Tide lines: Steam's up

Next weekend is steam time at the National Maritime Museum. A feature of the two-day exercise will be the flashing up of the 1926 steam crane Rapaki, berthed at the end of Hobson Wharf. It will be the first time in four years that Rapaki's boilers have been used. The public will be able to board Rapaki on Saturday and Sunday and see the engines running for what the museum says will be the last time the crane will be using her own boiler. The museum's small steamships, Puke, Eliza Hobson, Gypsy, Victoria and Romany, will be available to take the public on short cruises. Marine Modellers and the Steam Engine Society will also have displays at the museum.

Alison honoured


Betsy Alison was awarded the Leadership in Sailing Award at Sail Expo 2001 in Atlantic City. National Womens Sailing Association president Doris Colgate said the award recognised Alison's 22 national, international and world sailing championships. It also honours her work with disabled, youth and women sailors, including holding clinics in the United States, New Zealand, Chile and the Caribbean. Ranked first in the US and second in the world on the women's match-racing circuit, Alison's present goal is to win a medal in the new women's keelboat discipline at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Water-Watch


High-speed action off Maraetai today is one of the highlights of the weekend on the water. Maraetai Boating Club is the headquarters for the Northern Offshore Powerboat Clubs Offshore 100, which starts at 2 pm. Competing boats, including a Class One racer, will be on display from 10 am. The course is close to the shore and there will be some excellent vantage points. Other activity: today and tomorrow, Squadron weekend at Kawau, including classic yachts (RNZYS); P Class and Starling Auckland championships and Optimist North Shore championships, Murrays Bay (MBSC).

Today: Cruising race to North Harbour-Ponui (RAYC); Three-handed race from Te Kouma to Devonport (DYC).

Tomorrow: Richmond return race from Kawau (RYC); Devonport round-the-buoys race ((DYC); Cornwallis Cup, Manukau (MYMBC).

If your organisation is planning an event on either the Waitemata or the Manukau, list it with Enviroline 0800 80 60 40.