YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 758, 5 March 1910, Page 13

YACHTING

[Br Main-sheet.] . FIXTURES. FOR THE SEASON.. . Saturday, March s.—Postponed Race, from ... January 15 for second A,, second B, and third and fourth-class yachts. • Saturday, March 12.—Ocean Race, for all lead keel yachts belonging to the club. Sunday last saw most of tho local yachts out, with One and more reefs in on account of tho good, fresh, southerly breeze. Most of the little craft mado for Kau Bay, though some went to Day's Bay. Tho Ethel left the Boat Harbour with three reefs in, intonding to go to Seatoun, but, when off Kau Bay, it was seen that she was carrying. too . much canvas, as she was on her beam ends all the whilo. She eventually put back to the Bay, iand put in . another reef. ,A new launch has arrived at the Boat Harbour, and is owned by Mr. Ross. ' It is understood that . Mr. Jamieson intends selling his launch, Ruihi, as it is his intention to go in for a largo boat. Messrs. Moore Bros, have obtained a now silk mainsail from Auckland for their racing dinghy Zel. The old sail has been purchased by Mr. White, owner of the Warehou. Mr. Ted Hannan has pulled his patent life-boat up on tho hard. Mr. Hannan intends holding a trial shortly, and if it is a success, he intends to make a trip to tho Sounds in her. •

Last Monday afternoon, Mr. M'Lean's yacht Waitangi returned to Wellington after a fortnight's cruiso in Pelorus and Queen Charlotto Sounds. D'Urville Island was visited first, and then the Croixelles Harbour, and, from there, the French Pass and Pelorus Sound. Lovely weather was experienced up till the middle of last week, when it began to' blow hard from the. south. The southerly was struck when coming from Pelorus Sound to Queen Charlotte Sound. The crew consisted of the followingG. Bothumly, S. Forbes, J. and J. M'Lean, H. Scott, and G. Little. The trip from Tory Channel to Wellington took five hours. '

This afternoon tho Port Nicholson Yacht Club holds races for second-class A and B yachts and third and fourthclass yachts. ( Somo Napier yachtsmen had an exciting time about a fortnight ago, an excursion by sea to Clive Grange, in three yachts being organised. On the way across the bay the sea became rough, and one yacht had to put back. The other yachts reached Clivo Grange in two hours' time, and anchored oif the beach. The Ngaroma's crow were landed in an oil launch, and two of the crew of tho Sunray went (ashore in their dinghy. Tho launch went out again for the remaindor of tho Sunray's crew, but the propeller shaft broke, and the launch had to 110 pulled in. A surttioat then went out, and brought ashore those who had been left iu the Sunray. There was now a very rough sea, and the surfboat capsized when near shore on her return. The two yachts had a bad time in the heavy 6ea, and the crews could do nothing but watch them being driven ashore. The Ngaroma was the first to be cast up on the beach, at about 2 o'clock. Steps were taken to get the Ngaroma into the river, and, while she was being pulled in that direction, her mast was broken off level with the deck. An hour and a half later the Sunray was thrown up on tho beach, after being badly bumped, and now lies on the shingle in a seriously damaged state.

The annual picnic of the North Shore Yacht Club, Auckland, was held last Saturday afternoon. The weather was fine, and there were a large number of members present. Last week at Auckland the yacht Mahaki was cut adrift. She was eventually recovered by a launch off the North Shore.

Last Saturday aftornoon, at Sydney, the race for the Basin cup, under the auspices of the Prince Alfred Yacht Club, was held, the distance of the course being 43 miles. A southerly gale was blowing at the time of the race, which resulted in some of the yachts having to give up the race. Although seven yachts faced the starter, only three returned to the finishing line. They all ran down with the southerly to Broken Bay, where Aoma retired with a broken mast, and she was taken in tow by the club steamer, and left at an anchorage at the Basin. Caprice plugged along solidly in the big breeze and sea outside on the work back for about an hour and a half, and then turned back to Broken Bay for shelter. She was last seen running into the bay well wide of Barranjoey. Maggie and Ilcrreshoff both got a severe gruelling on the work back, and tho club steamer stood by them until they had run into Shelly Cove (Fairy Bower) for shelter. The three yachts that finished were Rawihiti, Ilcather, and Petrel, in that order, and the prizes go as. they finished, as upon adjusting handicaps it was found that ltawhiti only defeated Heather by f>7sec., but the latter finished IGmiri. 13sec. to the good from Petrel. This makes Rawhiti's second win in the Basin Cup races, as she won tho first event in the 100li-1907 season, and her skipper (Mr. E. E. Saycr) has also won two of these races, being successful in 1907-8 with Flectwing. It was hard on Heather to be defeated by such a narrow margin, as tho little yacht performed splendidly in the seaway, and also as she was only beaten by almost a similar margin of timo by ltawhiti in tho first enp raoe.

The Princo Alfred Xacht Club craft will next season have another cup to race for, as Messrs. F. Albert and E. E. Sayer (owners of the yacht Rawhiti) hays announced their intention of presenting the committee with a handsome cup, to be known as the Rawhiti Cup, for competition. It will become the absolute property of the owner winning it three times. The history of the New York Yacht Club's possession of tho America Cup (says tho London "Yachtsmen") is as follows :—lt was won by the schooner America in a race round the Isle of Wight in 1851, and was presented to the New York Yacht Club by the four owners of the yacht to hold (in trust) for competition between all other yacht clubs in the world. Many races were sailed under the conditions of this deed, but a wonderful and painful'thing occurred in 18S7. This was the formulation of the "new deed." Three of the four gentlemen who had originally given the cup to the N.Y.Y.C. (in trust) were dead, anu therefore it was impossible for the club to approach them with its good intentions. But one of the four survived, and he was content to undertake the job of all four. So the cup was handed back to the solo survivor, on the understanding that ho should present it once more to the club on more highly advantageous terms. This ho did in tho shapo of what is known as the "now deed," which has since then governed all the races sailed for the famous trophy.

MODEL YACHTING.

(By Bohstay.) The general handicap and consolation handicap (postponed on regatta day) will probably be raced next Saturday, providing tho weather is favourable The model yacht Champion has a splendid record. It has' so ,far started in about twelve races, and has won eleven. Among those which' it has won are the two principal races of the season, viz.. the Makgill Handicap and the Ferguson Handicap. S. Jones has disposed of his model, the Defiance, and has purchased a schoonerrigged boat, about threo feet long. The annual challenge raco betweenChampion and. Waitangi is to be held on Easter Monday. In a light breeze the latter should do well. Waitangi is receiving new racing kites, which it is hoped she will use in the General Handicap. Coming events-March 11, General Handicap (raco postponed from February 19); also Consolation Race for all yachts not winning a race on regatta day. March 25, windward race, for all club yachts.