AT THE SIGN of THE PENNAT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 942, 8 April 1930, Page 14

AT THE SIGN of THE PENNAT

By

KEELSON.

OUT OF THE LOCKER

NOTES FROM ROUND ABOUT Most of the keeler fleet was at Kawau for the week-end. Th») list Included Ilex, Ariki, Moana, Kotuku, lorangi and Thelma. Ilex was sailed by Mr. “Mick” Ensoll, in the absence of Mr. Xorthcroft. There was a good lead home and all boat crews enjoyed the sail. • • * A full-sail breeze from the east gave the M class yachtsmen a trial of seamanship on Saturday. The resail was under the auspices of the ‘ Royals,” and was necessary because of a mark having been removed before the finish of the race on February 22. All the men were soaked and shiverftig before the contest was finished. Maratea won from start to finish. She grossed slightly ahead of Manene, Martro and Mawhiti. Manu was two minutes late. By the end of the first round Maratea had increased her lead 10 nearly two minutes on the next boat. Then came a great fight for places between Manene, Mawhiti and Maroro. These three gybed within five seconds of one another to start the second time round. In the long run home all boats except Mawhiti went well into Hobson Bay. 'Manu had almost wiped off the deficiency she had at the start, by the time ihe line was reached. * * * Brisk easterly weather sent yachts ft long in lively manner on Saturday * t ternoon and the Takapuna Boating 4 riub's races were well fought out. The mullet-boats had a long slog in their

cruising race to Ostend. The 14-footers and Takapuna class boats sailed over harbour courses in quick time. The best race from all points of view was the Z class event. There were six starters, all of which crossed the line within seconds of each other, and the finish was exceptionally close, the last of the five boats that completed crossing the line only two minutes and four seconds after, the first. Me Too had to abandon the race through a mishap to her gaff.

WORLD SPEED BOAT CONTEST

C. C. Wakefield and Co., Ltd., Auckland, have received advice from London that the forthcoming world’s speed beat championship will be held at Detroit, U.S.A., in September. Britain will be represented by Miss Betty Carstairs. the famous woman motor-boat racing enthusiast, driving her new wonder boat. Miss Estelle V. The craft now tinder construction is 28ft long and is fitted with two supercharged Napier Schneider engines, each of which develops 1,300 h.p. The existing motor-boat championship is held by Sir Henry Segrave, at a speed of 87.2 miles an hour, with Miss England, but Miss Carstairs hopes to eclipse this record by a considerable margin in this new 2,600 h.p. craft.

MOANA

YACHT’S INTERESTING HISTORY Moana, one of the best-known yachts on the Waitemata, has had a notable career. Her owner, Mr. E. V. Miller, died some tirfte ago on the way back from Kawau. Logan Brothers built Moana in 1896 for Mr. W. R. Wilson, and she raced consistently and with success against Ida, Heartsease, Thetis, Aorere, and later against Rainbow, Ariki and Thelma. In 1903 she was purchased by Mr. Frank Seccombe, and in 1906 by his brother, the late Mr. A. Seccombe. During this period Moana raced consistently and was also taken on long cruises beyond the gulf. Her crew at that time were ardent fishermen. About this time the Moana won many races, including the first ocean race held by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, which was sailed in a southerly gale. She also established a record in cruising by visiting the Little Barrier for a week-end. In 1910, Moana was purchased by the late Mr. E. V. Miller. She did not race for several seasons, but cruised extensively. During the 1919-20 season, however, she was again raced, and has continued to do so. After the war, when the ocean races were re-established by the R.N.Z.Y.S.. Moana distinguished herself by winning the first. She raced in a hard* and finished 17sec ahead of lorangi. Two yejars later she won again, finishing first, nearly an hour ahead of Waitangi, Victory and other competing yachts. Moana’s final success in ocean racing was achieved by winning the last

race of this kind held by the R.N.Z.Y.S. This was an epic race, the story of which is widely known. A hard north-east gale was raging, and the other competitors gave up and went into shelter. Moana continued alone under full sail until the mainsail and the staysail were blown out off Canoe Rock in the dark hours of a tempestuous morning. The steamer Canopus was hove to off Kawau, which is an indication of the force of the gale. The race ended at 8 o’clock in the morning, Moana being the only yacht to finish. » Moana has been a consistent winner in harbour races. She won the regatta easily in 1926, and has won at some period or other practically every fixture for A class yachts on the R.N.Z.Y.S.'s card. Her last victory was the Horton Bequest, sailed a few weeks ago. Moana has always competed in the ocean race either to Russell or to Tauranga. She nearly won the Tauranga race against the largest fleet of boats which has ever competed in this race, but was beaten on time allowance by a few seconds by Queenie. On two occasions Moana won the Tauranga regata. She revels in light airs with a chop in the sea and under these conditions she has shown herself faster on many occasions than her larger rivals. Yet all her greatest successes in ocean laces have been achieved in heavy weather.

POINT CHEVALIER SAILING CLUB

The Point Chevalier Sailing Club held the final race for the Schmitt trophies and for the Rawhiti Lodge Cup during the week-end. The event was sailed in a fresh breeze from the nor’-east and made the course a limit boat’s race one short windward beat from No. 4 to the cage beacon, the rest being leading and running. The race provided one of the keenest and best contests held by this club and was enjoyed by about 200 spectators. Eighteen boats faced the starter and at gunfire Ivy led the way over the line with Mistral and Oreti 2sec later, closely followed by the rest of the fleet. Mistral and Oreti were smartest with their spinnakers and led the fleet to Walker’s mark, Mistral rounding 40sec ahead of Oreti, with Lois next, followed by Vagabond, Belle and Sea King; and the rest well bunched. Mistral increased her lead and Lois passed Oreti on the lead to No. 4. Mistral maintained her lead and the finish was timed: Mistral, 12.45.31: Lois, 12.52.16; Aratu, 12.56.34; Maidie, 12.59.19; Belle, 1.1.4; Valma, 1.2.43; Vagabond. 1.3.15: Matariki, 1.5.25; Kittawake, 1.5.55: Sea King, 1.5.56: Tulip, 1.6.19: Ivy, 1.7.59; Sea Pixie, 1.10.30; Doreen D., 1.17.14: Sea Wolf, 1.17.46. Oreti, Mystery and Sea Elf retired. On corrected times: Vagabond, 1; Sea Wolf, 2; Ivy, 3. Rawhiti Cup: Ivy, 1; Vagabond, 2; Matariki, 3. ..

LIPTON CUP CLASSIC The big inter-club contest for the Lipton Cup takes place on Saturday under contrbl of the Ponsonby Cruising Club, ■which also has its annual cup events on the same day. In addition to the entries published in this column a week ago, the following new representatives are announced:—Winifred (Takapuna Boating Club), Maidee (Point Chevalier Sailing Club. Earlier entries were as follow Rakoa (Devonport Yacht Club), Marie (Tamaki Yacht Club), Varuna (Manukau Cruising Club), Mowai (Richmond Cruising Club), Malua (Ponsonbv Cruising Club), Valeria (Akarana Yacht Club). In connection with the race a yachtsman has written as follows: Bear Keelson—, The Lipton Cup race will be sailed next baturday, when some of the best yachting brains of the Southern Hemisphere will be matched. Last year we heard, that if any of certain boats won, they would not come up to the specifications and would be disqualified, fins year, though the field is smaller, we still hear the same story. If this is correct, and there are boats entered that do not comply with the restrictions (and the owners must know), they should be sports enough to withdraw before the day and give boats that are eligible a fair go. Nothing will break a contest uu quicker than protests or the feeling that someone is “putting one over” and getting away with it. This may be one of the causes of fewer entries this year. The start of this race could also be improved on. Last year there were at least two boats penalised at the start. The race was timed to start at a certain time, after the X class. Late starts were the order of the day and it was decided to send the Lipton Cup boats away before the X class. When the flags were hoisted, several of the bigger boats lay off to give the little fellows room (one sailed past the stern of the flagship without being told of the change). It was not till the two-minute flag was dropping that the change was generally known among the 22-footers, and one boat’s chance was completely gone, she having to beat back to the line and keen clear of the starters In so doing. I trust that something will be done this year to give every boat a chance even if it is only a blackboard with the name of the event writen on it, or, perhaps, this year it might be possible to start the various events to time and it would not need a change in the programme. Trusting that these lines may have the desired effect, and be taken in the spirit in which they are intended. BACKSTAY. No specific instances of attempts to circumvent specifications have come under “Keelson’s” view’. Unfair tactics are of course liable to enter into the best regulated sporting events. The above letter is published for what it may be worth.

MODEL' YACHT NOTES i A, further sel 'ies of races was sailed by the Orakei Basin Model Yacht Club • on Saturday afternoon when, in a good north-east breeze, seven boats were seen out in the events. The results were as follow:—• , Uacc - —Mercury (2min 45sec), 1; Silver Mist (lmin 30sec), 2; lona (scr), 3. Also started: Miss Orakei ,3min), Bonzo (lmin 45sec), Silver Wing (2min losec), Venus (2min 30sec). A very close race, SOsec separating the first four boats. Second Race.—Silver Wing (2min) Venus. (2mm 15sec), 2; Mercury (2mm 15sec), 3. The same competitors In the first race, and another verv close finish was the result. There seems to be a lot of activity in ihe building of 10-rater models, and if rumour is correct there should shortly be a fleet of six or seven of these fine models m good contests. A new type ?£ r: y ° has made an appearance in the shape of the American “Star” class boat, and she has proved herself to be a nice-looking craft, and good on all sailing points.

Mr. W. T. Wood, of Venus, and Mr. T. McKnight, in the keel yacht Elsinore, are both leaving on Saturday with their brides for a honeymoon in the CJulf. So far the destinations and handicaps have not been announced but the event will be started on the Mark Foy system. Elsinore’s crew is “signing on” at Beresford Street Cnureh at 3 p.m. and Venus’s first mate “signs on” half an hour later at the Church of Christ. Devonport. It therefore seems as if Venus is to allow Elsmore half an hour.