YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 978, 19 November 1910, Page 12

YACHTING.

i [Br Mainshbet,] When the Sleeper Wakes. November 9 has passed, but no formal opening of the yachting season has taken place. Heretofore tho opening has always been on tho 9th, but the Port Nicholson Club is apparently a good way behind in its work. Members of the club liavo not even received notification, of the annual meeting Or the annual report, although the season has practically been entered. Still the Port Nicholson Club sleeps on—tho only New Zealand Club still sleeping. Nearly all the yachts-are in tho water, "waiting for the gun" as it were. When will the sleepers wake? Of course, November 9, not being a public holiday, the season could not very well have been opened on that particular day, as most of tho owners of yachts were at business. But still things are bohind-hand, and yachtsmen are beginning to ask: Is there any P.N.Y. Club now? Tho secretary states that he has' been trying his best to collect tho outstanding subscriptions, but members of tho club seem to be .very remiss as regards that point. Round the Fleet. Tho formal opening of the Port Nicholson Motor Boat Club was to have taken place last Saturday, but was postponed on account of weather conditions. Tho event will probably take place in a fortnight's time. A launch race, however, will be held this afternoon, under the auspices of the club. Tlio yachts Mahina, Muritai, Nancy Stair, and Rawcne, were out in the gale on Sunday last, and all received a good buffeting by wind and sea. Reports from thoso who wero out aro to tho effect that they had never witnessed such a sea before. Messrs. Cooper's launch was put afloat last week, and is looking spick and 6pan after her overhaul. Mr. Baucholz, it is stated, is installing a Ferro engine in his yacht Waircre, before he launches her. It is also rumoured that he is bringing another yacht down from Auckland. Mr. H. Smith floated off his new launch during the week, and will probably have a trial .spin this afternoon. Mahina has had her new suit of sails, from Auckland, up for a stretching dur» ing the week. The annual meeting of the To Aro Sailing Club was held last night. Thero was a very good attendance of members, Model Yachting. Com^n o season for model yachts will be opened by the president of tho club at the end .of this month. As a number of new boats aro coming forward this yc-ar, the committee of tho ■Kilbirnio Club has every reason to .anticipate a successful season. G«°rge (president) has notined the club of his intention to donate two medals fpr competition. Dr. R. H. Makgill (patron) has also deoided. to donate two-'trnphies; ' Mr. G. Androwartha's boat' is being 'altered. She will now carry 351b. of lead, and.will consequently bo.a stiff boat in a sea. Last Saturday Waitangi and Red Rover were out for a spin. The former carried a topsail for about half an honr. Tlio schooner Red Rover made rather bad weather of it, and so far this season the Waitangi seems to be far tho better boat. ■ Dunedin Doings. The Otago. Yacht Club is issuing a chart of tho entrance to tho harbour, on which all the danger places are plainly marked. It is pleasing to see in the club's syllabus a ladies' race once again. Yachtsmen (says a southern paper) must get their lady friends down and put them through their facings beforo January 28, r 1911, for this is going to be one of tho most popular races of tho season. Tho Janet, flying tho rear-commodore's flag, was at the Kaik last Sunday week. She reports having made a fast passage down. She caused no little excitement to somo onlookers. The wind was piping in fine stylo when it was necessary to jibe, and in doing so tho inainshoet earned away, and all was confusion for some moments. The Janet meanwhile was heading straight for tho shore at agreat pace. Oliphant, however, soon.got his hook out, and pulled her up, when repairs were quickly executed, and the Janet reached homo without further mishap. The Sydney Watersice. 'flje Gascoigne Cup , (says, tho Sydney Referee') is associated w;ith tho days of our youth, or, at any rate, with the time when wo were over a scoro of years younger. In 1887 it was presented to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron by Captain Gascoigne, an aidc-de-camp to Lord Carrington, then Governor of New South Wales. One of tho conditions connected with it is that it cannot become the property of a .yacht-owner unless it be won bj-jliim three years in succession. Well, many wonderful things can happen in' 23 years, but tho Gascoigne Cup still remains unwon outright, and, as its. history goes to show, it is'likely 1 to dazzle tho eyes and incite the exertions of yacht-owners for a few'generations-to come, if it does not go down to posterity as a perpetual reminder of tho sportsmanlike qualities of its donor. But thero is moro than that to bo said for the handsome trophy. Each year it brings about a wholesome ocean-courso yacht race. It helps to break tho monotony of sailing the Manly-Shark Island course, which, although- excellent and charming as it undoubtedly is, is liable to liecome too familiar when travelled almost every Saturday of tho season. Saturday, November 5, witnessed this year's race for tho cup, and tho courso was from a line oif the Squadron's clubhouse, round a mark one mile east of Long Reef, and back. Last year's winner was Mr. W. M. Marks' six-metro yacht Culwulla 11. j this year's Culwulla I, under her new name ofYeulba and the ownership of Mr. A. C. Mullens. English Notes. Tho past English racing season was marked by a series of accidents, so far as the 23-nictro yachts wero concerned, and in this respect Sir James Pender's Brynhild was tho most unfortunate. Brynhild, it will bo remembered, lost her mast in her second race of the season, and sank, owing to tho accident, within a short space of time. White Heather also lost a mast early in the season. She was not in racing trim for a month afterwards, .and, just as she was beginning to show Shamrock that she was not going to have matters all her own way, she again struck trouble by striking a submerged target when entering Plymouth Sound. The damage done by this accident caused her owner to refrain from further racing during the season. The record for tho season in this class was: Shamrock, 28 starts, 19 prizes (18 firsts and 1 second); White Heather, 27 starts, 10 prizes (9 iirsts and 1 second); Brynhild,' 2 starts. Tho now American schooner Westward simply swept the boards in tho A class in German and British waters. Sho won every open race in which sho sailed, and lost but ono race—a handicap—to Germania.