Motor Boating in Otago Harbour.

Progress, Volume V, Issue 6, 1 April 1910, Page 190

Motor Boating in Otago Harbour.

Great piogress has been made in Otago Harboui, and in fact all aiound the Otago coast from Oamaiu to the Bluft, in the maiino motor boat industry. It is quite a novelty to sec «i yacht being built in any of the boat build ug vauls. The yacht seems as though its day had passed, although yachting is an extremely pleasant and exciting pastime But the motor boat seems to have moie than filled the place of the yacht, many of the yachts having been dismasted and had engines fitted Among the most conspicuous converts aie the "Leadei" (a once champion), which is fitted with a 6 h.p. heavy duty Buffalo engine, the "White Wings," the "Winifred," "Dream," ' ' Watenvitcli, " " Waiteri, ' ' and many other good old sailing craft. Their sailing days are o'er. When I 'ye done with blocks and tackles, And I'm tired of running gear; When I've burst the binding shackles, That so long have kept me here Then I'll travel up the harbour. At a pace, and without toil, And feel my ciaft just quiver, When propelled along by oil. During the last few years thcic have been many engines and launches built locally, but the greater number of engines nre imported from Great Bntain and Ameiica.

A few engineering firms have started to manufacture oil engines, and some have given fairly good results . A large number of the motor boats are being used for fishing and commercial purposes, but the greater number in Otago harbour are used for pleasure. Launch racing, too, has become very popular, one of the most interesting races of the year was the Hislop Cup Eace, which was run from Dunedin to the Otago Heads and back. Approximately eighteen boats entered, the limit boat having 100 minutes start, and the nearest boat to sciatch had 40 odd minutes. The scratch boat, "Kelvin," was built by the enterprising firm of Miller Bros., Port Chalmers, to the order of Mr. W. J. P. McCulloch, the well-known motor enthusiast. "The handicapping of this race was extremely good, the scratch boat ' ' Kelvin, ' ' had' a long chase, and only passed the leading launches within a few minutes of the winning post. The last race of the season was the MoCulloeh Cup, run on Good Friday, from Dunedin "Wharf to Oamaru breakwater, a distance of about sixty miles.