A race was arranged for Swampscott dories and other small centerboard 

 boats; they were to sail from Cow Bay (now called Manhasset Bay) to 

 Hempstead Harbor, the next bay to the east. 



"This was a free for all," as George Elder describes it, based on Pop 

 Corry's story, "No rules, other than right-of-way, were to apply. That meant 

 that you didn't have to round any given buoys, but cut corners as pleased. 

 The first in was to be the winner. Since there were no power boats, the 

 question of a tow was not considered. Immediately after crossing the start- 

 ing line, one of the entries sailed back to the club and beached the boat. 



"The crew went overboard and carried the boat to a farm wagon which 

 was waiting. Passing through the village of Port Washington, they picked 

 up a little German band that was playing in front of a saloon. It was 

 only a short distance overland to Hempstead Harbor. When they reached 

 there they launched the boat, stepped the mast, and as there was no crew 

 limit, crowded the four-piece German band aboard. It almost sank the 

 boat, but the weather was light and they only had a short distance to go. 

 With the band playing 'There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight,' 

 they crossed the finish line. 



"Having comphed with all the conditions of the race, the triumphal pro- 

 cession started home with the cup before the first sail was sighted in the 

 mouth of Hempstead Harbor." 



Modern rule-beaters might study this episode with profit. George Elder 

 ends his yarn by saying that George Corry was always known to be a 

 pious, temperate, and truthful yachtsman. However, the first of these char- 

 acteristics must have been sorely tried when Pop heaved an anchor off 

 Larchmont while his foot was in the center of a coiled anchor cable. Pop 

 went overboard after the anchor and must have been somewhat discon- 

 certed when laughter delayed the rescue operations. 



Examples such as the decline of yacht-racing entries described by the 

 Boston Globe and the lack of adequate racing rules described by Pop Corry, 

 convinced many of the doubters that there was a need for one-design classes 

 racing under proper regulation. 



There were many reasons for one-design classes: such as putting sailing 

 skill on an equal competitive basis; much lower costs per boat, since a 

 number could be built at once; lower obsolescence costs— one-design boats 

 often last for many years; a large enough group under one class to make 

 practical a class association to promote and regulate the competition among 

 boat owners in a class; a great enlargement in the number and geograph- 

 ical distribution of the competitors; no handicapping problems; making 

 rule-beating more difficult. 



INTRODUCTION 1$ 



