Evening star., 1941-04-04
Majority Apparently
Assuming America
Will Remain Out
President Wilson, in Last
Conflict, Asked Private
Sailors to Continue
BY LAWRENCE PERRY,

cpeClhl correspondent VI Lie otdI
NEW YORK, April 4.-Of all
sports, yachting would be the most
seriously affected by war. Just now
some yachtsmen-also the New York
Yacht Club-are acting as though
the entrance of the United States
Into the war were imminent. Others
are uncertain, but cautiously are
planning for full season of yacht
ing, the theory being that war will
not come to us this summer. But a
majority of sailing men, if one may
Judge by their actions, are aSsum-
ing there will be no war.
Certainly, in event of hostilltles,
yachtsmen making speciality OF
long-distance cruising races would
find themselves completely out of
luck.
Yet word comes from the River
side Yacht Club, Riverside, Conn,
of decision to hold its famous River
-Stratford shoal race on June
% and the Storm Trysail Club is
proceeding enthusiastically in its
plans for a rousing ocean race.
Eight cruising craft already have
been entered for a thresh which,
starting off New London, will in
clude an eastward slant to and
around the Vineyard lghtshlp,
thence south to the Chesapeake
liehtship and to the finish line of
Old Point Comfort in Hampton
Roads, Va.
The course, 422 miles for larger
cruisers and BAT miles for the small
er ones. obviously would not be
feasible were war to occur.
Wilson Asked Resumption OF
Yachting.
If war comes, not only this event
but even short distance cruises in
New England waters and on Long
Island Sound would be out OF the
question. In this connection it is
interesting to note what happened
on the sound during the last war.
NO distance races were held in 1878
because the race course and Plum
Gut both we're mined and Suoma-
rine net was stretched across tne
sound at Cornfleld light.
The Yacht Racing Association OF
Long Island Sound held no regattaS
in 1917. but in 1918 at the request
of President Wilson and other Gov
ernment officials racing was re-
s,1ned. Federal authorities believing
that Yachting provided important
training for men who later mlgnt
be needed for the Navy.
Small boat racing has been car
ried on In England and Italy
throughout the war thus Tar.
In the last war comparatively few
sailing racers under 3o-foot water
line existed. Today craft under 20
feet waterline make up the vast
bulk of racing yachts. Thus. con-
ditions now and 20 odd years ago
are not comparable. No reason ex-
lists why the yachts that have been
racing over measured courses on the
sound. Buzzards Bay Barnegat,
Massachusetts, Bay and elsewhere
should not continue to race, war or
no war.
Few Called to Colors.
Announcement that the 1nterna-
tional class, most famous of all rae
ing classes, will be out in approx
mately full strength next summer
and preparations now being made
by IS" class, Atlantic class, and
yachtsmen of other racing divisions
Indicate yachting as usual in what
ever eventuality.
True. a number of the younger
yachtsmen have gone into the Navy
or the Army, training. for commits
sions. while some older yachtsmen
engaged in defense production will
be missing. But actually, as things
stand and basing reckoning upon
the hundreds of yachtsmen who race
every summer, the percentage OF
shippers young or old now in service
is small. It will continue to be un-
less present conditions change
radically.
The New York Yacht Club
abandons traditional custom in de-
Gliding to make no March announce
ment of its plans for the summer.
So, no one knows whether the most
famous yachting event on the
calendar, the New York Yacht Club
cruise, will be held.