AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVII, Issue 973, 29 October 1908, Page 12

AQUATICS

,The big yacht Heartease was launched on Saturday, the tug Ruru having to be requestioned owing to the sea running in the harbour.

Quite a number of yachts will go afloat this week and the anchorages are fast filling up. ,

Work on the big yachts Viking and Thelma is being pushed on with and they will soon be ready for commission. ,

The smart cutter Rainbow is looking in very fine order this year. It is rumoured that her owner, Mr. Mackay, may purchase the late Captain Stanhope’s yacht Ilex. She is generally looked upon as the finest cruiser on the Waitemata.

Messrs B v-vy and Lowe havetneir yards very full iust now. There are two 30ft launches for the Defence Department, one of which has been just put afloat and the other is almost ready. Both are fitted with 12 h.p. Thornycroft engines. IXTr Twigg’s 26-footer was launched this week. She has a 4 h.p. Holliday engine. A 30-footer (12 h.p. Zealandia) is well advanced. This boat is for Mr W. H. Stevens of the Kaipara. A 40footer for Mr Ross has been commenced. She is to be fitted with

twin Price engines developing 10 h.p. each. Mr Goldsworthy’s 30-footer has been planked up, while other launches are being commenced. Altogether things are humming at the yard.

Mr C. Bailey has commenced work on the 50ft ketch he is building for Sir Rupert Clarke, of Melbourne. She will be a fine cruiser when completed. **. * *

Mr F. Alison is having a 35ft steam launch built for him by Mr C. Bailey. At the same yard work is proceeding on a 60ft tug for Messrs Wilson Bros., of Gisborne, a 35ft launch (20 h.p. Frisco standard) for the same owners, a 30ft launch (14 h.p. Kelvin) for Mr Austin Walsh, and a 30ft launch (5 h.p. Hercules) for an Auckland owner. The two latter are nearly completed.

Messrs Logan Bros, are planking up the 9-metre cutter they are building for Mr Alf. Gifford. She has very pretty lines and will make a very fast vessel and a good cruiser.

Messrs Logan Bros, have just launched a new 26ft racer. She is of the Ponsonby restricted class and is, I believe,' the first boat of the type the firm have built. There should be some fine racing among the class this season as there are three or four new boats.

Here’s a list of the speed launches which competed in the American Power Boat Association’s Gold Cup

Challenge Race, and which are, I suppose, the fastest boats in the great Republic:-—Dixie 11. (200 h.p. CraneWhitman), V.S.A. (200 h.p. Chadwick), Pawnee and Stranger (each 75 h.p. Simplex), Pirate (150 h.p. Trebert), Duquesne (200 h.p. Jencick) and Den (100 h.p. Haynes). Of this bunch Dixie 11. is much the fastest and is indeed the speediest launch in the world.

Mr Thos. Flemming Day has offered the N.S.W. Motor Boat Club, a cup for a long-distance ocean race, upon to all seagoing motor launches in the Commonwealth. The cup is to be donated by the American journal “ The Rudder,” which Mr Day represents, and the donors have suggested that the Motor Boat Club should combine with the Derwent Yacht Club, Tasmania, in running the race. The idea is to run an event on the lines of the New York to Bermuda race, from Sydney to Hobart. An alternative scheme is to run the race to Brisbane. A similar cup is to be competed for in Auckland in December.

The death occurred last week of Captain Stanhope, a well-known figure in aquatic circles, his yacht Ilex flying the burgee of the Royal N.Z. Squadron. Captain Sta L nhope, who made Kawau Island his headquarters, was the son of Sir Walter Stanhope, and had been residing in the Auckland province since retiring

from the 19th Hussars. He had been in ill health for some months and his death was not unexpected. * * * *

The yachting season will be officially opened, so far as the Waitemata is concerned, on November 7.

Some keen racing is anticipated among the Waitemata Dinghy Club's boats this season. Quite a fleet of midgets are being built.

* * * * The Auckland Rowing Club will open the season on Saturday with Trial Fours for President Coleman’s trophies.

Commodore Best was in the chair at the annual meeting of the Avondale Motor Boat Club held last week. Nine races were held during the season, with an average of seven entries for each race. The club’s challenge cup was won by Mr B. Walker’s Dolphin. The club was indebted to Messrs Ormond, Gillett, C. M. Best, Downs, Cadman, and Grey for donations and trophies. The balance sheet showed that the club was in a sound financial position. The receipts amounted to £42 13s lid, and the expenditure to £26 12s 4d. The report and balance sheet were adopted. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—President, Mr C. D. Grey (re-elected); vice-presidents, Messrs A. W. Page, W. Downs, B. Johnson, J. Gillett, J. Binsted, J. Potter, P. Robertson, B. Bollard, and E. J. Carins; commodore, Mr F. Cadman; vice-commodore, Mr B. Walker; secretary and treasurer, Mr C. F. Eyre.