AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 758, 3 September 1929, Page 14

AT THE SIGN of THE PENNANT

A NOTABLE YACHTSMAN THE LATE JOHN WAYA'IOUTH “As a yachtsman I always considered the late John Wavmouth beyond compare on the Auckland Harbour, probably in New Zealand,’ was the frank reply of Mr. J. B. Graham, to a query as to whom he reckoned the best yachtsman that sailed a boat on the harbour. J.B. (with an informal j freedom which he thoroughly enjoyed, ! he was more generally called the j “Lamp Post’* by his friends), was j proud to admit that he acquired much of his sailing lore from Mr. Waymouth. The latter always built lus own boats and his brother had built the famous tea-clipper Therinophylae, and the Ysabel, the favourite of Captain Ross and the South Seas, was a Waymouth production. The Absconder (so called from the fact that a runaway apprentice was employed on the building of her), Mapu and Energy were Waymouth yachts. The Energy once raced the Bailey-built Fleetwing (then owned by Mr. Oxley) round Tiri for a wager. Mr. Waymouth took up his usual place of vantage on Mount Victoria, and from there saw the Energy come back to Rangitoto at least 2*min. in the lead. Suddenly the sails of Energy became very dark as compared with those of Fleetwing, and the anxious observers at last grasped that the boat was running with the j boom amidships. It transpired that ! one of the crew had fumbled with the ! ringtail and the man at the tiller, sure j of defeating his opponent, had al- | lowed the fumbler to go on trying to get matters right. At North Head I Energy was only 7sec ahead, and an- | other blunder by her crew allowed ! Fleetwing to get the gun 7sec in front of Energy.’—after a 7-hour race. DEVONPORT YACHT CLUB The Devonport Yacht Club has now progressed to a point where the club needs a clubhouse captain, and, at the annual meeting last week, Mr. W. C. Coldicutt was selected for the post. He accepted it with a reservation that there was not to be too much spade work, a sly reference to the chairman’s remarks about the duties of the office, and at the now-famous working “bee,” which has spent two years of weekends, with spades, levelling off the club’s grounds. Mr. Coldicutt was for many years associated with yachting on the Manukau. “This club is fortunate in having a man like Mr. McKenzie and his boat, the lorangi, associated with it,” was the heartily applauded sentiment expressed by Mr. G. Trevithick, chairman of the annual meeting of the Devonport Yacht Club, in expressing the members’ regret that Mr. George McKenzie would not consent to continue as commodore, an office that he has held since the club was re-formed in 1923. During that time the club has made wonderful progress, and Mr. Trevithick, who was vice-commodore for two years and has been president since, was able to congratulate the club on the fact that it has been able to promote improvements without getting into debt or raising money by mortgage. The new commodore is Mr. Roy Hume, and he has a new set of flag officers. The first duty of the new commodore is to finalise the contract for the erection of dinghy skids and lockers at the clubhouse. At the west side behind the Iris, the Devonport Borough is to erect skids and the boat-owners will find their own boat lockers, to be built on a uniform plan. OUT OF THE LOCKER The Takapuna Boating Club has its annual meeting on Thursday evening, and the club hopes for a large attendance. After formal business has been disposed of, the question of the proposed

& By KEELSON amendment to the opening and closing dav arrangements will be discussed. Mr. W. A. Wilkinson, who has given many years to the advancement of the sport on the Waitemata, and who has been a prominent worker in the interests of several clubs*, has consented to nomination as commodore, for a further term, of the Tamaki Yacht Club. He is anxious, his fellowclubmen say, to see the club in a sound position, and wishes to assist in getting the proposed clubhouse built during the coming year. The Akarana Yacht Club is being’ besieged with applications for dinghy lockers, and although the building of additional space is to be undertaken shortly, accommodation is likely to be heavily taxed. The club asks those desiring lockers to be early with lees. * * * Proposing to extend its slipway accommodation, the Takapuna Boating Club has made overtures to the Harbour Board with a view to securing permission to reclaim a piece 200 feet by 60 feet. The area is at the foot of the cliff near the boathouse, and at present a new park is being excavated on the top. The idea is to build a retaining wall, and get the spoil from the park scheme. Rumour has it that Mr. George Laycock, the efficient secretary of the Akarana Yacht Club, who has held that office for the past six years, is not seeking re-election for the coming year. He feels that younger clubmen should now have a turn. He will be missed, and the club will have to look far for so keen a secretary. It is up to one of the younger hands to step forward. The past week-end having been the I first all-line spell, yacht and launch I men in dozens went down to the i waterfront to make a start on the i overhaul of their craft, or to think j about it. * e The following have been burned off, and have received priming coats: — Awahou (26ft mullet-boat), Mowai (22ft mullet-boat), Lorna (20ft mulletboat), Matariki (20ft mullet-boat). Sun (ISft). Lorna is also being fitted with a new suit of sails. The 16ft flattie Cyclone, the 14ft round bilge j Wendy, and Wild Wave have oeen ! wholly or partly burned off. Scud has j been sandpapered off, and has received a coat of varnish where required, j Leveret has received a priming coat, j The 16ft Phyllis, which was formerly J painted white, has had a primer of ! light blue. ; The Dione, one of the crack boats on the Manukau, is ready to receive a i new engine that is now on its way to New Zealand. M’mselle, another of the power boats out there, is also to be fitted with a fresh power unit. The make has not yet been disclosed, but it is expected that the boat will have some extra speed this season. The foreshore at Onehunga, as on the Waitemata, was well crowded during the week-end, the fine weather coming just at the right moment to give boat owners an incentive to make a start on preparing in earnest for this season. At tlie Richmond quarters they were particularly busy, and about 50 turned out. * if s» Mr. Col Wild, Stanley Bay, has two new outboard boats in hand . One of them is to go to Lake Roto-iti for » commercial firm; the other is a runabout for the Waitemata The outboard fleet is growing steadily. The week-end saw boatmen down at Judge’s Bay booking over their craft. No very serious work was done, the bright sunshine being more conducive to boating talk and discussion of the coming season, but here and there was heard the spasmodic scrape of sandpaper or the tap of a mallet. Speedwell's owners were there, and this slun keeler is going to look as nice as ever. L. Heard's new launch was also receiving some attention. This fine era-* is going to be an acquisition to tn* Waitemata pleasure fleet.