Evening star., 1938-06-12
CONTESTS TODAY
TO OPEN SEASON
YaChtsmen Out to End Win
Streak of Vanity-List
Weekly Events.
By MALCOLM LAMBOURNE, Jr.

BY MALCOLM LAMBOURNE, Jr.
Two 1sky skiffs rugged with old
canvas. Sne boundless enthusiasm OF
q handful of sailors and the ideal
setting of the West River were all
that were necessary to bring about the
revival OF small boat racing at the
nearby ports Of Shady Side and Gales
vile.
This afternoon those two dilapidated
craft Of 10 years ago are replaced
by q score or more Of neat racing
sloops Of four classes. The occasion?
The opening of the fifth season Of
the West River Sailing Club, which
hold each week through the summer
a series Of Sunday races.
According to West River historians,
1t has been all of 10 years since a
group Of summer visitors at Wagners
Point opened wide the eyes of natives
by chasing each other in couple
of makeshift sailboats around few
fish stakes. Just about the first regis
tered entry was a 10-foot hybrid
affair, appropriately named Butch,
Of one Delmas Stutler. In a short
time Capt. Ed Leatherbury of Shady
Side followed with several sloop-
rigged bateaux. One of these, the
May. was sailed by William Heintz,
who later was to become commodore
OF the club.
The rest is well known. How Dick
Hartge, Galesville boat builder,
launched the first albatross class boat
for A. E. Otto, present vice commo-
dore. How this was followed by
another Hartge design, the seawitcn
class. How the present club was or
ganized in 1888. Then how the
Mower-designed sloop Vanity of Com
modore Osbourne Owings went off
the ways in 1885 and has caused a
furry of building ever since to break
her winning streak.
Sail for Sheer Fun.
Latest crop of 20-footers of the
beat-Vanity" class will include the
'round-bottom design Ranger of young
John Harding, who should be out for
the starting gun at o'clock anG
two others under construction for
Kenneth Smith Of Gslesville and Dick
Hartge. Expected from the Washing
ton feet is the new chine boat Kan
Doc Of DR.. Albert Pagan, who plans
to trail over at the end of the month
Yet with all the keen competition
one thing stands out about West
River sailors. From the beginning the
boys have gone out on the course
for the sheer fun of sailing. Racing
Is part Of the game, but it's not
primary by long shot.
Their membership, numbering more
than 70, is led by officers who all
are Washingtonians. In addition to
Commodore Owings and Vice Commo-
dore Otto there are Dan Vaughan,
treasurer, and H. c. Bush, secretary.
On the Race Committee are Heintz,
Hartge and Paul Tomalin, a former
committeeman of the Potomac River
Sailing Association.
By popular demand John Hofen re-
turns as chairman Of the Judges Com
mittee. Johnny last year managed all
of the weekly races in real Bristol
fashion from Fred Davis motor sailer
and will be on hand with cannon,
signal flags, watches and other para
phernalia.
The lineup will be the same as last
season with the 20-foot open boats
leading of. Twenty-foot restricted
craft, albatrosses, comets and To-
tooters follow at 5-minute intervals.
Other classes will be scheduled If three
or more boats are entered. Moth class
shippers from Washington and Alex
andria are talking of going over and
a place on the card probably will be
made for them.
Hurry to Galesville.
With conclusion of the local series
for comets today, Ernie Covert's
Bscapade. Werner Smythe's Sassy Too,
the So-Big Of Clyde Cruit and Dick
Doyle's Freya will lose scant time in
trailing to Galesville to join with the
comet Aries of youthful Mackie HUI
burt. Ralph Young's Myray and
Bush's Cricket II, having completed
the series on the Potomac last week,
are to be on hand to show the late