Enclosure No. 5. to Despatch No.444of the · October, 1903. Extract from the "HongKong Daily Fress" of the 8th October, 1902.
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YACHTING IN HONGKONG,
The fist breath of the Lorth-east monscoa hes core as a welcome reminder that the yachting sourou proper is close at hand. A year or two ago during the sweltering heat of summer. pleasure craft were surely to be seeui silcat, but since the acquisition of the New Territories a comfortable shallow-dranght type | of cruiser, suited to local conditions, has been evolved and several of these useful craft have been in commission during last summer. They are of an interesting type these cruisers unlike anything to be seen in Lome waters and with their long, low, but beamy hulls, sharp bows, big rudders and Chinese sails are strongly reminiscent of the "Hakka" boat, formerly But common but now rare in those waters. though the paltry breozes and blistering heat and glare of a summer's day may be endurod in such craft as these, the owners of the smaller cruisers and the racing twenty-fours are compelled to trait their sport to the duration of the north-east monsoon. During the next few weeks A King's yard, where inest of the yachts have summered, will be at its busiest as boat after boat is fitted out. Soon after the beginning of November the season will be in full swing, and the long | series of races organised by the Royal Hong- kong Yacht Club will start. Yachting has always been a favourite sport in Hongkong, bat since the foundation of the Yacht Club it has flourished as it never did before, and there are now on the Club's register more yachts than have ever before lesa owned in Hongkong in any one year. The total tonuage may not be as great as in the old days when big cutters used to race here, but it cannot be far short for of cruisers of twelve up to twenty-fours tous there are six, of smaller craft-uainly intended for cruising-four, and of twenty-four ft, raters, old and new, fifteen and two building. This large fleet of twenty-fours is divided into three classes: the first class consisting of the uewest and best beats; the second, or handicap, class of boats which formerly 1aced in the first class but which have been outbuilt and cannot compete ou equal terms with the newer boats; and the one- design class consisting of four boats all built to the same lines. In the course of the six months' season there are held under the auspices of the Yacht Club twelve Club" races for each of the three classes and at least as many other races, usually bandicaps, for prizes presented
Club" by various donors. For the prizes are not given for each race, but the winner scores ter, the second four, the third one point, and at the end of the season two substantial prizes are given by the Club to the winner of the two highest aggregates in each class. The Yacht Club, which can boast of being the premier "Royal" Club in the Colony, is a vigorous organisation consisting of about one hundred members, keen yachtsmen most of them, for paid skippers are unknown and members sail and man their boats themselves. The Club is at present somewhat handicapped by having no club-house and uo permanent) auchorage of its own. The Naval Extension drove them from their old auchorago and the Wanchai Reclamation, when carried out, will turn to dry land the anchorage off A King's yard now used by most members. The question, too, of a new repairing yard may soon become acute, for A King's tenure of the piece uf foresbore he now occupies is precarious;
races
ex-
but sufficient for the day is the evil thereof, the Club can flourish under present conditions and it is to be hoped that before those conditions chauge a convenient anchorage and a site for a new yard may be found. Yacht racing is popularly supposed to be a very expensive amusement, but in Hongkong at any ruta it is not so, though the cost has undoub tedly increased somewhat of recent years, and two or three men of very moderats means clubbing together can race a twenty- four without difficulty. Every year a sound yacht or two is for sale at a reasonable price, say from 8200 to $500 complete, and the cost of keeping a yacht in racing trim, including wages and all small repairs and renewals, need not exceed $25 a month.
the Fow places in world offer such advantages as Hongkong F to the beginner. In the landlocked Lartone there is practically 10 danger, the i pense is small, the races frequent, and at times fixed to suit the busy man. Few sports are so exciting as yacht racing sad faw games call for greater nerve and judgment, but the rawest beginner need not despair, for every time he goes ont he will see others little better than himself learning to handle their hoats and though he may not win races at first, it is certain he will do so iu time, if he will only persevere and profit by his failures. But after all racing is not the be all and end all of yachting on off-days, Saturdays and holidays what can be more delightful than cruising in and about the neighbouring bays and islauds. No one who does not yacht knows half the beauties to be found within a very few miles of the Clock Tower, nor does he know Low asgait contly exhilerating the air of liongkong can be. For the hardworked man, for the man who has to live in this stuffy town of ours, there is no sport so healthful, no tonie so efficacious as yachting, and large as is the aureber of sailing craft to be seen out on a fine winter's day, the only wonder is the number is not double as groat considering the unrivalled i advantages Hongkong can offer to yachtsmer.