Evening star., 1939-06-04
vayu' 5 Gunston Cove
Triumph Inspires
Three Buyers
New Design Hos Cockpit
Big Enough for Five
To Sail in Comfort
By MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr.

A remarkable little sloop has
proved that lightning can strike
twice-and in some cases four, five
and six times-in the same place.
The boat is the 19-foot sloop
known as the lightning class. Un-
precedented in the history of yacht
ing'S many one-deSign classes. light
ming in less than four months has
cropped up in innumerable sections
OF the country, and even abroad
Making its debut here this spring,
one of the boats has been racing
under the Potomac River Sailing
Association and has attracted such
attention that three more of them
will make an appearance within
several weeks.
Washington joins other boating
centers in organizing a fleet under
the newly formed Lightning Glass
Association, which now numbers
more than $50 registered craft.
Little did Lindzey Nicholson of
Syracuse, N. Y, realize that trim,
roomy sailboat he ordered the firm
of Sparkman & Stephens to de-
sign for him last fall would become
one of the best sellers in years. The
designers set out to evolve COM
Portable day sailer for the family
that at the same time would hold
its own against the faster racing
machines of the day.
Hits Happy Medium.
Actually what lightning has done
is to supply a long-awaited need
for a boat between the popular
16-foot comet and the 22-foot star
classes.
The boating public had its first
view of the boat at January's boat
show in New York, where 1t was
a sensation. Following class meet
ing at that time Nicholson was ap-
pointed temporary chairman and by
the time he had arrived home the
deluge of inquiries from all parts
of the globe began. According to
reports. its still going on.
Patterning their organization after
other successful one-deSlgn groups,
the first owners of the boat drew
llD SJIlCl IldSS ICSlI ISlIoilo ciA sAAi
important factor if any class Is 10
endure-establishe bylaws ana
elected permanent officers, several OF
whom have been successful comet
sailors in Central New York State.
They are Nicholson, president; John
L, Koehne, CedarhurSt, Long Island,
and Gilbert L. Wolfe, Rome, N. Y,
vice presidents; Gordon Cronk,
Syracuse, secretary treasurer.
Meanwhile, local yachtsmen are
planning to apply for fleet char
ter and elect local officers with the
arrival of the new boats.
Lightning Proves Its Class.
Performance of the Districts lone
lightning last week end at Gunston
Cove still is fresh in the minds OF
sailing enthusiasts The Vayu, owned
bv Paul Walter and George Buchan,
who alternate at the tiller, after
winning the 11-mile race for the
Commodore's Cup, the next day
cleaned up in the A handicap class,
But for running hard aground on the
1l-mile race back to Alexandra
last Tuesday, Vayu might have come
through again.
Not a little of the attractiveneSS OF
lightning is the fact that 1t carries
a man-sized Spinnaker as regular
complement to racing sails. Here
tofore spinnakerS have been more
or less exclusive rights of expensive
meter boats and racing auXlllarleS.
With the exception of these light
sails on the local Sea Scout catboatS,
spinnakerS. the delight of marine
photographers, rarely are seen on
the Potomac.
Boats are on order for Edward
Sellers, former comet owner; Sam
uel Spencer, who has sailed a 80
foot ketch in Rhode Island waters,
and King Fulton, local marine sup
ply mogul.
Lightning is 10 feet 6 sinches
over all and carries 1T square feet
of sail in main and jib. The rig is
modern and all inboard. With mod
crate beam and good freeboard, the
boat has cockpit large enough for
five people to sail in comfort. Ideal
for shoal water sailing, it is equipped
with a centerboard.
Although organized racing has
concluded under P. R. S. A. until
September, the new boats will be
racing informally here this summer.
With several fleets reported forming
nearby on the Eastern Shore, inter-
class competition may be possible
before the seasons close.