Yachting

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 230, 28 September 1928, Page 15

Yachting

LX

OUTBOARD MOTOR RACING.

SILENCERS NECESSARY.

LOCAL CLUBS MAKE RESTRICTIONS

The attention given to outboard motor boats at two of the ]ocal clubs' annual meetings this week promises well for this class. No doubt outboard racing has caught on and will increase. Already some 20 of these noisy little speedsters have been built and tried out on the harbour. They are remarkably fast and are cheap to buy and to operate. Their only objectionable feature is the earsplitting noise emitted by the exhaust. Recognising this fact, which if persisted in would certainly detract from their popularity with the general public, a local enthusiast has been endeavouring to have restrictions enforced compelling all outboard engines, when racing, to be fitted with an effective silencer. These are now being made standard on several of the latest machines. The proposal, which was adopted by the Akarana and Tamaki Clubs was as follows: ' That in every race for outboard boats, the engines must be fitted with a standard muffler to be used without alteration. Where cut-outs are fitted to the engine, the same to be sealed before the start. If this rule is adopted by all clubs catering for this class it will go far to remove the only object\r- to the class." It is safe to say that fields of ten or more boats will be seen competing in some of the races during the coming season. The standard classification is as follows:—

A Class—Motors not exceeding 14 cubic inch cylinder capacity; B class, over 14 and .ft exceeding 20; C class, over 20 and not exceeding 30; D class, over 30 and not exceeding 40. There are no restrictions of any kind on the hulls.

The A class represents motors of abouc 2-h.p. and under, the B class about 4-h.p. and the C class about 8-h.p. B and C classes are most popular. At Russell regatta no less than nine events are to be run for outboards, the J. P. English Cup being donated to B class, which is the most popular. It would add to the utility of the outboard motor boat if a more substantial type of hull were to be built. In the United States they have quite big, strongly built boats capable of carrying a part}' of five or six at speeds up to 25 miles per hour, and they are not afraid to race such craft in a fresh breeze which would keep many of our present type at home. Recently a race of over 150 miles was held in Albany, New York, when all the ttimsily-built craft were forced to retire, the winner being a slower boat, but a better sea boat. HOW TO STRIKE A WATERLINE.

Nothing looks worse on a yacht or launch than an irregular waterline, and while the boat is on the hard is a good time to attend to it. It is advisable on a yacht to raise the waterline about two inches, both at the bow and stern. This helps to keep the topside paint clean around the waterline. If the waterline is too low the paint will get dirty and rub off very quickly, as it dips under water with every move of the boat; besides, any boat looks all the better with a little copper paint showing at the bow and stern. This is the way we do it. With the boat set absolutely plumb upright, tack a straight edged board across the bow at the height you want the waterline, and another at the stern. Between these two, just so it clears the side of the hull amidships, allow a fishing line to sag until it gives you the proper height amidships, which will be lower than at either end. Then with a spirit level and a long batten, go along the line at intervals of every foot or so, and putmarks on the planking to correspond with the height of the line. Tack, or hold in place, a batten and join up the points marked, carefully sighting to see that there are no kinks in it. Next, with a knife or bradawl cut or scratch a light groove in the planking. It is not a bit of use simply marking it with lead pencil, as the first coat of paint obliterates it, even the groove in time becomes filled up with paint. It is good practice to keep this mark visible by re- | scratching it occasionally, for nothing j mars the appearance of a boat and de- } notes the amateur more than a wavv, irregular line where the two paints meet. When you have a clearly marked line in the wood, you can paint your topside J colour an inch or two below it, and not : trouble about the waterline until you | put on the copper paint. This should be put on last of all and cut in with a fairly big brush full of paint, making good big | sweeps, not little strokes that you cannot [ fair up. If your waterline is about right and only wants fairing up, you simply take a four or five foot light batten and get someone to hold it close to the boat's side, or tack it on. Then fair the line and mark it in with a bradawl, as above. On the modern yacht with long overhangs, the waterline will want raising at least three inches at the bow and two inches at the stern above the centre line.

TAMAKI YACHT CLUB.

ANNUAL MEETING. The third annual meeting of the Taniaki Yacht Club was held last evening in Grey's Hall. Kohimarama, Mr. W. A. Wilkinson presiding over a good attendance, including a number of lady members. The annual report, submitted bv the hon. secretary. Mr. E. G. Tyrrell, stated that five racing fixtures -were held last season, the club regatta being a great success. Five cups were competed for besides other trophies, and in the 14-footers' race there were 16 starters. No protests or disputes of any kind occurred. The annual picnic was held at Matiatia. being very well patronised. The prospects of obtaining a site for a club house in Mission Bay were very promising, as a special report from Mr. Marshall White would show. During the year the club had been registered under the Incorporated Societies Act. The membership stood at 127. Mrs. Barnes, secretary of the ladies' committee, submitted a report covering their activities for the year, which resulted in a credit balance of £44 10/3. This sum teas earmarked for the dob house fond and was banded over by tbe bon. treasurer, Mrs. F. H. Browne. Tbe balance-sheet submitted by tbe bon. treasurer, Mr. A. H. Forbes, showed receipts totalling £110 14/6, leaving a credit balance of £26 3/. The chairman, in moving the adoption of the report and balance-sheet said that for the "baby" club it was very safisfactory. The following offlcers were elected for tbe coming season Patron, Mr. Neville Newcomb; rice-patrons, Messrs. J. H.

Hollo wav, 3. W. Carr, K. Brookiield, J. W. Andrew and M. Walsh, senr.; president, Mr. Fred. H. Browne; vice-presidents, as last year; commodore, Mr. W. A. Wilkinson ; vice-commodore, Mr. E. G. Tyrrell; rear-commodore, Mr. E. Francis; hon. secretary, Captain H. E. Barnes: hon. treasurer, Mr. A. H. Forbes; assistant secretary, Mr. J. White; hon. solicitor, Mr. G F. Marshall White; hon. architect, Mr. M K. Draffin; hon. auditors, Messrs. J. Alison and W. McLaren ; delegates to Yacht and Motor Boat Association. Messrs. W. A. Wilkinson and E. G. Tyrrell: committee. Messrs. W. H. Mailill. F. C. Webster, Marshall White, C. Grey, Ivan Andrew, K. Nicholas. E. ,T. Howe. A. Hardwick. W. Jackson and H. Claridge ; ladies' committee, Mesdames W. H. Madill, H. C. Barnes, W Paterson, Basil Clark. A. H. Forbes. F. C. Webster. J. Moore, G. Grant, T. Morris. Misses M. White, M. Tyrrell and E. Morris. The sum of £15 3/7 was voted to the club house fund, making £60 with the donation from the ladies' comimttee. Mr. J. Hill suggested holding an art union to help the club house funds. His offer of a valuable work of art as one of the prizes was accepted with thanks. Over «. dozen trophies were promised, including several from the ladies* committee and from boats' crews. The annual subscription was fixed at 3/. A proposal by the commodore that an inclusive subscription and entrance fee of 10/ be charged for all boats during the season was referred to the committee. It was resolved to add races for outboard boats to the fixtures and the latest rules governing them were adopted. Mr. Madill proposed a vote o fthanks to | the ladies, especially mentioning Mrs. Barnes (secretary) and Mrs. Browne (treasurer), also to the retiring secretary, Mr. E. G. Tyrrell, and the Press, this conl eluding the business.