The auxiliary motor is such an unprecedented convenience in the yachting world that it is sur · prising that more of our cruising fleet have not been furnished with ' power ', which would give them immunity from the disadvantages of being becalmed , not an uncommon occurrence towards the close of the season when the breezes become so gentle and die away towards sundown .
The 28 March l 903 race is claimed by club officials as the first motor-boat race ever held in Port Jackson , and perhaps in Australia . This would appear to be so as we can find no record of an earlier race . The nearest appears to bea race on the Derwent River in 1911 .
During Lhe very early period of the twentieth century , enthusiasm spread from the racing even is to the activities ashore . Keen interest was shown in Lhe interpretation of the racing rules , and with the new class racing . Racing rules became important with the yachis being so close to each other during races . and many ' sea lawyers ' developed . The club ' s meetings were well attended and the finer point . s of bolh helmsmanship , seamanship and yacht racing generally were coming up for discussion . and thus being learned by many of the club members .
In the fifteen years to 1903 . sailing races had been most popular ; 171 races were held under the club ' s
au .~ pices and £ 2423 was given in prize money . e •· elusive of the many valuable trophies presented by
members .
The Easter Camp for 1903 was held at Vaucluse , close to Vaucluse House , and supported by F . W . Wentworth who was most helpful . He suggested that there may not be sufficient water in the creek and if so . the club could fall back on the warer service from Vaucluse House . Organisation was detailed . A barber in the camp was leftio the hands ofW . M . Marks . A flagpole bad to be arranged . Guests at the camp dinner included the State Governor Sir Harry Rawson and ADC , Vice-AdmiJal A . D . Fans haw ; the Lord Mayor ; the Town Clerk , F . W . Wentworth ; tlie Commodore , Vice- and Rear-Commodores of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron ; the Commissioner of Taxation ; the Harbour Master , C . E . Pilcher , KB ; the Senior Pilot Watsons Bay ; the Secretary of Railways ; theSuperintendentofNavigation , Lieutenant Commander Brownlow ; the Chief Commissioner of Railways , and joumalistS from the Sydney Morning Hera Id , Daily Telegraph , Evening News , A 11stralia11 Star , S1111day Times and Lhe Bu // etifl .
A landing stage was erected and a pianist was engaged . Cricket material , signal guns , tents . garbage , catering , a band , a steamer for outside fishing . footballs and new-fangled carbide lamps were all organised . It was a huge success and profitable .
The 1903--04 season seems to have passed off quite successfully . Very little of an unusual nature is recorded although the A11 . rrralia11 Field reported thar the rarer Aoma was fined with a hollow spar io 1903 and the skipper was very pleased with the result , but many other sailing men were very sceptical . This appears , other than the bamboo spars of the natives , to have been the first hollow spar fitted in Australia . lt was also about this time that anti-fouling painlS made Lheir appearance .
In J 903 another event worthy of mention took place . A . W . Crane suggested a time limit be fixed for yacht races and that if the races started at approximately 2 pm they should finish at 7 pm . Only yachL ~ finishing before that time could count themselves in as finishing the race . This was defeated . but Mr Crane was persistent and later it was carried . A set finishing time is , of course , an instruction in most of today ' s races .
Little of significance occurred during the 1904--05 season . The membership of that time was restricted to a total of350andstood at approximately that figure . A special clause was added to the eligibility for membership . This was that a person with a yacht that was eligible to be tegistered with the club should have preference for membership . The v • ord ' yacht · in the above clause was later amended to read ' sailing yacht '.
Another of the 30-ft raters , S . M . Dempster ' s Petrel , was not an out-and-out racer but was fitted with a neat cabin that could accommodate up to five people .
Notice of a dinner given by Walter Matks on 23 November I 905 .
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