YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1629, 21 December 1912, Page 18

YACHTING

[By Mainsheet.]

RACES AND NOTES, ETC. Something About tho Races. The two races decided by the Port Nicholson Yacht Clnb on Saturday afternoon last resulted in good finishes, and •this, says a good deal for the Mark Foy system of starting. In fact all the races wliich the club has decided so far this season have been Iceenly contested, and the finishes ha,ve been quite interesting. Up till last Saturday, the Maliiua had. not been placed ;in tho races, but with a handicap of 20min. she won last Saturday's race. In the first race of the season, Mahina, had a handicap of imin., and came last.- On the next raco she had a handicap of lOmin., and also started; and, last Saturday,' with her limit of 20min., she just got in, SOsec. ahead of tho scratch yacht, Matangi. Of course the Mahina is not a speedy craft in a heavy "breeze," a fairiy light day suits her much better. However, Mahina has a record of being a fairly fast vessel, so her crew should endevour to keep up her reputation. Matangi has done exceedingly well so far this season. She has competed in two races out of three, and has won ono and came second m another. In last Saturday's raco she gave Mahina 20min„ and crossed tho finishing line only 30sec, behind her. It is very noticeable this season that Wairore ii is a constant competitor in the races. In the three races which have beeh held, the Wairere II has been placed each time, and on rach occasion she woe scratch. In the first race she came first, in tho second raco she enmo second, and in the third eveut she came third. So far she has a very creditable performance to her name. There will be no more races until about the middle of January. The Races for "Second Classers." In the second class events, Lizzie and Rawene have been the most consistent rivals so far this season. Lizzio has to her credit one first and two seconds, and Kowenu has a first and a second to Tier credit. These two vessels are well-known rivals, and as the season continues some exciting events should result. So far Taipari is still in tho rear, and

probably ti little more time allowance would be to her benefit. Cross-Strait Cruises. It is understood that several yachts and launches will bo making a run across the Strait during tho -holidays next week. Most of tho yachts will probably 6pend a fortnight in tho Sounds in February. Yawl for Sale. The yawl Waitangi is once again for sale, The "Wai" has changed hands once or twice during tho last season, and it is to bo hoped that it will not bo long before sho is bought and in commission agaiu. Yachts Built to International Rulo. In round figures, 650 Tacing yachts have been built to the International Rule since its introduction in 1907. Thus it may bo truly said that the influence, of the rulo has far exceeded all expectations. Every yacht built to tho rulo is classed either by Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the Qermanischer Lloyd, the Bureau Veritas, or the Norsk Veritas, and is constructed under the inspection of the society's survoyor. In reviewing the position that British yacht-racing now holds in Europe as compared with that of a quarter of a century ago, when no other European nation could be regarded seriously as a rival to Great Britain, one cannot help marvelling at the number of foreign-built yachts that now exist. According to the'""Report of Lloyd's Register of British and Foreign Shipping for 1911-1912," out of 63S raoing yachts, only 176 have been built under British Lloyd's, the French Veritas, and the Norwegian Veritas. A good many foreign yachtsmen, however, clas9 their yachts with British Lloyd's, and out of the 176 yachts built under Lloyd's survey, G-t hare been built abroad; thus only 112 have been constructed in England. The position, although unsatisfactory, is not so bad as it looks, inasmuch that all the large racing cutters and most of the larpe yachts, have been "built in Great Britain and classcd by British It is in the construction of smaller racing yachts that England has not kept pace with the other countries.—Sydney "Referee." .