YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1240, 23 September 1911, Page 12

YACHTING.

SUMMER AND AVHIT'E SAILS, IBr Main-sheet.} A wot sheet and flowing sea A wind that follows fast. And fills the white and rustling sail, And bends tho g-allant. mast. / Tho joyous opening of the yachting season is at hand, and, like Kipling's "Knights of the Joyous Venture," we are getting things in train. Yachts which have been lying in their cradles all the winter are now . beginning to slide into the watec. All are looking spick i and span after their annual overhaul, and as to numbers, well—thejr have increased. That is one other joyous sign. Fleet Effects and Changes. Mr.' G. Bothamlev has purchased Mr. S. Forbes's share of the yacht Murit'ai, and intends to turn her into a yawl. Her owner is having a new set of sails made at Auckland.The. T.mjaroa, which was alout the first'yacht to como off the slips, was out for a spin recently. '- Hct steering gear carried away, however; and she was brought back to the Boat Harbour, where repairs were effected. The orcners of To Rhuna have ordered a new sail from a London firm. Tho sa'll is duo here in time, for tho opening of tho season. ' . ' It is stated that the Rona is to bo painted black this season. Opinions differ as to whether this change will alter her beauty. Is there beauty in black?. Messrs. Kupli Bros, hr.ve been putting a great (leal of work into their yacht, Nancy Stair, during the winter months. Her cabin has been "renovated, and some beautifully grained panels havo been inlaid. They havo also purchased a new suit of sails, which will, no doubt, increase her speed. . .. So far tho following -yachts have been launched May, Rawene, Tangaroa, and lolanthc. ' j Messrs- E- Kupli and C. J. Ward have a schcmo' for raising funds for a new boat-house, similar to that used by tho Wellington Football Association. It is stated that a silver cup is being presented to tho club for annual competition among the yachts. Mr. Palmer_has replaced his 15-20 h.p. Ferro engine in his launch Waione with a 30-h.p. Roberts engine. The engine is an American 2-cycle design, and will no doubt give a good account of itself. Messrs. Hamill Bros, have been putting a good deal of work into their new yacht Ailsa'. She has been completely overhauled, and will probably came off tho slip to-day. The Port Nicholson Club. At the annual meeting of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club, November 1 was fixed for the opening day. It mas-de-cided that the annual subscription be reverted to tho old amount. His Excellency Lord Islington, who it was stated some time ago would attend one of the club's functions, is to be invited to attend tho opening of the yachting season. Tho meeting decided, to alter the racing programme somewhat. _ Now that there are only two classes, viz., first and second, it was decided that each class would have twelve' Taces'. during the season, making in all twenty-four races for the season, or, in _other words, four groups, of three races in each group, for each class. The present conditions are that a yacht will have to race three times befo-ro she can win a prize. Tho yacht which gets tho highest number of points for three races gets first prize, and the yacht which sccures tlio next number gets second prize. Certificates are to be given to the first and socond yachts in each race, regardless of the points. -Tho entranco fro for each group of threo is fivo shillings, and racing permits for same are also fivo shillings. Points are to be allotted to the l>oats according to the position which they obtain in p.-race. 'The points will bo allotted in tho following order:—First placo, 15 points; second, 12 points; third, 10 points; fourth, 9 points'; fifth, 8 points, and so on. Somo Building Notes. Mr. W. Birnie will, in a few weeks, bo responsible for a valuable addition to the small but slowly increasing fleet of pleasure craft at present pavked' in tho Boat Harbour. Designed by Professor Scott, and being built by Mr. E. Bailey, this craft presents a very business-liko appearance. She is' 30ft. in length, 9ft. iin. beam, and sft. draught, having two ton of lead on her keel. Her owner has decided to instal a 1 h.p. Zealandia engino in. her. Tho formidable and genial crow of tho Dauntless havo placed an order in Mr. E. Bailey's hands for an oil launch. Anniversary Day will indeed be strange in the future without that inevitable prizewinner.