Evening star., 1963-09-17
AUXILIARISTS TURN-TO
AUXILIARIsTS TURN-TO
Volunteer Boats Behind Scenes
Help Presidents Cup Races Go
By WHEELER JOHNSON
outdoor Editor

OuJuoor EDITOR
Spectators at the Presidents
Cup Regatta-and other small
er regattas-are concerned only
with the excitement of the
races themselves, and they
have little idea Of what goes
on "in the wings"
There is little reason why
they should be concerned with
the staging of the big boat
races. But if it were not for a
group of boat owners and skip
pers who volunteer the use Of
their boats and their time, some
of the regattas certainly
wouldn't go as smoothly and
others probably wouldn't go on
at all.
The volunteers are members
of the Coast Guard Auxiliary,
a number Of whom put in two
full days aboard their cruisers
to see that the Presidents Cup
races were run as they should
have been, that the course was
clear of debris, that spectators
who attended the event in
small craft remained in the
space allotted to them, and in
case Of accident that rescue
was effected speedily and ef-
ficiently.
Nine Auxiliary Boats
There were nine boats be-
longing to auxiliary members
who participated in this years
regatta patrol, backing up the
regular Coast Guard vessels.
This good-sized group Of
boats enables the Coast Guard
to take care of its duties at the
regatta with a minimum Of its
own craft, releasing official
vessels for other duties.
Plans for the auxiliary's par
ticipation in the work at Hams
Point are made far in advance
and each boat is assigned a
specific post and duty.
Center Of the whole opera
ton is the Coast Guard vessel,
Mohican. 1t is stationed near
the starting and finishing line,
and by means Of portable ra-
dios on an FM frequency is able
to move the small craft under
its direction anywhere they are
needed.
Other Craft Available
In addition to the auxiliary
boats under its wings, the Mo-
hican also has a number of the
Coast Guards own small craft,
the Metropolitan Police patrol
boats and an Army Engineers
work boat at its disposal.
But the cruisers owned by
the members Of the Coast |
Guard Auxiliary make up the
backbone of the little fleet |
which dotted the race course.
Among the boats which had |
duty Saturday and Sunday
were the Nomad of Henry w.
Stafford, captain of Flotilla 26;
Stedi-Joi ~, the boat of w. l..
Willys, captain Of Flotilla %:
Tee Seven, owned by Ted
Paget, training officer Of Flo
tilla %; Shirley Mae, the cruis-
er of Charles Wood. Flotilla %,
and Sherry Bee, skippered by
Ted Follin. also Of Flotilla %.
Roy j. Newbold, the vice
captain Of Flotilla "a, had his
Zoe v on the course, while
from Flotilla 20, Nal de Mer,
skipered by Earl Proctor took
part.
Flotilla 81 was represented
by Isadore Greenberg's Sally
VII and Mrs. Dolly Colbert's
Koda Fee III.
The patrol Of Nomad Is typ
ical of the two-day tour of
duty of the nine boats, which
for that time were officially
units Of the Coast Guard itself.
Early in the morning 1t
picked up its crew. composed
Of Stafford, the Nomad is cap
tain; his son William s. Stat
ford. Coast Guard Reserve,
who acted as skipper for two
days; William w. Tate, captain
Of Coast Guard Auxiliary Di-
vision II, and Alvin e. johnson,
vice captain Of Division II and
Auxiliary operations officer.
Get Out Early II
While the races weren't due
to get underway until pm.
the patrol has to start early
because many Of the racing {
craft, particularly the unlim-
tied hydroplanes, get out early
for tune-up tests. Il
The Nomad reported TO the 1
Mohican, and It's complement {
grew rapidly. Awaiting her [
were 1t. Jerry Seelman, a Coast
Guard engineering officer, and
two expert swimmers and div
ers-Robert Blake of Arlington ,
and William Sandweg Of /.
Annandale.
In case OF an accident in
which the racing boat driver
was spilled from his craft, II
would be the duty Of Blake and !
Sandweg to 60 overheard and
get the driver TO safety.
Both Of these young men I
were highly qualified for their {
duties. Blake, an army man 9
stationed at Fort McNair, is a
water safety instructor. Hell