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YACHTING.
(Notes by "Ringtail.")
Saturday's race added a further illus
tration to the time-worn axiom begin
ning "'Man proposes-." And, clair
voyantly, Adam Lindsay Gordon might
have been thinking of it when he reflect
ed, "How strange it seems that a man
should miss when his life depends on his
aim."
Everybody interested in local yachting
had for some time past been looking for
ward to it as one of the most important
club events of the season, and as oneolike
ly to be productive of some good racing
on the championship course. Meomo had
one leg in for the handsome trophy pre
sented by Mr. Alfred Sandover, and
hoped to conclude her partial win. And
Westra was determined, if possible, to
frustrate this attempt to put an end to
the annual competitions for the dup.
But. despite the sanguine anticipations
engendered by the well-understood' con
dition of affairs--or, perhaps, because of
them-the event, from an onlooker's
viewpoint, proved a fiasco. The race
had scarcely started when Momo's peak
gave way, leaving Westra to 'dally over
the course as she liked, for the weight
of the brisk sea breeze denied Casilda any.
tangible chance. while Gloria, the winner
of the first of these competitions, was al
most hopelessly outclassed.
The cry of dismay that went up from
the clu~ steamer was immediately chang
ed into expressions of commiseration
with the crew of the fallen favourite.
But, whilst it is admitted that break
ages in the equipment of even Seawhan
aka Cup competitors have been known to
occur just at the wrong moment, it must
he remembered that the conditions there
are widely dissimilar from those of, the
more important races of the Swan season.
There, as we understand it. one of the
worst features of the emulative fever is
the mad scramble for lightness, resulting.
as it inevitably must do, in everything
being. taxed perilously near to breaking
strain. When anything goes it is. al
most without exception, owing to a tis
calculation. In the present inexplicable
case. if a miscalculation were made at
all it was of a negative order. Some
hours had been spent in screwing the
boat up to concert pitch. much of the
gear had been overhauled, and even the
peak discussed. But. though attention
was drawn to the very bolt that wrought
the mischief, no active steps were taken
to disprove the suspicions expressed by
one of the crew. It. should be safe to
affirm that, whatever breaks during next
season's race for the Sandover Cup, it
won't be Memo's peak.
The Moyea. Mr. P. W. Armstrong's
new venture, had a flop round in Satur
day's race. Most of her attention was
taken up with the sail-carrying problem
set her by the aspiring owner, and she
refused to lend herself to any satisfactory
understanding. In sheer caprice she
missed stays on coming away from the
shed, and, on her throwing round shortly
before the start of the race, the unusual
sight was afforded of a modern rater ob
stinately in irons with stern way on.
However, she has a clean, easy, under
water body that, heeled, bears well for
ward and right out to the transom. She
has spars, sails, anq dear of the best that
ingenuity can devise or money buy, and
it should not be long ere the collective
pride of owner, builder,- and crew is am
ply justified.
The one thiny? missing from Moyea's
equipment is the patent reefing gear in
dispensable to an American owner. com
mon in English waters, and growing in
favour in the Eastern States. The ad
vantages of this invaluable contrivance
would appear to have been entirely dis
regarded on the Swan River. a locality
as well suited as any other for a demon
stration of all that it frequently means
to a racing owner. Referring to the
present season alone, it is safe to affirm
that the results of several races would
have been very different had any of the
overpowered boats been provided with
even one of'the Earlier forms of reefing
gear. With the notable example before
us of the advantage-unnecessary, as it
proved--gained by the Maid of Kent
over the Irex in the international
matches, there is no occasion to quote
relatively obscure instances of races won
in the Eastern State?.chiefly by the pos
session of an ingenious means.of reefing.
With the remarkable facility it offers for
instantaneously decreasing and again in
creasing sail, this gear. introduced on the
Swan in a comparatively slow boat. would
on occasions obviously be of greater va
lue than shape of hull or weight of crew.
A race for boats of the Perth Dinghy
Club. held over the Bricklanding course
on Saturday. was won somewhat easily by
Jonah, with Ena second. Had Ena car
ried a little more weight. had Etna car
ried less sail. had Elma got away to time.
had Sweet Nell not been a debutant, the
result might have been different. As it
was. and is. the handicapper declared
that Jonah "must come back," and pro
bably Jonah will.
Some weeks ago a not unkindly refer
ence was made in this column to "the
snub-nosed matchbox with the plucky
crew"-if not in these identical words,
then at least to that effect. FIrom a re
mark overheird a day or ~o age. it would
seem that at all events., a section of
Memo's crew had accepted the reference
as applying to their boat and themselvcs.
This misapprehcnsiou might have been al
lowed to remain, were it not that. as
applied to Moimo, the description is ountre.
smrcesting in the author an ntter lack of
TrI oneG SesO 01 PTOpportion. actCK 1lI
the thirteenth century a nhilosopher seu
tentiously remarked, "'Tis better to be
dumb indeed than never to be under
stood."
The open races of the Mount's Bay
Club. to be held this afternoon, ate full
of promise--and entries. Indeed, it is
claimed that the nine entries in the rat
ine event constitutes a local record, while
it is certain that the sixteen in th_
plumb-stem class make up the lonsest
list compiled this season. The last
named class will be started in the old
fashioned way but the raters will be
sout off to themore equitable flying start.
Theoretically, this piebald plan will have
the cffect of (a) keepine the 25 competi
Icrs within view of the steamer throueh
out the afternonn.and (1h) hunching on the
finishinrt line the 16plumb-stenmminrswith
about lialf of the raters, to the delight.
of the spectators and the exasperation of
at least several crews whose chances of
success will thereby be sacrificed on the
somewhat sordid altar of display. The
Manu Fairy will leave the William-treet
Pier at. 2.45 p.m. sharp. Following are
the handicaps : .
Raters.--Light breeze: Pirate and
Question, limit: Don, 3min. behind;
Kylie, 5min. ; Melba, 8min.; Moyea,
9min. Momo, 9min.; Casilda, 12min. ;
Westra, 12min. Moderate breeze :
Pirate. limit; Question, 3min. behind:
Don, 4min.; Kylie, 5min.; Melba,
9min. ; Mo3ea, 9min.: Casilda, 144min.:
MIomo, 17min. ; Westra, 17min. Lead
ing breeze: Pirate, limit. Question,
3:min. behind; Kylie, 6-min.; Don,
6min. ; 3Moyea 11min. ; Casilda, 12min. ;
Melba. 12min.; Memo, 13!min. ;Westra,
13'min.
Plumb-stem ilass.-Light breeze: Dora
limit.; Kismet, 4min. behind; Columbia.
5min.; Ena, Etna, Elma, Sweet Nell,
Jonah, and Zephyr, 8min.; Boomerang,
8;min.; Thisbe and Query, 12min.;
Viking. 13min.; Fernley 14min.; Elva
and Olinda, 15min.: Moderate breeze:
Dora, limit; Kismet. 5min. behind; Co
lumbia. 5min.; Ena; Etna, Elma, Sweet
Nell, and Zephyr. 7min.: Jonah, 74min.;
Boomerang, 8min,: Query, 11min.;
Thisbe, 12min.; Viking. 13min.; Olinda
and Elva 17min.; Fernley, 19min.
Leading breeze: Dora. limit; Kismet,
4min. behind; Columbia, Ena, Etna,
Elma, Jonah. and Sweet Nell. 7min.;
Zephyr and Boomerang. 9min.; Query.
Thisbe, and Viking. 12min.; Olinda and
Elva, 14mmin.; Fernley. 16min.
A private match for £5 a-side has been
arranged for this afternoon between the
Fremantle boats Doree and Genevieve.
They will start from the Little jetty at
3 o'clock, go round a buoy off Woodman's
Point Bank, thence round Elbow. and
Beagle Buoys, and back to the starting
point. Mr. A. E. Brown will steer the
Dorce aind Mr. George Brown the Gene
vieve.
The subscriptions to the National Re
gatta. to be held at Fremantle on Anni
versary Day. are reported to be coming
in satisfactorily.
$