YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 123, 22 February 1928, Page 8

YACHTING

(By

“Nereus.”)

Coming Evans Bay Races. Au ocean race is to be held on Saturday by the Evans Bay Club. Probable starters are: Linnet, Viola and Windward from the boat harbour: with the bay yachts Venus, lolauthe, Wairere, and possibly Nautilus. The yachts should return at about 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon, as the course is to Sinclair Head aud back. The launch Wai-iti last time acted as mark boat; it is to be hoped that she will again be available.

Conditions being favourable, there will bo two races at Evans Bay to-night. It will start at 7 o’clock. Entrants probably will include Viola, Linnet, lolauthe, Venus. Wairere and Windward. There will also be a race for centre-boarders. Heretaunga Events. The Heretauuga Club held their picnic at Lowry Bay on Sunday, about a hundred and thirty people being present. Air. C. Hook's launch Nomad and Mr. Bittle’s new thirty-five foot launch made several trips, while another launch and the club's yachts conveyed the rest of the party. Paremata Notes.

Kotuku, a boat that has been performing consistently in the club races this season, scored another win in the first-class event last week-end, when she also registered the fastest lime. This old-timer—she was built by Air. H. B. France eighteen years ago—sailed for many years on the Horowhenua Lake, and it speaks well for her design that she can still foot it with modern 14footers.

That the launch owners are now taking a keener interest ill the programme races was evidenced last week-end, when six boats faced the starter. Excellent handicapping resulted in a close and exciting finish, Cygnet just getting home ahead of Tui, with Robert. E. I.ee close up third. The scratch boat, Katrina, experienced trouble early in the race, owing to an air lock, but after a short delay she went after the field in good style, and only failed to catch the leading boats by a small margin.

Younger Yachtsmen. Some attention is being given to the younger yachtsmen by Wellington clubs having younger members putting races on tho programme for them in au agerestricted class. Air. W. Duncan has donated a cup for the Cornwall Cup class, which should aid very materially in keeping interest alive among the younger yachtsmen in the Wellington district.

The Worser Bay Club is going in for the Takapuna class boat, which by the way is becoming increasingly popular at Christchurch, and aims at fostering it§ younger members. The Paremata Club has under way a series of three races for juniors. The Heretaunga Club has in its fleet three Takapuna boats, ano the club has definite ideas of adding to this quota. It will also next season hold a number of races for its junior members. Here and There.

The R.P.N.Y.C. commodore's yacht Muritai aud also Wairere 11 returned from the Sounds under a nice light southerly ou Sunday evening. Sunday saw a fleet across at Ward Island. Rona, Marangi, Windward, Nanette, Oyster, Alaru, Linnet, Illinois, Sylvia, lolanthe, Taniora, Iska, and Kewpie were there. Alarangi later went across to Day’s Bay. At a dance held for the Free Ambulance funds on Saturday night by the Worser Hay Club, Superintendent Roffe congratulated the club on being the first in Wellington to tender a "benefit." The evening was a great success. Viola went round to Island Bay on Sunday.

Sunday saw the vaehts Wairere and ng at Day’s Bay. The yacht Ailsa came down from the slip on Saturday, after being newly coppered. The yacht Irex, from Ballena Bay, was out at the heads on Sunday. Frolic went across to Ngahauranga, and later to Ward Island.

Wairere was at Kan Bar on Sunday. She was later joined by Linnet. The new clipper-bowed launch from the boat harbour was out for a spin on Saturday afternoon.