Evening star., 1939-05-21
Race 10 Gunston Cove
Will Offer Variety
OF Entertainment
12-MiIe Contest Sturts
Saturday From Old
Dominion Club

Y BY MALCOLM LANBORNE, Jr.
Although the entry deadline is
yet six days off, a total of 20 entries
involving some SO members of the
Potomac River Sailing Association
has been received up to yesterday
for the fifth annual Memorial Day
regatta, giving assurance of rec
ord list for the three day affair at
Gunston Cove and points North.
Regatta Chairman Albert Pagan
was confident of list we'll above
last years total Bad weather that
week end kept the field down to
about 25 boats and caused postpone
ment of the Commodore's Cup race
Traditionally the earliest regatta
OF the year in this section of the
country, the event swings into action
next Saturday off the Old Domin-
lon Boat Club at Alexandria when
the fleet gets under way for the 12-
mile slide down to the cove, the
winner taking the Commodore's
Cup. A rendezvous will follow that
evening at Fort Belvoir Pontoon
School. On Sunday two races for
all classes will be held in the cove.
Tuesday, Memorial Day, the fleet
will race back to Alexandria.
Provides Variety of Entertainment,
For all concerned the feature cup
race provides just about all the
combinations of racing and cruising
and minor adventure desired by all
small boat sailors.
To begin with, it's a handicap race
IN which entries will be given time
allowances based on spring series
performances. First boat to finish
on corrected time takes the cup.
trophies also go to the first boat
to cross the finish and the second
yacht on corrected time.
But the real fun comes on the
race down. Channel marks are not
marks OF the course, says the race
circular, and that means ANYTHING,
this side of polling through mud flats.
goes. II skipper believes sliding
over a shoal to shorten a turn in
the river will be of benefit, he's priv
- ileged to do so.
This is one advantage the smaller
boats have over the big fellows that
oraW more water. Experience, how
ever, has shown that making short
cuts does not pay dividends.
Yachts to Be Conveyed.
A special convoy of cruising yachts
has been assured to keep an eye on
srtagglers in the race down. They
include the cruiser Bon Ami of
Commodore E. Hillman Willis of
Capital Yacht Club; Adrian Sizer'S
Adonis and Bob Newman's Liliom.
The Llllom will act as tow boat for
those of the fleet not racing down
or back.
The first class will get under way
on Saturday at l:30, with divisions
following at Commute intervals
Time limit has been set at $50 pm.
which means boats still unreported
are privileged to break out paddles
or sweeps in an attempt to arrive
fln time for the refreshments and
songfests ashore.
Similar to last wear, courses for
Sundays races. to start at 1890 am.
Will be laid out in the cove. Racing
out IN the river proved too hazard
Gus two years ago and was dropped.
Facilities of the Fort Belvoir can
teen have been offered for sailors
lunches.
With Monday work day. the re-
eatta will be suspended and resumed
the following day when the fleet
starts homeWard at noon. Boats
Will anchor off the Pontoon School
curing the interval and tender serv-
ice will be provided.
Popular With Large Boats.
Always popular with the large
poats, particularly in Glass A han
olcap, the regatta has drawn such
entries as the Sea Scouts two cat
boats Bobcat and Wildcat; Paul
Walters Vayu, Louis GeiSers Sand
piper and Charles Murphys Eight
Ball. In B handicap class there are
DR.. Ralph Barnhardt's Black Cat
and the Tralee of John Maloney.
Ernest Covert's long awaited new
comet, which he was unable to COM
plete IN time to enter the spring
series, is assured of making it's first
appearance of the year. Others are
Les Wrlghts Fan Tan III and Mac
Lamoornes Arcoiris. Twenty-foot-
ers are expected out in full force,
including Pagan's Kan Doc, the
Cricket II of H. c. Bush and the
Barnacle Bill in which DR.. J. Rus
Sell Verbrycke will compete.
Smallest boat thus far entered is
the l1-foot dinghy Sizzle, owned
by Fred Tiln