YACHTING

Evening Star, Issue 19781, 3 February 1928, Page 13

YACHTING

[By For’akd Hand.]

FIXTURES. February 4.—St. Leonard’s regatta., February 6.—N.E.H. Club’s Strang Cup race. . February 18.—0. Y, Club races; third Paterson Cup race. February 11.—N.E.H. Club’s pic-: nie. February 25.—Strang Cup race: Port Chalmers Ladies’ Day. N.E.H. Club’s races. March 3.—Port Chalmers Club races. March 17.—Moffat Cup race. April 16.—Broad Bay Club races. Sanders Cup Trials at Stewart Island.—February 17, February 18, February 20, and February 21. WEEK-END TIDES. The following times are according to daylight saving hours:— Saturday, r— Dunedin, 3.24 a.m., 3.51 p.m.; Port Chalmers, 2.54 a.m., 3.21 p.m.; Heads, 2.14 a.m., 1.41 p.m. Sunday.—Dunedin, 4.18 a.m., 3.46 p.m.; Port Chalmers, 3.48 a.m., 4.16 p.m.; Heads, 3.08 a.m., 3.36 p.m. AROUND THE CLUBS. —Ravensbourne.— A concert will bo given in the hall at Ravensbourne on Wednesday next under the auspices of the local boating club. The proceeds will go towards the club’s share of the expense of sending tho Eileen to Stewart Island. May had tho misfortune to lose a portion of her keel, and is on _ the slip undergoing a temporary repair. Eileen was up on the slip during the week for a general touch up. Bob Cardno’s Ripple is also on the slip undergoing overhaul prior to making the trip to Stewart Island with a party to witness the Sanders Cup contest. —Broad Bay.— There was a large number of yachts taking advantage of the fresh northeast breeze which prevailed over the week-end. It is understood that the 18ft Gladeye is to be converted into a cabin outboarder, and her owner is very confident that she will be a success. Now that the skimmer Kia Ora has been sold to the Mah brothers,- of St. Leonards, she is not seen at the bay so frequently as previously. NORTH-EAST HARBOR. At a meeting of the North-east Harbor Committee held during the week it was decided to postpone the three races fixed for February 25 owing to the Port Chalmers regatta falling on tho same date. The allcomers launch and the outboard races have been fixed for March 10, while the Strang Cup race for local yachts will be held on the evening of Monday, February 6, at 7 o’clock. The committee also decided to hold an allcomers yacht race on March 10,

On the evening of the same clay the club will hold a social evening in the hall in order to help defray the expenses incurred in sending the Eileen to the Sanders Cup contest at Stewart Island. It was decided that one of the rooms in the shed be handed over to urn rowing club as a dressing and committee room. This will no doubt be appreciated by the oarsmen, who will be able to keep their gear separate from that of the parent club. In future the club’s course lor launches under 9 in.p.h. will be _ reduced from eight miles to four miles, as it is thought that the longer course is too much for the small boats. YACHTING SQUABBLES. The recent quarrel over the Cornwell Cup and the perpetual hostility between the Canterbury clubs has moved “ Sinbad” to write in the Christchurch ‘ Star ’ as follows“ It’s sad to say the yachting crowd are not a happy family, for angry disagreements loud in every centre one can see. Otago sets the fashion first, the Cornwell Cup has got their goat, and southern yachtsmen fairly burst to collar someone by the throat. ‘ A dirty trick was worked,’ they say, ‘a wangle of the dirtiest kind. By rights, in Haggisville to-day the Cornwell Cup you ought to find. 1 The fashion thus so firmly set has been in Christchurch taken up, for local yachtsmen can’t pick yet a boat to hold the Sanders Cup. ’Twixt lledeliff men and Lyttelton a deadly war is seen to rage, while Andrews has with neither one been in agreement lor an age. The contest it would surely spoil should we unrepresented be, so won’t some wizard pomsome oil upon the troubled estuary? ” ORIGIN OE THE SPINNAKER. “ Few yachtsmen of to-day know whence the spinnaker originally derived its name,” writes “Ringtail,” in the ‘ Australian Motor Boat and Yachting Monthly.’ “ According to a wellknown authority, the sail was first used on Niobc, belonging to Mr William Gordon, on the Thames on June 5, 1805, and for some time it was called a ‘ Niobe.’ The sail, however, derived its name from the Sphinx, a forty-eight-ton cutter belonging to the late Mr H. C. Maudsley, a member of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, who first set the sail on bis yacht in 1866. Probably it was because of the success of the Sphinx as a racing yacht that she brought the sail into prominence, and it was eventually named after her. It was first known as a Sphinxer, and later ns a ‘ Spinnaker.’ “The old Sphinx won many races, but one of the most famous was from the No re to Dover on May 21, 1866, for which she received a cup which was recently presented by Mr Maudsloy’s son, Mr Algernon Maudsley, to the Royal Thames Yacht Club. The race started at 8 o’clock in the morning, and the competitors comprised one yawl, nine cutters, six schooners, and a lugger. An indication of the size of the yachts raced in those days he gained by the fact that the yawl Xanfha was 1.85 tons, the schooner Egena 160 tons, and the lugger New Moon 209 tons. “An idea of the force of the wind and the roughness of the sea can he gauged from the fact that of the seventeen yachts that started from the Nore, only six reached Dover that afternoon, and the little Sphinx was third in, and so won the cutters match and the cup presented with it, which, after sixty years, has been returned to the club that gave it. , “The Sphinx first set the spinnaker on the Solent on August 15. 1866, m the Rvde Town Cup of the Royal Victoria 'Yacht Club. Referring to the race, a writer says: ‘On bearing away from the Nab they met the whole stream of flood tearing up against them; balloon canvas and all descriptions of Hying kites were given rapidly to the breeze, the Sphinx astonishing all hands by setting an enormous topmast studding sail, which came right down on deck, and which, according to Itchen marine technicality enjoys the distinctive appellation of a “ Spinnaker ”: it made her spin along against the tide, however, and to some purpose, for she passed the Aline, Marina, Christabel successively, and took the lead.’” , ______ FLAG ETIQUETTE. It is surprising how few boat owners have even a rudimentary knowledge of flag etiquette. Badly or improperly flown flags are not only in bad form, but they also reflect the pride, or lack of it, that is taken in a boat. Frequently during the season one sees glaring breaches of the rules governing the flying of flags. Sometimes owners observed proudly hoisting the Union Jack to the masthead of their

commands—those yachtsmen had Royalty aboard, but did not know it. r- Again, others disport the Blue Ensign from the jackstaffi. Such people, or course, have been graciously granted permission to fly this flag by the Admiralty. The Red Ensign is the correct flag, and anyone flying the other does so with the chance of a heavy fine accompanying tire breach. , The club pennant is to be flown liom a small staff at the stemhead, or, if a mast is carried, from the truck. Flags should be hoisted at 8 am. (Sidey time) and lowered at sunset. It is important to remember that the ensign should be hoisted, first and then followed by the club pennant. When lowering them the order is reversed. CORNWELL CUP COMMENTS. “The decision of the Cornwell Cup Committee, ordering a re-sail _of the fifth race between Otago, which finished first, aud Auckland, which put out of the running through Canterbury fouling her and causing some damage to her rigging, was referred to in this column last week ” (states “ Speedwell,” of the Auckland ‘ Star ’), “andthe opinion expressed that it was a wrong decision entirely coincides with the view taken in Dunedin, judging by the expression of opinion in the southern papers and confirmed by vires from prominent men in the sport there.”

After giving extracts from “ For’ard Hand’s” first article on the fiasco, “Speedwell” states: — The fox'egoing exactly bears out what ‘Speedwell’ said at the time tho protest was being considered and put on record in this column last Friday. That this firm stand, taken practically alone and in opposition to tho Contest Committee and other authorities, has been appreciated by Dunedin yachtsmen is proved by many letters and telegrams received by the writer since the Auckland ‘Star’ of last Friday reached that city. To quote ono sent by Mr Charles Sundstrum, commodore or the Otago Yacht Club, aud a practical yachtsman of many years’ standing. He wires: ‘ Deeply appreciate your unbiased remarks in Friday’s _ Star. I congratulate you on your opinion in face of opposition.’ “ The only mistake made in the statement in the Dunedin ‘ Star ’ is to lay the sole blame for the decision on the three judges. Tho decision was arrived at by the full conference of eight delegates. Only one, Mr Roy Lidgard, who officially represented Hawke’s Bay, voted against tho ruling, and asked that his protest be recorded. The Otago delegate was at first against tho decision, but later was asked to vote by the conference and went with the majority. Explaining his position afterwards he said to ‘ Speedwell ’ that ho would ‘ sooner see the boys race until next Christmas than win the cup on a protest.’ This was said in a sporting spirit, but there should never have been any reason to call for it.

‘‘The foregoing is given not in any spirit of personal hostility to the Cornwell Cup Committee, but in the hope that young yachtsmen and older ones, too, it seems, may he able to learn something of the rules of the sport in which they are engaged. That thjs knowledge is lacking in Aiickland is proved almost every Saturday afternoon. Only last week a number of protests were received by oue of the clubs for breaches of the fundamental rules of yacht sailing, and publicity should be given to the protest, the facts set out for decision by the Sailing Committee, and their reason for any ruling given and on what rule it was based. If this is done, then only good can come of such publicity.” “ Speedwell ” is to be congratulated for the strong stand he has taken against opposition. “ Spindrift ” of the ‘Herald’ was non-committal, and “ Keelson ” of the ‘ Sun ’ supported on broad lines the actions of the committee, although, keeping clear of controversial points. FUNDS NEEDED! Otago requires more money to be represented at Stewart Island in the Sanders Cup contest. The appeals made to local and sporting bodies have received the usual response—splendid _ donations—but the Yachting Association is still in need of funds. The cost of sending Eileen and the crew and delegates to Stewart Island will be approximately £6O (unofficial estimate). The association has concentrated on building up a good credit balance, and consequently there was not the same appeal made to the public this year. However, it is well that the fund be not depleted, or that individual members of the association should have to put their bauds in their own pockets. Donations will be acknowledged by the association’s treasurer. EILEEN AND HER CREW. Eileen and her crew (G. Kellett, C. Hill, A. Booth, C. French, with A. Wiseman as adviser), will not reach Stewart Island till 'Wednesday, February 15. The inconvenient lerry passage has been responsible for the fixing of the late arrival of the Otago representatives at the island. An earlier arrival would have meant leaving Dunedin on Friday, February 9, which would have necessitated too prolonged a stay away from work for the crew.

The boat will be out for her final spins on Otago Harbor on Sunday, On Tuesday Eileen will be placed in the shed at Main and Mr Bert Noes will polish her. Messrs J. T. Paul and H. Camp are the delegates to the conference. Otago could have no worthier representation. Both are thorough men. with the deepest interest in yachting. It was fitting that their nomination should be proposed by Mr A. D. Asher, who was associated with Mr Camp as one of the Otago selectors. Unfortunately, Mr Asher will not bo able to make the trip south. At this stage, “ For’ard Hand” oilers both judges hearty congratulations on their successful conduct of the trials and on the thoroughness with which they weighed the qualifications of the boats and crews competing in the local heats.

STEWART ISLAND ARRANGEMENTS.

The first Sanders Cup race is to be hold on Friday, February 17, and thereafter a race will bo run daily until one boat has secured three wins.

In order to allow the many people desirous of so doing to see the races, the Bluff Harbor Board is running a number of special trips. Two of these will be made on Wednesday, February 15, after the arrival of the 6.55 a.m. and 2.15 p.m. trains from Invercargill. On Thursday the tug will leave alter the arrival of the 6.10 a.m. train, and on Friday and Saturday after the arrival of the 6.5 a.m. train.

In order to provide diversion for the numerous people who will be down for the races, it is hoped to be able to run a special excursion trip on Sunday, visiting Paterson’s lulet and Half Moon Bay. The return trips will probably leave the island at about 6 p.m., connecting at Bluff with a special train for Invercargill, but this, depends on the ability of the Railway Department to run a train.

In connection with the expense incurred by the Stewart Island Yacht Club in Connection with the race, the Bluff Harbor Board has voluntarily donated 2s out of every 12s fare they receive, and in addition to this the club hope that in ( consideration of the undoubted advertisement that Southland is sure to receive, a number of people will take membership tickets. ■ Napier is not competing this year, but boats and crews are being sent from Auckland, Wellington, Lyttelton, and Dunedin. Most of the crews are expected to reach the island on Saturday, February 9. It is hoped to hold

the races in Paterson’s Inlet, but in the event of the weather being too rough they will be run off in Half Moon Bay. CLASHING OF FIXTURES. During the past season there have been quite a number of good races completely spoiled by two or more clubs having fixtures on the same days. Some years ago each club forwarded its proposed syllabus to the association, and they wore then compared, and if any events were seen to clash an endeavor was made to even them up. Lately, however, this practice has fallen into disuse, chiefly owing to a club not preparing its list of events till late in the season, and thus keeping the other clubs waiting. It has been said that the association has not the power to make a chib alter the dates of its fixtures, but could not the suggestion be made to one of the clubs that owing to the dates clashing both its own event and that of the other club be altered? Something will have to be done in the matter before next season. FLOTSAM AND JETSAM. The times recorded at the Port Chalmers Club race last Saturday were about six or seven minutes faster than any previous times over the course. This is accounted for by the fact that the boats had the tide with them all the way round the course. Evidently the fame of the outboard is spreading. A local_ yachting man who was recently in Timani reports that one of these craft was buzzing round the harbor. She appeared to be of the soap box design, though on a larger scale.