AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 568, 22 January 1929, Page 14

AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

By

KEELSON.

REFLECTIONS FROM AKARANA

Although the Akarana Yacht Club's annual "cup day” sailed on Saturday provided no racing of an outstanding character, the four general handicaps, star class event and launch race, Were all interesting. The Waitemata was in quiet and scintillating mood, and the dozens of white wings scattered over its surface made a delightful picture.

In all the sailing divisions good fields turned out, excellent starts were the rule, and above all the yachtsmen enjoyed the outing. The same faithful trio of launches trundled away for a potter about the harbour on the declared times system of racing. The course was about ten miles and the skippers handed to the officials before the start an estimate of the time they expected to take on the trip. Mr. L. Heard, in his new launch Kenya, was only lmin 17sec over her nominated time, Nyria, 2min 57sec over, and Helen C., 13min 2sec under.

The combined handicap for keelers was a gift for lona, the Bermudarigged C-classer, brought last season from Lyttelton by Mr. W. Waddell. This was lonaT’s first win on the Waitemata. The old champion, Ariki, went into the lead from the start and of course finished first. On handicap she took second place. Thelma was only lmin 54sec, on allowance, behind Ariki. In general the handicapping was good. It should be noted that Ladye Wilma was placed third, not Mahaki, as announced in other reports, through an official error in working out corrected times.

The small boat races were marred owing to an unfortunate drop in the unreliable northerly breeze, which permitted the various fields to get halfway round and then petered out for about half an hour while the majority of the little yachts idled about waiting, like Mr. Micawber, for something to turn up. Now and then a puff would come down from some unexpected quarter and a boat here and there would bowl merrily along for a minute or two, only to get in the doldrums once again. The crew of the 18-footer Secret was observed enjoying a swim round its lifeless boat. Officials on the flagship Valkyrie were heard in facetious remarks as to whether the boat should be penalised as “no member of the crew shall join or quit a boat during a race.” The problem, if there was one, was solved, because Secret was unable to finish, as were several others.. Akarana’s sailing committee will deal with two protests to-morrow evening. Mahaki and Starloch* have entered mutual protests, as have Drone and Maratea. Many members and guests of Akarana enjoyed an outing during the week-end. The Valkyrie had over 50 on board, and at the end of the picnic went off with a small party to Canoe Rock for a short fishing trip. MANUKAU ACTIVITIES The cruiser competition for the Kermath Cup on the Manukau on Saturday afternoon was closely watched. Fourteen boats had been nominated, but only seven faced the starter. They were sent away on handicaps laid down by Mr. A. Brain. The file out was Ramona, Mermaid, Katui, Elma, Mademoiselle, Dione and Surprise. The last boat is classed as soinething of a racer. Katui and Ramona struck trouble, one failing to pick up the water and the other running out a big end. Ramona was first to swing round the far buoy on a course of 28 knots; Surprise, the scratch boat, had overhauled Dione before reaching Langholme. When in sight of the winning mark Mademoiselle ran short of benzine and lost pace, spoiling what seemed a winning chance. Ramona, the slowest of the division, had the tide to contend with and was 15 minutes 'later than the others; only s?j minutes separated the first boat from the fourth, a good test on a reliability run such as this. The homeward run finished in the following order: Surprise, Mermaid, Mademoiselle, Dione and Ramona. The owners of Surprise spent great efforts in preparing their craft, and seem to have got her going well for the first time this season. The time taken for the whole race of 28 miles was 2hrs 27m.

Calculations as to the winners were somewhat upset on Saturday when the wind which had been from the north for several days changed to the south about half an hour before the start. Boats which had been preparing for a light day looked round for the heavier members of their crews. The breeze did not increase, but those -who found their extra live ballast were let in. The Cruising Club sent its boats away off their handicaps. This way seems the most popular and is much better for the spectator, who naturally expects the first boat over the line to win and cannot make it out when he finds that in all probability on the flying start she has not got a place. One feature of the racing was the meeting of the oldtime champions of Tamaki fame. Many of the older yachtsmen will remember them —Aoma and Myra. They both started, off scratch , and Aoma. sailing a great race, won from Champagne by about ssecs, with Myra unplaced.

Some fine handicapping in the launch race resulted in six boats crossing the line within ssec, with the others very close. Pal-o’-Mine has at last got properly tuned up and was unlucky to get only fourth. Cremorne, which used to be up Henderson way, is having trouble with the water circulation and did not start.

The Cruising Club is catering for outboards and intends putting on a couple of races at an early date. Outboard owners are asked to get in touch with the secretary at Onehunga. The rules are the same as those of the Power-Boat Association. The championship of the Manukau will be held on March 2, weather permitting.

MODEL YACHT RACING Model yaclit racing, which is carried on extensively in England. America and Australia, appears to be gaining greatly in favour in Auckland. Several flourishing clubs are catering for this interesting sport. “Felix” writes that although post entries are the usual thing in model racing, many entries have been already received for the Anniversary Day events, and the contests momis’e to be keenly run. The boys’ race has so far drawn 12 entries, chiefly from Onehunga. For the open handicap nine yachts have already entered. The two races carry prize-money to the value of £4. Over 20 boats will compete in other races. A model yacht race conducted under the auspices of the Manukau Cruising Club on Saturday attracted 12 entrants. So keen was the racing lhat 10 boats finished within llm of one another. The result was:—Master T. Lloyd. 1; Master B. Wymer. 2; Master E. Vickery. 3.

N.Z. SPEED-BOAT CONTESTS

WANGANUI REGATTA TO-DAY

Several Auckland speed-boat men and outboard drivers are to compete in

the annual Wanganui speed championships held on the river to-morrow. Mi-. R. Mouat, in his natty speedboat Hobo, is considered to have an excellent chance of capturing the Masport Cup for the open speed-boat championship of New Zealand, now held by the J. and J., of Wanganui. Mr. Mouat is representing the New Zealand Power-boat Association. It is about three years since the cup was in Auckland. It was theh held by Fleetwing Junior. Hobo has a -7 Ji.p. Buick engine and a Margaret hull. Miss Clevedon, owned by Mr. t. Roberts, cannot race for the open speed-boat championship, as his iig craft is not fitted with a free clutch, but is after the prize money ottered in the handicap races. Miss clev ’®”°™ is powered with a 150-h.p. Beardmore aero engine, and can make from «-t> to 40 knots. „ ~ _ Auckland’s veteran of speeding. Mi. C. J. Codings, who is commodoie ol the Power-boat Association, will lace a new Fleetun, which is an ment on the first Fleetun. He hopes to get the B class outboard championship. Mr. C. Palmer, in Miss Akarana, last year’s champion will defend. Mr. S. Fords U-Devil n\ill als« L °Mi- Lt A Townsend, racing * llss Arawa, and Mr. 1.. Stericker with Hum Bug will contest the open and hanmcap outboard events with their highP T C and by Messrs. James and John Alderton, reached a speed of nearly 50 miles an hour a year a„o fn defeating the Auckland representative, Fleetwing Junior. She has a 300 hp. Fiat. In shape the boat is something like a bullet, and its; shape enables the driver to make turns not possible in an ordinary speeder. Another Wanganui boat : Kotuku, owmed bv Messrs. Hatriclc and Co., Ltd., is a. sister craft to Fleetie, but is powered with a Curtis aero engine. MORE RACING ON THE WfIAU A series of outboard and speed-boat races will be held by the New Zealand Power-boat Association on the Wliau River on Saturday, February 2. the programme will consist of four outboard events and two for speed-boats. Event No. 1 will be a B class outboard handicap. The second a speedboat handicap for the Auckland rovincial Challenge Cup and trophies. Then will come a B class outboard championship for a challenge pennant. Following that is an open outboard championship carrying as prize a pennant. Tho fifth event is an open speed-boat handicap for a prize el 1 u plus the entrv fees, which for each boat is £3. There is also an outboard handicap for a prize of £5 plus entrance fees, which is 3 0s for each competitor. This is subject to five entries. „ _ . , The courses will be decided on leturn of members of the assocaition who are competing at Wanganui. OUT OF THE LOCKER There is no limit to the lengths some thieves will go. A well-known boat at Devonport was on the slip, being touched up. and after having placed it in the water the owner went on board to do a bit of tidying up. He then discovered that the copper ventilators had been replaced by tinned iron ones, painted to resemble the originals. # 0 While fishermen, amateur and professional. on the Manukau have been reaping a glittering harvest, the amateurs on the east side have been fishing mostly in vain. One man wno went out beyond Tiri last week-end recounted that he “went miles without a bite.” Some others managed to land a few schnapper. but the dream of a hapuka steak was not realised. REGATTA ARRANGEMENTS * It was reported by Mr. J. C. Hewson, secretary to the Anniversary Regatta Committee, at its- meeting last evening that the schooner Margaret W. would be available as flagship for tho use of officials only on Regatta Day. . . After some discussion it was decided to advance the time of starting the races by half an hour. In response to a request from the owners of A class yachts it was also agreed to start the race for class A at 11 a.m., instead of 3 0 a.m. This means that the first race on the programme, which is for class X. will start at 10.15 a.m., instead of 0.45. C class will be sent away at 10.30, E at 10.45, A at 11, and B at 11.15, and the others at intervals of 15 minutes.

In view of the fact that several of the Takapuna 12ft Gin one-design boats are now at Lyttelton taking part in the Cornwell Cup contest, it was agreed that the race for class Z be for the prize only and not for the championship flag. A contest for the flag will be arranged on the return of the boats from Lyttelton. The treasurer reported that £224 had been collected to date. Mr. O. Johnson was elected starter in place of Mr. G. Mobberley, who is now out of Auckland, and Mr. J. Mahon was elected assistant-starter. SATURDAY’S RACING On Saturday the oldest and the youngest of Auckland’s clubs will hold racing events. The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has the annual measurement race for the Mackv Memorial Cup and an event for its M class. At Kohimarama the baby Tainaki Yacht Club will conduct a programme for the smaller classes. The Takapuna Boating Club is to carry out a challenge contest against a boat representing the Manukau Yacht Club. lona, sailed by Mr. J. J. Mackay. commodore of Takapuna, will contend on behalf of the Boating Club, and Ladye Wilma, with Mr. Hudson, owner of Waihere 11., at the tiller, will represent Manukau. The course will be from Stanley Point to Owhanake ifthewind favours that trip.