The '86 Crew.

The outlook of the '86 crew at the beginning of this year was very discouraging. Very few of last year's men intended to row and there were scarcely any new candidates. A crew was got together, however, which worked steadily and faithfully in the gymnasium. About the middle of March the crew went to work on the river, and matters began to look much better, - but unfortunately Codman, who had been stroking, was forced to stop rowing. This was a severe drawback, as the positions of the members of the crew had to be very materially changed. But they have again got into pretty good working order, and if no accident occurs, will probably show up fairly well in the class races.

The crew is at present rowing as follows:

Position. Name. Weight.

Stroke. Harris (capt.), 161

7. Roberts, 164

6. Guild, 160

5. Bradford, 153

4. Fessenden, 151

3. Ayer, 159

2. Brown, 143

1. Latham, 142

Subs. Dewey.

Churchill.

Richards.

The rowing of the crew as a whole is very rough, - there is too much splashing, especially in the waist of the boat. Among the more prominent individual faults are the following:

Stroke. Fails to get his shoulders on, especially at the beginning of the stroke. Doesn't sit up well at the finish, which prevents him from taking his oar out cleanly.

7. Is very slow on the beginning of the recover, but rushes down badly on the slide. Clips at the beginning of the stroke; feathers under water.

6. Doesn't apply his strength well. Should work more from his stretcher, which would prevent his oar from wabbling. Jerks badly at the beginning, and rows out at the end of the stroke.

5. Being a new man is rather bad in his watermanship. Doesn't handle his oar easily. Feathers under water and makes a bad jerk at the water on the full reach, instead of simply placing his oar in and pulling it way through. Slumps badly.

4. Is apt to slump at the finish. Feathers under water, and splashes on the recover. Doesn't use his shoulders well at the finish. Should be careful to put his oar right into the water upon coming out to the full reach. On the whole is doing well for a new man.

3. Fails to sit up to his work. Does not work well from his stretcher, which makes his oar wabble during the stroke, and prevents his making a good finish. Rushes his slide.

2. Doesn't get his shoulders on well at the beginning or end of the stroke. Doesn't work from his stretcher. Pulls his oar out at the finish. Tendency to be lazy.

1. Looks out of the boat continually which makes him keep bad time. Clips at the beginning of the stroke. Slumps at the finish. Rushes his slide.

It is very probable that Dewey may pull in the class races, but no definite decision is yet made.

The other substitutes, Churchill and Richards, have been doing pair-oar work.

The crew as a whole are very slow on the recover, and rush their slides badly. The work is not smooth enough and there is too much splashing. The principal fault, however, is that the men fail to use their stretchers.

Borland, '86, and Captain Harris have done most of the coaching.

It is rather early, perhaps, to make any predictions about the class races, but '86 must certainly improve very rapidly to come in first or even second. Whatever the result, however, especial praise is due Captain Harris, who has spent so much time and patience on a crew of comparatively new men.