YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 12

YACHTING.

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SLOOPS FOR THE AMERICA OUP, >

Boat Harbour Ripples. Yachtsmen, aro highly pleased with the Harbour Board's action in ercoting a permanent derrick at tho western end of the Boat Harbour to facilitate stepping masts. The derrick is a boon, as far as tho larger yaohts aro oonoorned. as much difficulty has been experienced in, mastiua operations in the paßt. The Wellington Cruising Yaclit Olub has decided to support whatever steps may be taken in the direction of opposing tho clause dealing with tho registration and numbering of yaohts and pleasuro craft, as embodied in section 16 of t!he Shipping and Seamen's Amondlnont Act.

The old Karaka has got into the hands of owners, who apparently take pride in making their yaont look spick and span. Thoy have spared no pains in furbishing her up into a smartish appearance, and, at present, she looks quite a pioture. Mr. Ward's Lizzie oamo off tho hard on Thursday, and was followed by the Karaka on tile following day. Messrs. Moore Bros.' Mahina is looking attractive, and her crew, who are regarded as " sports of the first order," are no doubt pleased with the result of the overhaul. She oame off tho slip on Saturday night last, and, since then, her spars have been snipped. The Muratai is also looking for oil the world like a new yacht. First she was painted White then royal blue, and now sho appears in quite a new and by no means unattractive oolour —a dark grey. Owners of the yaoht Waitangl received their warrant from the Admiralty at Home, this weok, giving them tho necessary permission to fly tho bluo ensign.

P.N.Y.O. OOUfDOS. A a recent meeting of tho Port Nicholson Yac(ht dub the following courses for first and soeond olasa yachts wore deoided upon: —First claBB: From tho usual starting line to Hope Shoal Buoy (nearest Ward Island), thence to Karokaro, and finishing (keeping to tho eastward of Man-of-war buoy) In a lino with' the southern. . end of the Queen's Wharf and Clyde Quay Wharf. The sooond-olass oourso is i From the usual starting line to Jerningham buoy, thence to Takapuna buoy, round Man-of-war buoy, thonco to Jeraingham, Back to Takapuna buoy, finishing aorosß the samo imaginary line as mentioned in. the firsfxlass course. The Defender Building. A New York Yacht Olub syndicate has placed an order for the American Cup defender with the Herreshoff Arm, and tho latest issue of tho "New York Evening Post" givtes some rather interesting details conoorning her. She will be of all steel oonatruotlon, frame, body, and plates, and will bo 70 feet on the wator line. Thus, oontrary to Sir Thomas Lipton's implied fears, tho first defendter to be ordered by a Now York Yaoht Club syndicate will bo loss than the water-lino length named in tho challonge—7s feet—instead of more. It would appear— other things being equal—that the dofending organisation is looking forward to taking timo frem tho challenger instead of giving time. Mr. Herreshoff did not announce tho olub members interested in tho new sloop, and declined to givo tho names of the syndicate. It is generally believed, however, that the syndicate is headed by Cornelluß Vanderbilt. Mr. Herreshoff has had experience _in building sloopß of 70ft. water-line, although whether .the new defender will follow the lines of that old quartet, Mineola, Rainbow, Virginia, and Yankee may bo regarded as a matter for extreme doubt. Co3t of a Dofandor A great deal of loose talk has been going about ooncorning the oost of production of a defender, says the "New York Evening Post. . At Marblohoad, whore several yachtsmen were discussing the advisability of forming a Boston syndicate, tho idea seemed to prevail that a cup defenoe sloop oould be designed and 'built for from 36,000 dollars to 40,000 dollars. This idea is ontirely erroneous, and when facts are faced they may prove a deterrent to tho realisation of a great deal of this syndicate gossip. Any man or group of men building a 75ft. defender, who tako over their boat at 80,000 dollars, may consider themselves fortunate. This sum does not include maintenance, upkteep, or anything —just tbe cost or the boat when placed in their hands. The old 70ft. sloops cost from 35 ( 000 dollars to 40,000 dollars to design and build, and these craft were of wood construction with Bteel framos. Tho 60ft. sloops Aurora, Istalena, and Winsome, not expensively constructed, oost 85,000 dollars. Thus, whil/o tho Now York Yaclit Club would like to 6ee three or four defenders oompeting in the trial races next summer, thoy are not by any means banking upon euoh an agreeable eventuality.