Evening star., 1953-07-10
FORE and AFT
By Malcolm lomborne. Jr.


A proposal of the Association
of Maryland Pilots to close off
the main ship channel of the
upper Chesapeake to racing
yachts has brought a prompt
protest from the Chesapeake Bay
Yacht Racing Association through
its president, Dave Dunigan of
Washington.
Dunigan has been informed
that the pilots group suggested
the ban to the fifth district Coast
Guard at Norfolk on the grounds
that such racing is a hazard to
commercial shipping as we'll as
to participating yachts and their
crews. In a letter to Rear Ad-
miral r. E. Wood, commander
of the fifth district, Dunigan
,, comments:
ITO close the channel to these
boats would in effect bottle them
in areas suitable only for racing
smaller boats. BY far the.
large majority of shippers and
crews of the racing yachts :.
are able and capable seamen
thoroughly acquainted with their
boats and what they will or will
not do in any circumstances. The
records indicate that accidents
Of the type contemplated by the
pilots association are most un-
likely, given wise handling by
masters of all vessels involved
in the rare instances where close
maneuvering is unavoidable.
with all due respect to the
pilots and the merchant ship
captains. there have been a few
times when a knot or two reduc-
ton in speed would have allowed
a racing fleet to clear we'll ahead
of a steamer"
Dunigan's excellent letter con-
cludes with the opinion that no
problem exists that would call
for "the drastic action closing
the fairway to racing yachts that
sail the bay for pleasure. nor is
there a problem that cannot be
resolved to the mutual satisfac-
tion of all concerned through the
understanding of each others
problems"
There is a problem existing for
speedboat drivers who crack up
or spill during a closed course
race when some thoughtless
cruiser owner darts across the
course, leaving a destructive
wake astern. Just ask Bill Carlo
of Capital Power Boat Associa-
ton.
His brand new B stock hydro
outboard today lies in pieces on
the lake shore at Millville, N. j.,
victim last Saturday of just such
poor manners and atrocious
seamanship. Bills boat broke in
half during a race when he hit
the cruisers wake. Fortunately
Carlo got ashore unhurt.
He managed to salvage en-
gine and hardware from his
boat. ironically named Jumping
Jimmy. And typical of the rae
ing clan that won't be downed.
Bill is looking this week for a
new boat. The cruiser owner?
Well. he never even said sorry.
One cruiser group that knows
something about boat handling
lin addition to the boys in the
Coast Guard Auxiliary is Po-
tomac River Power Squadron
which held its second plotting
test of the season last Saturday
on Breton Bay. Six boats COM
peted during the afternoon of the
squadron's Fourth of July rem
devious.
Winner on the basis of making
the smallest error for the vari-
Gus runs was Dick Jones in Sea
Lion, lieutenant commander of
the squadron and rear commo-
dore Of Capital Yacht Club.
Jones error was 20 seconds slow.
He had in his crew Frank Far
! quhar. Kenny Johnson, Al Moran
and George Hottie. Jones has
served as navigator on other
peoples boats but this was his
first win in his own cruiser.
Norman Quasebarth, commo-
dore of Capital, placed second in
his big yacht Nor Wer II, with
56-second error. Lyle Mann's
Elizabeth was third with a two
minute, 10 second error.
Bill Boyer has added another
member to his Illuminated yacht
parade committee for the Presi-
dents Cup Regatta. He is Har-
wood Martin. fleet captain of
Corinthian Yacht Club. Two
Capital Power Boat drivers will
appear Monday at Z pm. on
Jimmy Gibbons TV show over
WMAL. They are Joe Palmer
and Frank Vernon and they will
discuss, among other things, the