YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 437, 20 February 1909, Page 12

YACHTING.

[BY M-AiKsteftr.]

Last Saturday "Wto An "o!f'" day as far as ■yachting, was concerned, Oh .account M:.the heavy gale. •-i , , i.The May: can ,boast aii enthusiastre crew, and 6n StiMiy itiorhftig, in %plte 'of the unfavourable .weather conditions that' prevailed I°T.:S day's outing,, she. was seen, starting on lifir ilßual Stiftday cruis&. the rendezvous being Kau'-Bay. Judging frt>in the.'soulids that arose from the. depths of tlic May's cabin ..when: nearing -home in the evening, it was .evident , that 'none of thevparty were, "to say the least ,'df - it, ''downhearted,'' or that the : .of the Veather had. in any way af-. tected the object of tho pleasure-sCekers. , Befpmng to,the first race for tho SiiYonara Ciib,. the: "Refette" sayß that both Tholma 'and fiayoAara 'sirhilarlj rigged excepting that §ayon aril carried her big jack-yiirder, while Thfelma \v4s cftnt-eiit with a smallel- top--4MI. . Tho conrso waß laid for a ten miles' bsat to ViijdWard ahd rtturp. At starting :time the. wind had settled down to ft light breeze from tho sou'-sou'-east, and the wind ■TOnt' On increasing as the race progressed W. Reeks had Thelma nicely placed at tho start-, and the Sydney boat led over the line. Both. wont j>ff ; on the port tack, and as they settled down it was noticed that while Sayonara held .a'better wind,, Thelma was moving xasteri After, ft succession bf tacks, it was' apto ThelSftft wfts ddittfe th* better: Is .by this time .she. had.opened out a serviceable lead. ; stood x>vor to the eastern snftre iilonj; Bhghton Beaoh, and although her example was, shortly afterwards followed by Ihelma, it was not before the defender had had time to pick up a favourable slant of wl i ' m^ tbg challehger ifa i co'ili'iiarative calm v :• The txSsitions now, mi& reveKfed, and ■ baytoara was. just as much ahead as her .rival had been. -.Thelma, however,'gradually lessoned the ' distance. . Forty-eight seconds only Siparatod. them at the rounding mark. By this tifift the Wiad had freshened considerab v, but nevertheless up. went Bpinuakers and balt6® tafiVaS'. ■ While Sayonahi expot-'ieiicbd trouble , with , hor- spinnakers, .Theliha's big' kite was. doing yeoman service, .and as' a consl)o Wd§ sdbn bowling down on -top of . the !eader, : aiid ,as ,'th6::wind; filling her spinnaker, was. a trifle-on'her quarter, .she carried a big jib-topsail in caso she shouldrequire its, services. , It-was-not long before she drew ahead of Sayonara; whose spinhakfer had necessitated lowering and hoisting three ' .times before it was satisfactorily, set, but once tho, sail,was\got to draw Tholma was unable to increase her lead If anythm ? Sayonara showed a gain. By the time half tllo dstance was covered Thelma was well ahead, and she ttTnUte ,V 0& eSa ° t ? lrc6 -9 uarters of a T^ 8 ' , aft6r j ¥ close race, Thelma showed %t on the day .she "was both' H ,°f fribd - She was ostellehtly handled-1? Mr. Resksj and althouph •niS-— hftfids.were ebinewhat sldw after the Vrea'ther 'mark : with their spkhakw,. feoifife five toniites felaftsihg before it ' were made mth the big' 1' >S } ° lher hand ' %' R<»bb who on^ra> I s ?« ÜB 6d of h'avihfc sailed th ui on thrash, whto m® bUS|lo macle witli.Shyoiiara's spinuafe co^ l 4 u P set all. Calculatibhs. A badly .settillg jhainsail. was .toother : mflitatine : influence so fbr Js ' the, defender' was concerned. . . ~: : Thb day fcjlowing Was a bright ahd sunshirty day, with i Mght. cool soiltlierly blow,1I18!* yft6hts were sent ovet a tliangular -f?. u^ B ?» being 'approximately, seven knots.. .Similar fialitras Was cafricd-to that of '«<»• by. bbth vessels. ■ Sayonara's .Was setting ifiuch better,' and ber big jack-yarder standing liko board line with sails full. The, light wind suited; hei- to a nicety, but !t was qf very little use', to thelma. - &i h fe s !W tp tk wind than her nV&I, iiiiniediat«ly to dfaw out a lead, v;a at «'f4 an hour's sailing the V ldwHaibbat. Toft's, fcoriiethilig 'over half a S latter at the end- *■ W " Staiii. SBsec. 'It. was a and this was accomP" 8 tho leadefc in 64hmi. and by Thetoa -ih. 5/inih, Ssfet. ' i'hus Sayonara was Ib&alM by'ioaltt, 365&6. Nearing the* ] ? St k e frind Fresh: ened and enabled Titßlilla'fee she Vrbught the wind u| with hfer' .to her, bpponent's lead. Styonftfa wou by Stain. Bhci. , Ihe tbrfd and filial rttfes WW sailed on the Monday, ; m,a St-folig bfS®6-ffom the south, over a cbutse similar to that sailed in tho opening race, viz., 10 ffliles t<>:Windward and' return. Ihelma the lilie With a reef irt matoail and jofesail,' and with hor 'topmast housed, .while Sayohara fcirried her full nuinsai ; Once again -Thelma showed the Way ovfer tlie lilio, and now began a hard tUsile ill fbUgh water. 'The Sydiiey boat, as was only t6. b6: oipfefited, .chuKidd up tho Water ul all dirtctiolia. but SfcyOiiara appeared to sail,o¥6r..th6.6eM With greivtet ease. The httWfeW. 'fflade ft difference in rbelma'fe ( touching, and at fifst it was hard to-tell'Which Wfts dbing tho better. It. was ft.ding-dong battle, tight throhgh to the Weatlior mark,; Whlchj to tho sUi'prise of many, •»««- rbttfided: first by the Victerian boat! AS sho iftsed SheotS rottlld the mark it was seen that the defender was something liko a °f rival. , With the wind NtlKd,-Bl»y4ttßi4' fest ho .time soliding her jaik-yardor aloft, but Thelma Was fully 15 tamutes ill getting he? teiJtoa'st on end, and fUrtliOf time was loSfc ill setting the sail. Althpngly tho Wind Was.toiich abeam, SayoDara thodto Set btl- Bpinilftker, bllt billy with a a ®ouht of success. It was a long timo , before Thelma had any extra drawing, and wory moment was of value ta tho challenger ™doubtedly, her best point of sailing, yi hftll the sail was', set, however, it was" seen , to great advantage, while Sayonara's extra, ■ as :.on. the first day, was all .at six find I sevonß., Nevertheless, the.Victorian boat Was I again able to show the way oyer tho. line, "WhSfe fend hud 68seo. to" spare from hor inter--1 Stato rival. Thus, for i'tne time being, the ' cab "must necessarily remain ' in Melboiii'ne, 1 wrnoh has beeu its home for tho past five s&uco. ■