AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 46, 17 May 1927, Page 7

AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

(By

KEELSON)

YACHTSMEN’S LOSSES

the FIRE AT LYTTELTON Lyttelton yachtsmen have received a serious set-back by the disastrous fire which destroyed a block of boat sheds on the water-front early Sunday morning, and with them several boats as well, and are deserving of the sympathy that Auckland yachting enthusiasts, as well as those all over the Dominion, combine in extending to them. Aucklanders who have been South know how different conditions for boats in Lyttelton harbour are from those prevailing on the Waitemata. Here where clubs are spread all around the harbour a similar fire might do even more damage—especially at the present time with so many boats “on the beach” for the winter—but the effect would be limited to one or two clubs at the most, and not be felt at all by the others. With the cramped conditions obtaining at Lyttelton, on the other hand, where boats are closely packed together in the small harbour inside the breakwater, the damage might easily have been even more extensive than it was. This is particularly evident from the fact that large pieces of blazing timber from the burning buildings, to say nothing of any fires that might have been started by sparks, floated across the surface of the harbour, endangering yachts and launches lying at their moorings. The well-known Sanders Cup‘contestant, Linnet, owned by Mr. P. Sinclair, was among the boats that went up in smoke. The Linnet El. was built at the yards of Magnus Smith, at the end of 1925, to the order of Mr. Sam Sinclair. Though she did not prove fast enough to win the Sanders Cup trial races last year, she appeared to possess great possibilities. Let us hope that Mr. Sinclair will have another Linnet built, and help to keep up Lyttelton’s reputation of being the keenest supporters of the accepted one design class. The Takapuna 12-footers (Z-class) Sea Pearl and Kai-Iwi, owned by Messrs. Ellior.t, Sinclair and Hubert Norris, as well as a number of dinghies, were also burnt. Both of these boats took part in the race for the Cornwall Cup last February. It was particularly unfortunate that the big 2£-ton keeler which Miller and Company (who with G. A. C. Whitford are the owners of the sheds destroyed) had almost completed for Mr. R Scarvell, should have also been destroyed. The motor-boat Eunice and the fishing launch Bessie were both damaged, the latter to the extent of about £250. The flames soon severed Bessie’s holding ropes, causing her to take the water in the early stages of the fire.

IS ENTHUSIASM WANING? With the closing of the 1926-27 yachting season it is regrettable to look back at events from a yacht racing point of view.

The most notable feature was the ' lack of entries in several of the classes, particularly n the keel boat. 26-footer and Y and T classes. One wonders where all the boats of the two latter classes have disappeared to, and it is very evident that the keenness exhibited by our youthful yachtsmen in past seasons has appreciably worn off, or, perhaps, the growing popularity of the motor boat has absorbed their attention. ° Re thing is apparent and that is that if they have gone forward to larger sailing craft, they have not taken their racing instinct with them. Be that as it may, the various clubs appear to be satisfied with their progress, but I am convinced that a strong individual effort on the part of each member of the respective clubs’ incoming committees in pursuing a vigorous policy for next season, will help to remedy the deficiency. SALE OF THELMA The sale of the well-known keel yacht Thelma has eventuated at last, Previous report of the sale proving a bit premature. ** Is very gratifying to know that this fine ship will take the water next season, and her return to the ranks of the racing craft of the squadron and sister clubs will add considerable interest. I am informed that she has been purchased by a youthful syndicate, Roy Hume being the pricipal shareholder. • * * The 1927-28 season should see the keel yacht Eualie, which has been somewhat out of the picture for the last few years, again to the fore in the various racing fixtures. She was bought recently by Mr. Fred Lidgard, who formerly owned Winifred, the champion 20-foo‘;er. PRIZE NIGHT FIXTURES Clubs have been requested by the Auckland Yacht and Power Boat Association to send in the dates of their Prize Nights before May 24 —next Tuesday—when another meeting of the association will be held. Some clubs have already fixed on a definite date, while others have only decided approximately when their nights” will be. The Richmond Cruising Club’s function will be the first. It will hold a dance in conjunction with its annual distribution of prizes at the Ponsonby Hall in Ponsonby Road in a fortnight's time, May 31. The Manukau Cruising Club lias fixed on Saturday, June 25, for its social and Prize distr bution, while both the Victoria and Akarana Clubs have decided to have their prize nights some time next mont i, but no definite night, has J>een decided upon. The latter’s function will take the form of a social in the Masonic Hal! in Belgium Street., The Maiukau Yacht Club’s annual hieeting will be held in the Clubhouse Monday. June 13. when the date of no prize night will be decided upon.' 11 will, however, not take place until sometime in July. The club has already commenced its popular weekly nances in the Clubhouse, each Thursday night. DEVONPORT AFFAIRS North Shore owners, who have been using the protected area inside the ev onport Ferry wharf, as an anchorage for yachts and launches, will not t me T ** e chan S e recommended by ine Harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant. That the needs of many must come etore those of a few is apparently ne view :aken by the Harbour Board. ~n e e xtra room is needed to cope with e Increasing ferry traffic, both vehi_uiar anc passenger, and yachtsmen must bow to its decision, fa t 6 slight consolation lies in the ml 1 ( ' a P ta in Sergeant has recomenaed that the cost of moving the

moorings to the suggested new anchorage inside the Devonport sandspit, between the wharf and North Head, should be borne by the board. r The matter has been referred to the V orks Committee for report, but it is probable that the move will have to be made within the next fortnight. CLUBHOUSE NEARLY FINISHED The Devonport Yacht Club will soon have a clubhouse of which it will be rightly proud. The building which is well on the way to completion measures 30ft x 40ft, and is situated on the waterfront at King’s Parade. It is being built high enough to provide space for two tiers of dinghies. The committee room will be 12ft x 12ft. The building was formerly the old waiting pavilion on Victoria Wharf. MORE BOATS HAULED UP High water times last week-end were not suitable for hauling up boats, but next one should see owners busy at many of the slipways and beaches on both sides of the harbour getting their craft ashore for the winter. A number of both yachts and launches were hauled up the week-end before last, the high tides experienced facilitating the work. The keel yachts Viking, Ngatira, Ariki, Waione, Rawene, Moana, Rangi and Yum Yum are among those already ashore at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s slipway at Freeman’s Bay, and also the launches Duchess', Kotaretare, Junesse, and Paikea. Nga-Toa is ashore at Shoal Bay, while Ladye Wilma, Eulalie, and Alexa have been hauled up at Bayswater. Drone and Phantom are among those that have gone into winter quarters at Judge’s Bay. MOTOR SPEED KING AFLOAT Having achieved his ambition to travel faster over land than anyone has even done before, Major H. O. D. Seagrave, who set the tremendous speed record of 203.841 miles an hour at Dayton Beach, Florida, in March, now proposes to give up motoring, and to try his hand at speed-boating.

He hopes to do for British motorboats what he did for motor-cars, he says. It will be interesting to see what type of boat he will design for his proposed attempt to regain the international motor-boat championship for Great Britain. He must have something special up his sleeve, to judge from his comment that British hull designs are behind those of America, which have now annexed the international championship for six years.

THE MEASUREMENT QUESTION

A REPLY TO MR. ANDREWS To the Editor,— It is with interest that I read Mr. Geo. Andrews’s reply to my letter of April 19. He appears to be surprised, and ridicules the idea that his boat does not comply with the accepted design.

I reiterate my previous statement, however—that I witnessed a girth measurement of Betty, and saw that she varied approximately four inches from the design. In fairness to Mr. Andrews I will say that the 14-footer Rona was used for a comparison, and as this boat is the accepted standard for building, and admittedly still complies, the considerable variation of the Southern boat for’ard, makes it hard for me to understand how her skipper can claim her eligible.

The forward mould waterline, which Mr. Andrews admits to be out, has always been the most discussed point in the Betty’s construction, and which experts declare is the main reason for her phenomenal speed. Though three-eighths of an inch margin only is allowed, he states:

“This half-inch is the most she is out anywhere, unless alteration of the keel curve has caused greater errors.” Whether these have occurred can only be proved by an official measurement, which would be very interesting to witness.

He states further: “That the reason that Betty is allowed to compete, is because officials have tried and failed to find that she did not meet all the requirements of the specifications.” Might I ask Mr. Andrews who the officials were? It was the duty of the official measurer for Canterbury to pass Betty as eligible or otherwise, and his letter to the “Lyttelton Times” at the conclusion of this year’s contest should suffice.

Here are the essential points, which I quote as far as possible, word for word. «

Replying to a letter in' which Mr. Treleaven. the owner of Betty, has objected to the circulation of a statement that his boat does not comply with the measurements, Mr. Magnus Smith says that the same rumours were in circulation last year in Dunerlin

"I have been asked by many yachtsmen if Betty conforms with the required measurement, to which I have invariably replied ‘No.’ ” He goes on to say that the measurements of the four boats were sent by the Canterbury Sanders’ Cup Association to the Auckland Association to verify whether or not the boats were correct.

“The boats were numbered,” he says, “so that the Auckland Association could not pick any particular owner. The reply came back that Nos. 2, 3 and 4 were eligible, but that No. 1 was not eligible. No. 1 was Betty.” Referring to Betty’s visit to Dunedin last year he points out that “the certificate that accompanied Betty to Dunedin was signed by the builder, Geo. Andrews, and a J.P.” In conclusion, I must disagree with Mr. Andrews in his plea for a return to the restricted class.

While local builders seem to agree that only a slackening up of the restrictions in respect to the forward mould, to allow for a finer entrance as embodied in Betty, will enable them to build a faster boat. I do not think the controlling body would consider it, while they are being provided with the good close finishes between those that are true to type. MOSS.