YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 395, 2 January 1909, Page 12

YACHTING.

[By Mainsheet.]

THE SEASON'S RACING. January 22. —Anniversary Day Regatta. January 23.—Ocean Race. January -SO. —--Mills Memorial Handicap., February 6.—Second-class;, and Third-class • ■ ' Handicaps. ' February 13;—16ft. Handicap. • February 20.—Commodore's Outing. / March 6—Ladies' General Handicap, j

• The Christmas holiday's have, not been 'a brilliant success: from the yachtsman's point of view, the heavy, gales being just a bit too mucn for pieasant sailing. However the yachts that are. not away, cruising made , the best of tho weather as they found it, and wont out' under .reefed .'canvas;' i One effect, of the "blows" .was the thorough' testing of .tho various ships! gear, and several flaws were found.

i The' only boat noticed out on Christmas morning was Dr." M'Lean's: ;■■■smart.: little Janet, Tint, in . the .afternoon, practically the whole of the, fleet turned' out; ''The 1 May, procebded.to Scorching Bay overnight. On B6xing. Day the Nancy Stair,-May. Bona. 1 : and; Muritai wore at Day's Bay, tie ftuilii at Lowry Bay, and • the Janet. was at Ward Island. - The last-named boat had a big party on board'and wes » mass : She had a'string of new . code flags ,running from the bowsprit ;to the masthead and to the end ■ of j the boom.The'overplus'was'tethered to the 1 reef. points.on the mainsail. .In addition the' little packet sported the - commodore's flag and a 10ft.name flag... ■'-. /Cho Nanoya put in an appearance at Karaka Bay, ana was seen 1 for the first-time this season under her full mainsail, ihe Atalanta spent tho whole, day; cruising. ; . Tho Wairoro .went down Jp Baring Head on': a '.fishing, excursion: and behaved splendidly outside. Tho alteration of. tho rig ,of .the ex-Auckla'nder has made a great: .improvement ;iii her,; and turned .her into one of - the'.best little ' in; the harbour, j On 1 Sunday, sho was .out/with: only one: tuck, in-and-was .standing up well ,and smoking' through-in great; style. ; Tho Eona damo in for a gruelling on Sunday on her;way homo from/ the "other side' of the harbour, ailtl had two jibs blown out. She,finished;by entering thoboat harbour der.a little' storm jib. The 'Mahaki also had a jib .blftwn,ont/oh' Sunday. ■ ' - When leaving the boat harbour on Sunday the Janet got into difficulties ./through ' the strop .of tho gaff, carrying away. 1 /. She 'put', back ./to her .-.mooriiigs' and affe^'-tyAWofary l repairs; had been effected set ouV'for Lowry Bay. , . //'Nancy Stair ihd; Janet had'a set-to' on the way homo from Lowry Bay on Sunday.' 'Bothboats were'; rkifed -at- the start. ,but Nancy 6tair,/shook oud hc^'MSfSi- with/ the; result, that. she.practically buried- herself when off thd/'lsldnd.-V; Janet, - was at ! itlio• moorings abcrat 10 minutes -before her .opponent.. ;• v It is understood that tho Wairero "and. possibly, the • Torangi ;will ■> biir leaving'.. for the Bounds • early ' in- February. - The! Ruihi and Mr; Jemistoh'fl new. lauiich \will also. be going oyer .about the same time./ A' cruise in , the -Marlborough- Sounds is always looked '• forward to ; by- VWellington', yachtsmen, and the;; time :has:-now arrived jwion owners and creys are able to obtain tho necessary ' leavo to ..'make the : trip.: So "far this -sfeasoii tjpats . have .crossed :Co6k Strait in scarch of sport of any kind' which may cross .their path—principally 'fishing and shooting., The following boats were at Pic- ■ ton onvßoxing Ketiri, Flora, Maui, and Vida. Syren spent the; day in Boot Cove., and l'atroiius at the whaling setTe Awaite.,. - . ■•' ' The Koriti niade 'a fairly good run across the Straits;'; She left her moorings at -the boat harbour at. 2.30 on Christmas Day and arrived/at'Jicksbn's Bay at 8 p.m; She had not her full crew 'when. she left .Wellington; but on arrival at 'I'icton' took several - on board; including some ladies, and left for . D'TJrville: Island.

■ Tho crevf of the Flora liavo already beerrat work ; _ amongst the goats, and ,for one day's shooting in' East Bay' secured 27 scalps. . Tho Ngaito signalised her entry to .the Sounds by taking the, ground in Jackson's Bay.. She was got, off without much, difficulty,'and arrived in : Pieton 'on the morning of Bosing. Day, The yacht' sailed 'again the same evening for Bast Bay, where it was the intention to put in tho time shooting. ' The oil launch Maui was taken ovor to the. Sounds on the deck of the steamer Roy Roy, and on ißoxing Day her owner was awaiting his crew; It is : the intention to spend a couple of months about tho Sounds. Mr. L. Palmer's Vida put up a very creditable performance on the'.run .across the Straits. She left . Evans Bay at 5 a.m. on' Boxing Day , and; arrived in Pioton at 11.46. The Vida had the good fortune to. strike smooth water, arid hadtho tide with her. ■■'; 'j\ • The White. Heather left; for'the Sounds at midday on Thursday.' 'Tho crew included Messrs. j&uy Hoggard, T. Cook, and R. Millman. ' It is understood that the boat will pick up a party in tho Sounds. • - ON CRUISING. ■ The. following, .which finds a place in tho collection of an enthusiastic local yachtsman, [should be. read with'pleasure by followers of the sport:—. ' 1' No, . her. size that's j 'essential, her'■ ; fittings, "appearance," or luck;' Nor, is: it the speed she.may,: travel, or ; just where the ballast is. sttck, ■ But to joyously cruise ,'mid6t the.; breakers, re- ' member, beforo it's too late,; 1." . > To saa that tho crow is of 1 follows who know how to givo and to take. . . For though .'it may blow meiry blazes, and the " hour no''witching: enough; " Though the spray fly in clouds all round us, •and the work at'the tillof is rough: . ; What's it. matter - provided we're hearty, and used to a "kuftcking about," . If .the chap that ve call to relievo us is ready .to take his turn out?V, j ; Oh! 'tis.,well to discourse of the raters and '■' dishes'- with 1 centreboard: fins, All right enough for a day's racing with tend.crs to follow their whims; ... . But for: honest-and healthy- enjoyment, tako a craft of a seaworthy snaps, But also a ,crew of good fallows, who know how -to give and to take! - | '.v ■ "I only wish that I had power to interfere with or punish people Avho assist beggurs in the street,"; said Sir. Plowden at Marylebono Police Court recently. ".Beggars are manufactured by >the help' they get in the street from benevolent, foolish people." No old-world success has been grander Than that , of Miss Lalla Miranda. She' Bang "Rigoletto" ;r ' ' Without a falsetto, ' ' i A champio'i .singer they brand her! No voice could bo truer, .! ; - More clear or more pure • ! 1 (Her standby, we hear, Is Woods' Poppofwint Carol) -. ' 8