Most Of Fleet Likely To Come Down

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 218, 13 September 1940, Page 11

Most Of Fleet Likely To Come Down

CREWS DEPLETED BY WAR-SOME BIG KEELERS AWAY "FOR THE DURATION"

(By SPEEDWELL.)

The 1940-41 yachting season is not far ahead, and already quite a number of craft of all classes are well forward with the work of fitting out. Due to the war, some of the large keel yachts are stowt.d away "for the duration." hut about 7o per cent of Auckland s pleasure Heet will be afloat again in the coming season, the majority being of the classcs 20ft and under. Before the boats leave their winter quarters owners and crews have weeks of hard work ahead of them, but a good start has been made, especially at Devonport and on Judge s Bay beach. Work is also proceeding steadily at St. Mary's Bay, half of the boats on the gantry being well forward. At the yards of Messrs. P. Yos, Lidgards, W. G. Lowe and Son, Chas. Bailey and Shipbuilders. Ltd., in Beaumont Street, and on the Western Reclamation there are signs of spring, as most boats are in the preparatory stage of being scraped, burntoff, or pumiced down. A visit at the week-end showed boats closely packed at all of the recognised areas and boat yards. Here and there were some full crews, but in many instances only one or two were at work. Some were youths, but there were others well on in yearSj for yachting is a sport which appeals to all ages, and a true yachtsman does not spare himself when getting his ship ready. He is not unmindful of a keen race with worthy compeers or a quiet cruise to Kawau or to Waiheke's favourite bayswith good fellows coming aboard for the evening sing-song, yarn or what-not. Yachting will suffer as other sports must do in the coming season but, fortunately, with the wealth of small classes now so popular on the Waitemata, there are plenty of young recruits who will be the mainstay of the sport for the 194041 season, with a leavening of older hands. Activities at Devonport. Of all the areas "Speedwell" has visited in the past two weeks the boats on the Devonport Yacht Club's slips are the most

advanced. Hardly any one of the medium size craft but something has been done to it. while a few are almost ready to go down. Reverie, Ghost, Memory, Nona, lona, Kotiri. Dorothy and Mahoe are well forward, but there is plenty to do to Kotuku, (iloriana and Rambler, while it is doubtful if lorangi, Moana, Prize and some of the other' keelers will go down. Round at Wild's yard are a number of motor boats in various stages of preparation. while the big cruiser Colin Wild is building for himself is well forward. Over at Sulphur Beach, Northcote, Alan Couldrey lias a batch of craft preparing for the season, and under the Point at Bayswater the boats are fairly well ahead, especially the small craft, which applies to all of the hauling-out areas. Iji Little Shoal Bay, between Northcote and Birkenhead, a few of the centre-board class are hauled up, and the majority have had some work done, although boats like Marie are still covered up, as their skippers and crews in most cases are in the King's uniform. The Upper Harbour. Across the harbour at Cox's Creek, Meola Creek and on the west side of Point Chevalier the boats are not so far ahead, but given a few fine week-ends they will soon alter their appearance. At the Hobsonville base the two boats of the Silver Fern class have been sold to Hamilton enthusiasts, Messrs. G. Morris and J. F. Louden. Brian Wilkinson is getting the ex-M class boat Mernutu back into condition after R. Vos, Limited, had fitted new timbers and some planking. She is having new canvas on the deck and will be Marconi rigged for the M class. The Silver Ferns on the slip of Mr. G. Dennes also Colin Dennes' M class Manene, ■Tim Frankham's Manaia and R. L. Thorpe's Mawliiti are fairly well advanced. Billy Rogers has just finished a smart looking new M class for Masters R. and D. Hurley, who raced Valerie so successfully last season, getting the gun 19 times for

21 starts. The same builder has finished a boat of the Silver Fern class for Mr. Allen, to be called Ajax. He also has Caress, holder of the Sanders Cup, in good nick. Work at the boat sheds in Mechanics' Bay is well ahead and on gome of the craft at Judge's Bay, while Mr. Arthur Bone, who finished the well-known 26footer Omatere a month ago, has put her into commission already. Her mast was stepped last Saturday, and she was rigged nex-t day. and will be under way this weekend. He hopes to land a prize or two in the coming season, and if an early start is helpful this is already assured. Mr. Bone is keen on long distance events, and was one of Ngahau's hardest workers in the race to Tauranga last December, having the satisfaction of helping to win the coveted Colin Norris Gold Cup. On the Eastern Beaches. At the foot of Hobson Bay are several craft in various stages of overhaul, while in Judge's Bay work is proceeding steadily, and other craft could follow Omatere afloat in a few weeks, but are not expecting to go off till Labour Day week-end, when quite a sizeable fleet will be seen afloat, as is usual on this first holiday of the season. With the help of summer time from Sunday, September 29, more work will be done all round. At Orakei and St. Helier's work is proceeding as weather permits.