The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-05-29
River Boats Being Made
Ready for a Season
of Activity.
Long and Short Cruises
Planned as Escape
From Hot Days.
RegattaS and Races on
the Programs of the
Local Clubs.

1911 N<AOOOs
The ring of the hammer and the caIk-
ing lion, the creak of marine railway
windlasses, and the shouting of ship
carpenters. ringers and painters mingle
on. the river front now, particularly
about the places where the big vessels
OF the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay
yacht clubs have been lying throughout
the winter The warm weather has has
tened the work of owners, builders and
renters. and the scene today is Just about
as busy as the river front can be in the
spring.
All along the wharves from the basin
behind the Monument down to the East
ern Branch and Anacostia, pleasure
boats of every known description are
undergoing their annual repairs. and
this year owners are taking more care
in putting their craft into commission,
and are spending more money, because
the old wiseacres Of the river and bay
the men who can forecast the weather
in July by the way crabs act in April
are asserting vehemently that the sum-
mer is going TO be one of the hottest
Washington has endured in n number
OF years.
The United States Weather Bureau has
called attention to the deficiency in the
temperature for the year. and the regu-
larity with which nature has made up
lost temperature with hot days in sum-
mer, so the yachtsmen are beginning to
believe it is to be a good season for
the water. Those who have cottages al
Colonial and the other beaches have
already given orders for them to be
opened within the next week. and re-
ports from Colonial Beach arc to the
effect that between ten and twenty new
cottages have been erected since the
ending Of last SEASON.
Long and Short Cruises.
Colonial Beach is to be the limit of
distance in the cruises of the smaller
poats this year. as it was last year.
The biggest craft, however. are planning
for long cruise TO the North. At least
three owners announce that they expect
TO go to Newport and the other New
England resorts for the summer. These
vessels belong to the Capital Yacht Club
the oldest and strongest organization of
the kind on the Potomac. The other
yacht club is the Corinthian, which has
a large membership. but smaller boats
In fact. the latter club has what might
be called mosquito feet, little bur
swift sloops making up almost the en-
tire membership.
These small craft are undergoing re-
pairs like their larger sisters, the banks
OF the river being white with them.
Amateur sailors OF every class are at
work at the fioodgates, in the draw and
the basin, at nearly all OF the wharves
and on the fats where the mud makes
natural dry docks for craft that can
be beached by hand.
At the present rate Of progress abou.
every boat on the river that is TO be
put into commission this summer viii
be off on canvas wings within the com
ing week This is necessary. as the first
Of the big races Of the season. the an
nual cruise of the Capital Yacht CHM.
is to take place tomorrow. According TO
custom. the big boats are 70 be sailed in
classes and the little boats are to go
along and see that the races are sailed
as they should be
Many Boats Making Ready.
The vessels on the ways being re-
paired. or already ahoat and waiting
for the starters gun in the coming races.
n<A~CAAAeAF
owned by c. c. wiIkerson; the Sea-
belle. the big yawl. OF which former
Commissioner OF Patents II. A. Seymour
IS the owner; the Javelin. a big sloop
which DR.. J. w. Greer brought from the
North a few days ago; the Mist. the
schooner belonging to George II. Bright.
the commodore Of the Capital Yacht
Club; the Nenemoosha, a new and hand
some ffteen-ton yawl, belonging TO
Naval Constructor /. T. Hewins; the
Culprit Fay. Louis w. Weaver, owner;
the See Nee. George D. Fisher: the
Rover, Rexford Smith; the Dawn. the
Blackwood brothers. the Eleanora, Hart
ley and Boytin; the Ethel May, Fowler
and Taylor; the Argo. DR. W. A Frank
land; the Grace. Braitmeyer and Raud-
sam. the Stranger, Ralph Gait; the
Blossom, +. A. Goldsboro; the Margaret.
William c. Prentiss: the Celeste. G. L.
Johnson, and the F'lorodora, Darfenlat.
Work on the power boats IS not go
ing ahead as rapidly as on the sailing
craft. Those which have gone into
commission in the last few days were
the Teddy. owned by DR.. william @.
schafhirt, the Dorothy, Edward
Clark's launch; and the Franconis, be-
longing to Frank J. Rawlings.
VI the SInaiteE crdll, DelOnSlng as a
rule 10 Corinthian Club members, there
are overheard the Tilley. the Wan
derer. the Swallow, the Janet. the
Efie D.. the Flirt. the Mary Y,
the Vesper. the Dart, the Emma.
and others of lesser Importance too
numerous to mention here. IN fact. there
are very few OF the twenty 70 thirty
foot boats yet 70 be placed in commits
sion. The swift dead rises" have been
overheard for more than a month. and
many impromptu races have already
taken place. These trial heats have re-
suited Ia a meeting being called by the
corinthian for the purpose OF arranging
the first cruising race. 1t Is expected
that the first course will be that over
which the exciting championship contest
took place last fall. This is from the
Arsenal 10 Jones Point, FIVE miles be-
low Washington, and return. Unless
there IS some hitch this race Is TO come
of early next month.
Capital Yacht Club Regatta.
In the meantime the Capital Yacht
Club has completed all the details for
its first regatta OF the season. which
al r1oaa