southern writer. * * * * The N.Z. Power-boat Association will bring off two events on Saturday. The principal of these is the race for the Standard Cup over a course of 30 knots. It is for cruisers, the racing freaks being eliminated by making the speeds from 7 to 10 knots. A lot of interest is being taken in the race. The second event is for launches of under 7 knots speed over a short course. Entries closed yesterday, but too late for insertion in this issue. ♦ * . * * Rapid progress is being made by Logan Bros, with the construction of Commodore Whitley’s new launch. She is nearly planked up, and looks like proving a wholesome type of cruiser. * * * * It is interesting to note that in the races held by the Manukau Yacht Club on Saturday, Ngaroma, the boat on scratch in the sailing race, beat Marama, the boat on scratch in the motor launch race by 5% min. over the full course, despite having some windward work to do. The southerly breeze was very fresh. ♦ * * * Mr. Hunter’s 25ft. launch Regel, fitted with an engine of that name, has a somewhat enviable record. She comes to town (nine miles) every day, returning in the evening. In a little over four months she has run 2500 miles without the least mishap, while in six starts she has placed to her credit three firsts and three seconds; * * * * The Manukau Y.C. held the third race of the season on Saturday. The following were the handicaps:—Ngaroma scratch, Make Maile scratch, Hilda 22m., Endeavour 24m., Spray 24m., Edna 30m., Clematis 37m., Mascotte 38m., Presto 38m., Amua 40m., Petrel 48m., Dispute, 48m., Maha 57m. There was a very strong wind and rough water. Amua won very easily Bm. 7s. from Endeavour, (which narrowly defeated Spray by ten seconds for second place. Nga-

roma and Hilda were the only others to finish. Marama (scratch) very easily won the motor launch race from Mildara. * * * a The North Shore Y.C. held a cruising race on Saturday to Awaroa Bay, Waiheke. The race was divided into two classes, the starters for Class I. being: Wairiki scr., Thistle 2m., Speedwell Viola Tere 5%m., Emerald 7m., Encounter 7m., Seagull 9m., Glady 9%m., Maru Olympia Gloriana 12m., Kamo 13m., Waitangi 13m. There was a fresh breeze from the south, and quick time was made to the bay, the finish being timed as follows: —Emerald sh. 10m., Wairiki sh. 10m. 305., Thistle sh. 11m. 305., Speedwell sh. 12m. 455., Viola sh. 14m., Tere sh. 16m., Gloriana sh. 16m. 55., Olympia • sh. 17m. 305., Maru sh. 22m. 305., Kamo sh. 23m., Waitangi sh. 23m. ss. On time allowance Emerald was first, Gloriana second, Glady third, and Seagull fourth. For C.lass 11. the starters were: Wanderer scr., Kahu (barrel boat) scr., Mermaid 4m., Essie Niobe 4%m., Maro 7m., Merlin 7 1 Eileen Bm., Rawhiti 10m., Vanora 11m., Nyanza 13 m., Lorina 20m. The finish was timed: Kahu sh. 5m., Wanderer sh. 12m., Mermaid sh. 13m., Essie sh. 13m. 155., Eileen sh. 13m. 255., Lorina sh. 19m. 305., Vanora sh. 20m. 155., Niobe sh. 20m. 305., Merlin sh. 20m. 345., Maro sh. 22m., Nyanza sh. 35m. On time allowance Lorina was first, Kahu second, Eileen third, and Essie fourth. * * * * The Devonort Yacht Club held a very successful crtflsing race to Kawau on Saturday. The entries and handicaps were: —Ariki scr., Thelma 3m., Rainbow 3%m., Moana 16m., Ida 24m., Aorere 30m., Ngatira 36m, Ladye Wilma 37m., Rangatira 45m., Mahaki 47m., Freda 45m., Tiro 55m., Iris 65m., Mavourneen 85m. With a fresh southerly breeze splendid time was made to the island, the large boats getting down well under steamer time. Ariki crossed the starting line about sixth, but was soon in front with Thelma hanging on to Mr. Horton’s crack yacht all the way. They were timed in at Bon Accord as follows: —Ariki sh. 33m. 455., Thelma sh. 36m. 305., Ida sh. 43m., Moana sh. 52m. 455., Ladye Wilma 6h. Im. 255., Ngatira 6h. 3m. 125., Mahaki 6h. 3m. 405., Aorere 6h. 6m. 555., Rangatira 6h. Bm. 55., Freda 6h. 14m. 155., Iris 6h. 19m. 555. On time allowance Iris was first, Mahaki second, and Ida third. The Devonport Club also held a launch race to Kawau, the starters being: Shadow scr., Ripple 7m., Geisha 49%m. The scratch boat met with a mishap near the Tiri Passage, and Geisha won fairly easy from Ripple. * * * * The result of the race for the Sayonara Cup came as a disappointment to Aucklanders as the locallybuilt boat Rawhiti was beaten in both heats. This, however, was not altogether unexpected, as the new rules so greatly favours the Sayonara. She has a longer water-line, and carries 500 square feet more sail than the Rawhiti, a tremendous handicap which, as events have proved, were not counter-balanced by Rawhiti’s finer lines. The reports sent from Melbourne were obviously supplied by someone with but little knowledge of yachting, and it is a little difficult to gather just how the races were won and lost. The first heat was a beat of ten miles to windward and return, and just when she wanted a breeze Rawhiti got calm. Apparently, from the description supplied the yachts passed and repassed each other three times, but Sayonara rounded the windward mark 4m. 11s. ahead. On the run home, when the bigger boat might have been expected to gain, she lost ground slightly, Sayonara winning by 2m. 375. It was a triangular course of 21 knots for the second heat, and there was a fresh northerly breeze with a lumpy sea. The report says that Rawhiti had a lead of three miles, which is an obvious absurdity. She met with mishaps to her spinnaker boom. Sayonara is reported to have made much better weather of it than Rawhiti, a curious thing, as the latter has also previously done so well in a seaway. Ultimately the defending yacht won by the big margin of 7m. 7s. When the details come to hand it will probably be found that she was better handled than Rawhiti, whose skipper was a stranger to the port. Sayonara’s easy defeats of Rawhiti in the heats for La Carabine

Cup must have been due to her being out of trim, as she did so much better with an increase of ballast. It seems curious that this was not done before the first contest.