Evening star., 1942-05-08
Potomac Association
Gets BeIated Start
On Spring Events
Cos and Tire Shortage
May Develop Bigger -,
Season on River
By MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr.

BY MALCOLM LAMBORNE, Jr.
Washington will see its first war
time racing Sunday when small boat
enthusiasts of the Potomac River
Sailing Association open their an
nual spring series of races off Hams
Point, beginning at 2:30 pm.
Racing begins this year several
weeks late, the latest, in fact, that
a spring series ever has opened here.
Bad weather during the important
fitting out period and inability of
owners to take more than few
hours away from jobs can be blamed
for the tardiness.
Many of the old faces will be
missing when guns are fired at five
minute intervals Sunday afternoon
for the six classes scheduled. A
number of shippers have gone into
the various services and their boats,
left behind, have yet to be sold to
new fans.
However, association officials are
looking to newcomers to the city to
fill the ranks. New arrivals already
have signed up for three of the
classes, snipes, comets and penguin
dinghieS.
Among the oldtimers missing from
Sundays inaugural will be Jack
Marsh, veteran chairman of the
Race Committee. Marsh is major
In the Army His place will be taken
by Ken Kierst, Marsh's right-hand
man. Assisting Kierst on the COM
mittee will be Mrs. Kierst and U. S.
speed" Lambert.
Others in Active Service.
Others on active duty with the
Army are 1t. Charles Trammell.
former P. r. S. A. commodore and
active member of the Chesapeake
Twenties, and 1t. Col. Jack Jacobs,
one of the organizers of the local
comet fleet.
The feet again will race over a
triangular course between the Ma
tional Airport in Virginia and East
Potomac Park in Washington. All
divisions but penguins will sail two
laps: the dinghies go once around.
The go-ahead signal insofar as
the Government is concerned has
been given by the Coast Guard
which has the job of patrolling the
Potomac. Shippers and their reg
ular crews, however, must have ap-
piled for Coast Guard Identification
cards and movement licenses for
their craft in order to appear on the
river, 1t. P. B. Mavor, captain of
the port here, has announced.
One race week for six Sundays
has been scheduled by officials of
P. R. S. A. who also are open to
suggestions of summer series here
something that never has been at
tempted by the group. Should war
duties and gas shortage keep sailors
close to Washington, it is pointed
out, such a plan should meet with
widespread approval.
Bay Outlook Is Hazy.
Formerly many local sailors at the
close Of the spring races here lost
little time in preparing their boats
for nearby bay regattas which begin
this year late in June. Just how
many can get away for these events
remains to be seen.
Meanwhile local sailors, deter
mined to carry on the sport when
ever time will permit, take to the
water this week end.
A 10-minute gun will be fired at
2:30 pm, followed by the warning.
gun at 2:25. At 2:30 the Chesapeake
Twenties, formerly known as the
20-foot class, start off. The list
continues: Comets, 2:35; snipes,
2:40; penguins, 2:45; class A handi-
cap, $50, and class B handicap,
ass.
With the exception Of the last two
classes, all boats race on an elapsed
time basis, the first boat finishing
winning the race. The AS and BIS,
because they are of miscellaneous
design. race under a handicap sys-
tenn. The AS are for boats over ID
feet and the BIS, under 18 feet.
Sailors will gather at Capital
Yacht Clubs tattoo room following
races for the traditional weekly
"re-sail."