REFLECTIONS FROM AKARANA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 540, 18 December 1928, Page 14

REFLECTIONS FROM AKARANA

The Akarana Yacht Club ™ s favoured on Saturday yvitlr the ye best of sailing conditions, for the sta iit least A spanking southerly bieeze that later changed to , a f ®° U ’ orovided fine movement for all classes of°yachts, and for the boats especially proceedings were exhilarati right round the course. _ . . Minor accidents were inevitable and several boats had to retire for one cause and another. The heeler Nn-Toa snapped her spmnahei boo after she had passed Bean Rock on l the run to Awaroa Bay. She lost se\eiai minutes in coming up thewmdt pick up the pieces. The: 3-footer Marie blew out her spmnakei and also smashed her boom. The S boat ai tral lost her bowsprit and had to pun out. Racing with this club a year ago Mistral carried away her bobstay. The M boat Maratea, carried an ay her Ul erne tr of*'the finest sights seen this season was the start of the race for mullet-boats of L and _N classes. With the exception of Mowai. which v as late, all the boats got away in a spectacular cluster in the brilliant sunshine, and looked magnificent. Another good start was witnessed m the M event, i Close get-away is. however, the rule in this division. The launches only five, purring on the line like a Pack o panthers, also sprang away to a splendid start. The system of declai ed handicaps seemed to work out satisfactorily and if taken up universally for cruising races, might eventually stay the rot that has got into the root of launch racing. „ The number of competitors in ali events was considerably fewer this year than in the corresponding series last season. Sixty-one raced then and only 52 on Saturday. The deficit vvas spread over classes A and B, S and T, The cruising races for yachts were absolute failures as races. Between 4.15 and 4.30 the leading boats Mystic and Wild Wave, which had established a long lead, got into the doldrums not a great way from the finishing line. There they stayed for half an hour praying for wind while the slow horses came up tantalisingly astern with a sou’-easterly and caught up the leaders. The result was that the A class keeler Thelma finished first of the entire feet at 4.53.11, and the last of all was the N boat Wayward, which arrived at 5.20.11. It was a singular thing that despite the calm the races have never finished earlier in the history of the club, according to one old hand. The usual finishing time is between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. , . The customary dance was held in Gordon’s Hall, and the attendance must have constituted a record. About 300 yachtsmen and their friends were present. The Rev. Jasper Calder and his entertaners put on a breezy selection of concert items, which were much appreciated. On the Sunday morning Mr. Calder conducted his service, this time in the hall, on account of threatening rain. Yachtsmen responded in good numbers. The chaplain's choir contributed anthems and hymns. MANUKAU ACTIVITIES NEWS FROM BOTH CLUBS The south-westerly breeze on Saturday brought up a jobble on the Manukau that caused a number of boats to withdraw from the Manukav Yacht Club’s harbour races. . The starting list was: Sea Toiler Nyria, Valdora, Waitere 11., Sea Lion, Betty, Florence, Gold Light, Mist Maid. Most of them had a single reef in, but Miss Maid, with a Marconi rig, broke her crosstree at the end of the first round, when in a leading position. Waitere 11. collided with a 12ft 6in boat and lost time that she could not make up . Florence, which sprung a plank the previous weekend, was so full of water at the first mark that she had to be run into shallow water and bailed out. Sea Toiler, Sea Lion, Betty and others found the water too .rough. Nyria, sailed by Andrews, gave easily the best performance. The finish was Nyria 1, Valdora 2. In the Manukau Cruising Club’s race Sea Horse, Champagne and Sea Gnome —the only boats to get through—were first, second and third. In the launch races the Manukau Yacht Club’s placings were Elma, Norma, ePnnant and Surprise. The Cruising Club’s race went to Regal. The new racing boat Felix, owned by Mr. Cecil Sutherland at Onehunga, surprised the timekeepers and onlookers during her week-end trials. The owner and two friends also had a surprise. Turning quickly the boat heeled over and the crew was thrown overboard. Nyria and other yachts were nearby to pick them up, while other willing hands rescued the launch, which kept up speed for some time. The first series of elimination races in the single-handed sailing of Z boats on the Manukau took place during the week-end. The boats Comet, Norwilson and Tuatea were sailed by men placed by a draw. Messrs. Pardmgton, Herbert, Schnauer, Fletcher, YDung and "Wilson competed. Messrs. Pardington and were recorded as winners in the section. The best race was between the Tuatea, sailed by Mr. N orman Wilson, and the Norwilson, sailed by Mr. B. Young. The latter boat was short of part of its centre board, but the finish of the race was remarkably close. The first three races placed the boats: Comet, Norwilson, Tuatea; the next three lust reversed the order, indicating that the boats are substantially the same in sailing capabilities. YOUR CRUISING EXPERIENCES During your holiday cruise you are sure to meet with interesting and unusual experiences and incidents. - Why not make your log records available for the entertainment for your fellow boating men. So when you come back write to The Sun about it. The story of your cruise will find manv interested readers. *