YACHTING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19996, 13 January 1927, Page 4

YACHTING.

By Rttddbb. January 15.—Ravensbourne Club races. Otago Yatch Club (cruising races to Broad Bay). January 22. —North-East Harbour Club (Elliott Cup race, motor boat race). January 29. —Port Chalmers Club races. February 5. —Port Chalmers Club (ladies’ day). February 12. —Port Chalmers Club races. February 19.—Otago Yacht Club (second series of races) February 26.—North-East Harbour Club (Strang Challenge Cup race and motor race). March 5. —Ravensbourne regatta. March 12. —Ravensbourne Club (Challenge Cup race). March 19.—Otago Yacht Club (harbour race for motor boats and Oliphant Cup race. Easter Saturday.—Broad Bay Club races. SANDERS AND CORNWELL CUP CONTESTS. February 12. —At Lyttelton.—First races. February 14.—At Lyttelton—Second races. February 15.—At Lyttelton—Third races.

Two important events that figure on the Otago iacht Club’s syllabus will be decided on Saturday afternoon. Both events will be cruising races to Broad Bay. The yacht race, a handicap event, will start at 2,30 p.m., and the motor boat race, also a handicap event, at 2.45 p.m. It is expected that most of the dbep-keelers will I compete in the yacht race. The first prize ! tor this event is a tropny presented by Mr H. F. Noes, the second prize a trophy presented by Dr Cottrell, and the third a trophy presented by Mr J. Angell. The first prize tor the motor boat race is a trophy presented by Mr R. Hudson, the second prize by Mr J. T. Paul, and the third by Mr B. Wilden. The Ravensbourne Boating Club will hold its second series of races on Saturday afternoon. Good entries have been received for the all-comers’ yacht race, the race for 16ft and under yachts, and the motor boat race. The Jellicoe class boats that competed in the recent Sanders Cup trials are not eligible to compete in the race tor 16ft and under yachts. Commodore C. W. Sundstrum was absent from the city last week-end. and the launch Norana, in consequence, remained on her moorings. Mr Sundstrum returned on | Monday. j ihe Broad Bay Club is arranging to give the Mark Foy system of starting a I try-out at an early date. The club intends I to hold a yacht race during a week-end, i when all the competitors will be handicapped under the Mark Foy system. The race will bo sailed when all the big yachts visit the bay at the week-end. Broad Bay was the rendezvous of a big fleet of boats last week-end, and a very fine sight greeted the eyes of residents and visitors. All the deep-kcelers—Tucana, Irex, Eileen, Shadow, and Vera—were 1 there, and these boats, together with a I number of the small yachts, spread their | sails to the light breeze. Mr F. Drumi mond’s speed boat, Miss Bruce, which has j claimed so much attention sinco her sensaj lions I debut at the Broad ' Bay regatta on j New Year’s Day, was also at the bay on j Sunday, in addition to quite a fleet of ; launches and small boats. Broad Bay is i fast becoming, a very popular place with boat-owners and crews, as is shown by the fact that the number of visiting boats increases each week-end, especially when fine weather prevails. juie coming contest for the Sanders Cup, to be sailed at Lyttelton early next month, is arousing considerable enthusiasm amongst Otago boating men. Already quite a large number have arranged to visit Lyttelton, and it is safe to say that the races will be witnessed by several hundred Dunedin citizens interested in boating. Several launch owners intend tt) make the trip to Lyttelton with tueir boats. Mr E. Gibson, of Macandrew Bay, will carry a party north in the launch Marata. One of Otago’s greatest boating supporters, Mr Joe Potter, has arranged to visit Lyttelton with the launch Petrel. He will leave Port Chalmers about February 8. so as to arrive at Lyttelton betore the first race, to be sailed on February 12. Three or four well-known Port • Chalmers boating men will accompany Mr Potter. Southland will be represented by a brand new boat in the Sanders Cup contend this year, in place of the old favourite —Murihiku. The new boat has been completed at Chas. Bailey’s yard, Auckland. She was launched last week, and shipped by the steamer Kiwitea, which left Auckland last Saturday for southern ports. An Auckland writer states that the new boat looks a champion of champions, but this of course, remains to be seen. In any case, Mr Arthur Moffett is wise in getting a Rona type a year before it becomes comnulsorv. The new Murihiku will be a boat to be reckoned with in the hands of C. Hansen and the men from Stewart Island. Murihiku II should be landed at Bluff about the middle of next week, and Hansen and his crew will have about three weeks in which to try out their new o yachting writer of the Christchurch Star, in summing up the merits of the various provincial representatives to compete for the Sanders Cup at Lyttelton early next month, has evidently never seen Winifred, Otago’s challenger, in action, when he writes: “Without any undue provincial prejudice, it may be said that Betty will start a hot favourite, close alongside Rona and Dunedin’s representative," Winifred, another old restricted craft, which, given her light breezes—which is, fortunately for Canterbury, an unlikely contingency—should have the heels of the others In any sort of breeze at all, however, Winifred and her skipper, George Kellett, should not prove a specially hard proposition. All those who saw Betty sail in Otago Harbour in February last year know full well that she is a champion, -n supporters predict that the little boat will lead the fleet home if light breezes prevail when the races are sailed. The Christ--church writer also states that Betty has evidently lost none of her old speed. George Andrews will a P l ain _^ e „ at , t and this combination should find little to fear in most of the competition. The launch Grey Seal was iven a try out last Sunday morning. The boat appeared to have a good turn of speed. She has just had her engine thoroughly overSilver Fern has been hauled out and placed on the Utago Yacht Club s slip at the boat harbour for a dry out in preparation for the cruising race on Saturday afternoon. Dug. Paterson intends to make a strong bid for a place this time. , , , The launch Eileen’has been placed on the hard at the boat harbour _ This boat had a narrow escape from sinking during the holidays, the heavy rains putting he nearly down to her rad. The caretaker at the boat harbour pumped her out just in time. .. , The launch Carina met with an accident off Ravensbourne one evening last week, when returning from the Kaik Ihe shaft snapped off outside the stern tube and the propeller was lost. The boat had a large party on board, but fortunately the night was calm. Some time elapsed, however, before a dinghy was secured in order to low Carina to the boat harbour. The weather during the holidays was against yachting and motor boating, but the boat harbour presented a deserted appearance at New Year. The launches Waiters, Matai, Ugie. Silver Fern, Norana, Aotea, Marewa, and the yachts Viking, Sea Hawk, Chance, Heather and KiaOra were away racing and cruising, dhe Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Club members secured a big share of the prizes at the two regattas. , „ The launch Kelvin, after a long spell at tier moorings, was out cruising last week. Her owners have not used her much la Sim-e the removal of the Vulcan dredge from Port Chalmers boats have much more room to manoeuvre to moorings and this considerably minimises the risk of collisions between boats returning to their mooring? after darkness has set in. Mr Miller, the owner of the launch Oran, made a trip to Purakanui last week. The Ijoat made n good passage around, and Mr Hugh Paterson piloted her over the bar, and saw her safely moored. It is about time a cruise was made to Purakanui by a squadron of the smaller launches. Mr Paterson has promised to mark off the channel into Purakanui if sufficient inducement offers. Mr W. Timms, a member of the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Club, placed his launch Jewel at the disposal of the police nnd the parents of the late Roy Simpson. Every da’y, wet or fine, Mr Timms was ready to go out to search for the body, a „ r l 'his kind action was much appreciated. Port Chalmers boat owners spent, most of the holidays afloat. The launches Vyella and Grace Darling made the usual trip to the Heads last week-end Valmore visited Portobello during the week-end, and also on several nights during last_ week. The launch Pnkeha ivas cruising in the lower harbour last Sunday morning and made a

trip to Portobello in the afternoon. The first-class yacht Tucana was not out on Saturday. On Sunday she visitod Port Chalmers, and with ebb tide and light wind had a rather extended trip back to Broad Bay. The launches Manuka and Grace are not being used much at present. LETTER OF APPRECIATION. Before leaving Dunedin for Hobart Captain Decoux, ot the French warship Cassiopee, forwarded a letter of appreciation to the Broad Bay Boating Club, through the commodore (Mr W. O. Martin), The following is a copy of the letter:—“Before leaving Dunedin, I would like to thank you very sincerely for the kind thought which prompted you to invite us to take part in your annual regatta, which you held on January 1. Wo spent a most pleasant afternoon at Broad Bay, which will long be remembered both by myself, my officers, petty officers, nnd sailors who were with me that day. You were thoughtful enough to include a race for the two cutters of the Cassiopeo in your regatta programme, and to denote a prize to the winning crew. Permit me, commodore, to tell you how much this was appreciated. For myself, I desire to express to you my gratitude tor the many facilities you so kindly placed at our disposal, especially the transport arrangements for our boats and the pleasant trip of the visitors of the Cassiopee to Broad Bay Bo so kind, commodore, as to accept my very sincere thanks, and the assurance of my highest appreciation.” “Rudder’’ that Captain Decoux was very enthusiastic, as it was the first regatta ho and his ship’s company had attended in New Zealand or Ausli.liian waters.