YACHTING

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 97, 18 January 1935, Page 13

YACHTING

Tassie Scores a Runaway FUTURE EVENTS Good Starting at Evans Bay THE INTER-CLUB CUPS (By Spinnaker.) A strong southerly Wind made for exciting yachting conditions last week-end, and although there were no mishaps some of the centreboarders showed great turns of speed. On the run from Clyde Quay to the hulk in the race firstclass ceutreboarders at Port Nicholson, some of the boats had narrow escapes, and more than one spinnaker played so many tricks that it was doused. A Runaway. Tassie cleared out from the field in this race, and led practically from start to finish. She finished over three minutes ahead of Lavina, the second boat home, from which Tassie was in receipt of two minutes handicap. Not up to Fann. Another disappointing performance was seen from Kotare last Saturday at Port Nicholson, when she finished a rather sorry last in the first-class centreboarders’ race. Admittedly she had very.much the worst of the start, but that did not account for all the quarter of an hour difference between her time and that ct the first boat. Julian had Kotare well reefed down and by the end he was probably wishing for a little more sail. Still out of Luck. 11l luck still appears to be dogging Kestrel. Last week when travelling like a winner in the second-class keelers’ race a nasty-looking and swiftly-moving tear <i [reared near the peak of the mainsail. Dykes was, of course, forced to withdraw and proceeded home under engine. Mayfair Again. As has come to be expected. Beck walked away from the field of Idle Alongs at Evans Bay last week and ran home a comfortable winner. Mayfair took the lead from the start and nothing ever looked like overhauling her.

Two New Bonuts. Two new Idle Alongs were seen out at Evans Bay last Saturday. Resolute, with lan Kirk at the tiller, and Jim Bolland aboard in an advisory capacity, sailed quite, a fair race, but was never within striking distance of Mayfair. Gladys, Evan Julian’s new' venture, was also to have been a starter but carried away her bowsprit before the race.

A Promising Boy. Of all the boys sailing Taurangas in Wellington this season the most successful has been Billy Wagstaff, of Evans Bay. Week after week this boy has raced in the bay. always from the scratch Mark, and on nearly every occasion his boat. Margaret, figures at the head of the results. Squalls and seas hold no terrors for him, and he keeps his seveu-footef upright when bigger craft are lying down to it.

Prompt Starting. When the time came to start the Tauxanga race at Evans Bay last week there were only two boats on the mark. Nevertheless the starter did the right thing-in taking in the discs at the time set down in the programme for the start. To delay one race means to delay them all. ami the policy of waiting for the boats, if persisted in, soon results in confusion to the programme. There is a time set down for the start of each race, and this should be adhered to; if a boat is not on the line in time, that is the crew’s fault, and it is not fair to the other starters to keep them cruising up and down waiting for the laggard. In this respect the Evans Bay club has set an example which might well be copied by other clubs. Every Saturday in the bay races are started promptly on time, and boat owners have come to expect it and can time their departure from the Shore so that they shall not have to waste time wandering up and down waiting for the discs. Owing to this wise policy by Mr. Dick Bolland, the

starter, the dub's weekly race programme is invariably run with most commendable smoothness. Inter-club Riuias. January 26 is going to be a big day for the Evans Bay club, for on that afternoon four inter-club trophy races are to be sailed in the bay. These will be for the Inter-club Cup, for 14-foot.ers, the Idle Along Championship the Duncan Cup, for Takapunas, and the Tauranga Cup. Entries Cluse To-mui’row. Attention is drawn to the fact that | entries for all the above inter-club events close to-morrow. Although these races are being run under the auspices of the Evans Bay club, entry should be made with the racing secretary of the club, to which the owner of the boat belongs. For the Inter-club Cup any centre-boarder with length between 13ft. lllin. and 14ft. OJin. may be entered, but the other three events are limited strictly to boats of the “I.” “Z,” and‘“T” classes respectively. Anniversary Day. The annual Anniversary Day regatta io also being held in Evans Bay this year, and an ambitious programme comprising 15 races has been drawn up. An invitation has been extended by the club to all competitors and visitors to make the clubhouse their headquarters to* the day. Post entries will be accepted for events at this regatta, which takes place next Tuesday. Wellington yachtsmen have clung to their Anniversary Day regatta despite the vicissitudes of the weather, which for quite a few years past has alternated between howling gales and flat calms. Let it be hoped that next Tuesday will see no break from the run of splendid yachting weather that this season has so far seen. A Novel Capsize.' Wellington yachtsmen have from time to time demonstrated a variety of ways of capsizing a boat, but one way rarely seen was performed by Tommy Reynolds and his crew a few weeks ago. They decided to take Jannet for a spin. But disaster lay in wait for them, and barely had they passed out of the boat harbour entrance when in some inexplicable fashion they capsized—to windward 1 Courtesies of the Sea. The following incident took place on the Waitemata (writes “Speedwell’' in the Auckland “Star”), and shows the true courtesy of the sea, which is always strictly observed by British men-o’-war. Early in 1896 H.M.S Orlando, the British flagship on tlie Australasian station, was anchored off the Queen Street Wharf in the man-o’-war ground. Also at anchor near her were the French warship Dougay Trouin and the German warship Falke. As the Dougay Trouin was leaving port sl;e had to pass the Orlando. The Frenchman dipped his ensign, which was promptly acknowledged by the British ship, ami the Orlando’s band played the “Marseillaise.” the Frenchman’s band responding with “God Save the Queen. ’ On passing the German warship ensign® were again dipped, the German band striking up the “Marseillaise.” the Frenchman replying with the “Watch on the Rhine.” As soon as the Dougay Trouin bad drawn clear the flags of the international code were broken out from her mizzen-topmaht head, conveying the message, “9'hank you.” to both warships.