Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-23
William B. Laub. Jr.

William B. Laub. Jr.
| Members Of the Potomac Boat Club are
looking forward to the Middle States re-
gatta, which will be held on the Patapsco,
at Baltimore, September 4, and every fell
| low capable Of pulling an oar is on the
Job every evening during the week and
| twice on Sundays to try to make either
the Junior or the senior crew. The line
up Of the older crew, which was given
last Sunday, has not been changed as vet
| and probably will not be if they continue
to row as we'll as at present
The junior outfit is now composed as fol-
lows: ]. L. Vandergrift, Ted QuIntard,
| Edgar Hough, James kehce, Sam Fisher,
Claude Parker, L. +. Hoppe and Louie
Meldervich.
Joe DAILY is still coaching, and it is
probable that he will hold the Job during
the rest OF the summer. There Is always
some talk of securing the services of
professional coach about this time Of the
year, but since Joe has had the young
| sters in his charge everybody in the club
seems satisfied. The recent defeat at
Philadephia points to nothing in the way
OF coaching deficiencies, as the crews en-
tered in that meet were far above any
thing the Potomac Club could have pos
sibly put out. They were older, heavier,
| more experienced. and, In fact. far above
the class of the local oarsmen.
SO, taking these things into considera-
ton, the officials of the club feel that
Joe DAILY can do as much with the junior
crew as any coach in the country.
The new front at the boathouse is now
entirely finished, and the, lowering Of the
outer edge permits boats to be launched
and hauled out more easily.
Capt. Rabkin Middleton of the Analoe-
tan Boat Club has heard nothing from
the Philadelphia builders in regard to
the shell which was shipped there early
probable that some legal acton may be
taken If the boat is n ot delivered within
the next two weess.
The big war canoe is probably used
more than any other boat iE the Ana
iostan house at present. Almost every
evening fifteen or twenty fellow, and
their girls paddle or are towcd up the
river behind one Of the club launches to
| q spot On the Virginia shore above the
Three Sisters. where supper is cooked
and many songs rendered, to the accom-
paniment Of banjoes and guitars. Sew
eral members Of the club own launches,
and they are always ready to tow a war
| canoe party up or down Inc river.
The Eastern Power Boat Club. located
at the foot Of nth street southeast, is
contemplating the building OF a new club
house. Since the organization Of the cab
it's membership has grown To such pro-
portions and It's feet of motor craft has
increased TO such an extent that the
present house is far too sr,aI 10 at
commodate men and boats. A site hear
the Anacostia bridge is wanted by the
majority of members, as most Of them
live in the vicinity. Dut some have Ven
tured the idea of building houseboat
large enough to answer ali purposes
6no 1roS tnd iSo.
fore In Washington. Long ago. when the
Capital Yacht Club was in its infancy.
the headquarters OF the outfit was
small houseboat anchored near the
present club site, and members Of the
organization regarded 1T ds rare DIT of
luck IL the floating affair didn'. sink
about once every. month
Several times the craft settled IN fl
teen or twenty feet Of water, running
everything within, until every one be-
came disguised and voted the bouseboat
idea as frost. This is not meant TO
discourage the Eastern Power boaters,
but an example of what they MAJ nave
to contend with IS cited.
After five annual races 10 Bermuda for
sailing yachts and four for power boats
It would seem as if interest IN this Off
shore thresh of some 100 miles was losing
its hold on the interest Of racing yachts
men. After a great deal of talk and pub
licity the 1911 race for sailing yachts had
to be abandoned, owing to q lack OF
sufficient number Of entries, and week
later an announcement was made that the
race for power boats had been postponed
from June IT to early in September. which
is practically an admission that the race
has fallen through. This is unfortunate.
as the races for both classes of boats did
much to bring about much healthier
and ADLER type of craft, and to promote
seamanship, and they gave the amateur
sailor confidence. both in his own ability
and in the ability of his boat.
1t got men out of the habit of racing
around the short triangular courses in
sheltered waters, and took them off
many OF them to take up navigation.
Starting first as a race for small boats,
the event lost much of Its popularity with
small boat owners who were it's chief
supporters, when larger craft were adj
mitted. owing to the fact that larger boats
always got there first, got most of the
glory and also most OF the prizes. AS has
often been said before. owners of large
forts of off-shore racing. and after the
two or three who could be induced to go
had made the passage once or twice the
novelty wore of and no other owners
came forward to take their places. This is
true of both the power and sail boat races
In the former case. particularly, the man
who can afford to own a power boat of
the proper size to make the Journey is
not. as a rule, Overanxieus to incur the
discomforts or take the risk, slight as
they may be. It Is not thought that the
interest in long-distance racing is one the
wanc. but rather that interest is turning
to q somewhat shorter race. one that can
be sailed In twenty-four to forty-eight
hours and that takes the boat over q
course requiring nothing more than pilot
water navigation, with a port nearly al
ways under the lee that q man can get
into In case Of necessity. Such races are