Personalities Afloat

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 266, 31 January 1928, Page 14

Personalities Afloat

f MR. J. W. ANDREW , First Commodore Tamaki Yacht Club. The first thins to be done in the founding of a new club is to select officers with the welfare of the project fully at heart. When the Tamaki Yacht Club was inaugurated, three years ago, John W. Andrew was B'“ jlected to the honDured position of its first commodore. 1 The rapidly growing districts of Kohimarama and St. Hellers Bay were then without an organised boating club, It was rightly J. W. Andrew considered that a yacht club should be formed. Mr. Andrew was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the plan, and his keen sense of sportsmanship, together with a lifelong association with aquatics. made him a valuable first commodore. His first acquaintance with yachting dates back to the days when, as a lad, he owned and sailed several small boats on the Tamaki River, before the days of power boats. His first experience of racing on the Waitemata Harbour was in 1906, when he won the New Zealand Power-boat Association’s handicap race for a motor dinghy presented by Mr. James Read, and engined by Mr. W. Spinks. Among the competitors were the Slim Jim and the Togo. Many of the old hands will remember this race. Of late years Mr. Andrew has not gone in for much racing, preferring—like many of those older boatmen—to leave the more strenuous side of the sport to the younger men. As owner of the fine cruiser Caprice he spends a great deal of his leisure time in cruising about the harbour, and frequently far afield. John W. Andrew, of Ford fame, is as keenly interested in launch engines as in motor-cars, and it is little wonder that power craft hold a great attraction for him. He held office as commodore for two years before resigning early this season in favour of Mr. W. A. Wilkinson. As willing as ever to help the club along, Mr. Andrew still serves on its committee. MARATHON RACE FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS A hiarathon race for outboard motorboats will be conducted next Saturday afternon by the New Zealand Powerboat Association. The event is timed to start off the King’s Wharf at 12.30 p.m. Prizes have been presented by the commodore and rear-commodore of the association. A course of approximately 23 miles has been selected. It is as follows: From starting line off King’s Wharf, to sandspit beacon, thence to Birkdale beacon, thence back round Sunken Rock to finishing line on the Whau River. All turning marks are to be observed on the starboard hand. Conditions stipulate that two occupants must be carried in each ooat. Paddles and lifebelts are to be provided. The association will hold its annual picnic on Saturday, February 11, on the banks of the Whau River. Speedboat races will be conducted on that day over courses laid on the Whau. The association claims that speed second to none on the harbour have been chosen on this river. BEHIND THE SCENES The immensity of the secretarial work in connection with the Anniversary Regatta is little realised by those not actually engaged in recording the starting and finishing of the large number of racing events. While hundreds of spectators were enjoying the scene on the harbour the Results Committee was working at a fast pace in noting the movements of the contestants. The secretary to the committee, Mr. J. C. Hewson, has done a tremendous amount of work as the scribe behind the scenes, and not the least of his labours was the preparation of a large “results table,” which Involved the expenditure of a great deal of time. The table was a work of art in neatness and lucidity, and with its aid the recorders were able to work out placings without confusion.