YACHTING

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 7, 9 January 1932, Page 18

YACHTING

• . : • . By "Mainsail" .' . J IDLE ALONG CLASS

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

CHRISTMAS OCEAN RACE

Writing; on behalf of twelve Idle Along, owners, Mr. A. G. Harvey, .of Petone,' comments at length on the as; sertiori : niade by a correspondent that the class does not seem- to be,, ; proving itself, at Plimmerton. ; He. maintains that there is- no-need for the class to prove itself, as-itihas done so: already ,■ and • proceeds ■ to• enumerate the- outstanding performances .of• • Idle Alongs since; the first /boat was built in September, 1930. Of the four boats built that year two went to Worser Bay and were placed on scratch, becoming club champions. At the regatta in Evans Bay, in the 12ffr Oinelass race, the four boats- were all ou scratch, giving time; to professionally built boats, arid all finished .within one -minute from first to fourth. Last year'at Petone the Idle Along was on scratch in 'the 14ft arid'- nrider class and"- won the club championship as well as making a newcPurse- record by 6'miri. ■ Later on the, sister boat, Bongomai, improved on this time. • At Paremata -last: Easter five Idle Alongs - competed,: and: in two allcomers races of: 20 and-25 starters respectively finished ■ first, sccoud, third, fourth,' and sixth. The Kiwi also put up'the fastest time;: Ihi a'special race for Idle' Alongs over about seven miles the boats passed the clubhouse iwithiri" lmin' from first to fourth. ■" Again, •at Petone' last year the- Idle: Along surprised her critics by the ease with which1 she wag righted : With all sails set after an'intentional- capsize. ;Mr.: Harvey asks:; "Can the Plimmerton Tuakana-, with'a sail1 area;of 150 square feet and sfliled by a first-class skipper^ boast of a record half as good as this?" A' Wqrser Bay: 'correspondent -adds his quota tor the 'discussion as[ follows: '' It' is noted with .interest that ;< some mystic ■twelve-footer at Plimmerton gives; Idle: Alongs a generous handicap and still walks away. • In the -fourraces held to date this season-at' Worsei; Bay- and iri. which- three ■Takapunas have' raced the winner.,each timeXhas -been >ah "idle •; Along,: from scratch. The; Taka'punas getia haridif cap of from 2miri to 6miri.: This twelve; fdpter at Plijrim'ertori '■ must be. a; freak boat if ever there was one. ":AddV'a couple of/ feet to her arid- re-design ■! her :prpporti6,natelyj arid-we would- have--a fburteciv:foot;erthat nothing in Wellirigtoricould tpiich. But if'she is such-a Wpridcrfully fast ■ boat' her-club; arid owner can scarcely allow the'< Anniversary: Day regatta'to slip by without some'exhibition of'her "paces. She' Will scoop: up enough prize money easily "to recoup the' owner with the' expense ■of bringing her down; - Then- we riiay see whether the assertion has ari atom, of trtith-initf'^y^Vyiv'';;'^.;'.:;;^ J.. j Timber for Takapunas; ]': : ; ;','V-.';'..,;^; ."Constructive '&'.' final say in ; ,the controversy^ kauri y. ~.white'j,pine -for Takapuna ■:■ boats, ■ is; as follows:—Your correspondent, need: have no '. timidity, concerning, the, suitability -of kauri over white; pine- for Takapuna boats. The life of-kauri is very;'long; tKat of .White pine -Very- short.■> ' -Depreciation■- and deterioration' 'of: the . latter' 'are, :v'ery rapid.. /The' difference in price for^a Takapuna built' of :eithe'r ,of • these timbers.is solittle that it does not; Warrant white: pine.'' Your, correspondent in, hisI. sincerity':may ' not '■ know that there is. a market from one end of New Zealand to - the - other for kauri-built pornWellCup boats. • Study .the. swelling and the shrinkage of the two: timbers. ' Copper' nail-heads ; are,, drawn into white pine, because of its softness, after the wood has swelled. In a little time the ri'yetirig has to:be: tightened up, and the next swelling of the timber repeats the previous disability,•' and' nail-heacli. beingfurther drawn into the timber." A Ayhite "pine boat cannot be made': watertight for any' length of time. All Sanders- Cup;boats, ancient and modern and still.in goodconditionl, are of kauri.- ; There,' are- some exceptionally.' old- r bpats. in. good : condition, in and around .Welling^pn. :b,uilt iof, kauri. ■White;pine pt.. a,similar'agevis,.matcHwqod.. A .boy's finaneial/positidn,' \ :,ik\ more; faithfully ..considered ..by. .those who would. irifluencQ'.hini., to: build";in kauri. boats are. i(no; class" 'boats.;: Notice; ; the almost .imperceptible .drift 'of • the, cream •of centreboard craft,':into .Evans ?Bay, and Paremata, class' .boats," exist;. ClassificHtibn ha> splayed^no small, part in.this. .Tp.;steni.;thisjdrift,.ha;ve for' your objective;. Taurangas, -trup , Takapurias, 14-fob'ters, M class.boats. (patiki type);, it .makes for. better clubracitig. You are riot expected to come into line ait once;' seed' always -takes time fo germinate, but. ii; closing "this c.orre-: spondence 'I cbrigratulate you on. 'your realisation-that, an "arguriieut lost .is knowledge; gained. .' . . ,i. '; . : Paremata Jottings. Club- races were to have been resurived last week-end at Paremata, but owing to the, heavy,-northerly gale which prevailed/ all- events Were postponed! To illustrate the - exceptional strength' of some, of the gusts^ the Kotuku 11., one of the local fpurteen-fboters, 'which 'was lying on a r trpUey,'on ,the hard, was lifted bodily, several: feet in the air, turned a double' somersault''erid-bver-end, aud landed right side' up several yards away on' the. beach. . Her stick was .smashed to; matchwood^: and she' sustained al b.adly cracked keel, as. well as "several .fibs. • Her "owners have repairs under, .way,, arid hope to have Kotuku 11.. ready for: racing this week-end..;. -.; ... ''.■',,',.,,.': Several Paremata'.. boats „ intended. tovisit Plimmerton during, the holiday, season,, .but-the;• prevalence,:pf north-west wjnd^made the tripimpossible, the bar being unworkable for practically the whole period. . '.. :' ■ : '"' Notes. ; .■:'...'■•-. : ■--':.:'.:- ■- , George Andrews, of liytteltrin, builder of the Betty and the Gadfly, is cruising in the Sounds in his big auxiliary ketch Maridalay, which was greatly admired by Wellington yachtsmen who were across the Strait during the holidays. -Professor J. E.'-L. Cull, owner of the Maria, which Was formerly a prominent: competitor in local racing, was a passcrigerfrpm Lytteltoii to Tory Channel, the trip'taking-fS6;'.K*o*nrs owing to.light winds: j'-The"Maria is still at Lytteltpn. Mr., Andrews- intends to bring the Maiidalay across to'"WeUirigtpri when the Sanders Cup contest commences. \ . ' :' '•'•■ ':; -.- ■. .

• The actual < winner •of the ocean race was the Atalanta, which also won the previous season. ; The Kaweue was placed secoud and the Wairere'l. third. Fastest time was registered by the Marangi, and second fastest. time by tlio Atalanta. Nearly all the boats became, becalmed under Wellington Head, and several, were, disqualified for starting up their auxiliaries.