It's That Time of Year Again

The 22nd annual Head of the Charles regatta kicks off tomorrow from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Charles River.

So what, you say?

Well, for those of you who:

.(a) attended prep school

.(b) lived on the Eastern Seaboard

.(c) have discovered the illustrious joys of rowing, or

.(d) have ever been in Cambridge on this particular October weekend, the opening paragraph should be self-explanatory.

You know, The Head. It's Tomorrow.

So if you're already in the know, get moving. Go buy the beer. Go arrange the after-Head date. Go call your prep school friends and arrange for them to crash on your floor.

But to help out those who know nothing about the Head--and to refresh the memories of those who partied too hard last year--here's some background on tomorrow's happening.

The Head is a three-mile upstream race featuring 780 boats and 3500 competitors in 14 different events, making it the country's largest single-day rowing event.

Boats will be taking off from the Boston University boat house at 10-15 second intervals and finishing near the Metropolitan District Commission's Herter Center.

Since its creation in 1964, under the guidance of Northeastern rowing Coach Ernie Arlet, the Head has grown from an unscheduled racing event featuring 100 boats into the nation's premier regatta.

"It was luck," explains Ken Lynch, who has been a member of the Head of the Charles Management Committee since the event's inception. "In 1964 it was the only regatta held during this time of year. The colleges liked the day, there was good weather, and it was well-organized."

The regatta has grown tremendously in both size and reputation since its humble beginnings 22 years ago.

"We're oversubscribed every year," Lynch said. "Over 1100 boats entered this time, but we could only accept 780."

The Head Committee allocates the intensely sought-after spaces by giving automatic berths to the top 40 percent of the finishers from each of last year's races. The rest of the spaces are then lotteried off.

"There are great contestants competing this year--some past Olympic rowers and some perpetual contestants," Head Committee member Don Gordon said.

The big names include: the Ridley Boat Club, Canada's 1984 Olympic gold medalists and last year's Head Championship Eight winners; The Rude and the Smooth, the famed '75 Harvard crew; Andy Sudduth, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist and last year's Head singles champ; and crews from Navy, Wisconsin, Oxford and--of course--Harvard.

But the Head is much more than a boat race. For many, it's an all-day party.

"It's good fun," Gordon said. "It tops off the year very nicely."

People traditionally picnic along the banks of Charles, watching the races and enjoying the crowd. However, those planning on drinking alcoholic beverages might find it difficult to do so this year.

"The Metropolitan District Commission is goingto try to restrict drinking," Lynch said. "Theywill confiscate any liquor consumed on theirproperty."

No Problems

The Head Committee, which meets year-round toorganize the event and enlists the help of 300volunteers, doesn't foresee any problems with theexpected crowd of over 100,000 spectators.

"There was a time when things were a bitfree-wheeling," Gordon said, "but publicannouncements in the past three or four years havehelped. It's not a problem at all now."

The MDC drinking restrictions have nothing todo the Head Committee, either. "We try to spendour time putting on a quality regatta," Lynchsaid.

Although picnic spaces will be in abundance,the same does not hold true for parking spaces.

"Parking has always been a problem," Gordonsaid. "Several schools and businesses along theriver have donated lots that will be marked, butthere's nowhere near enough [space]. It'srecommended that people come by the [MBTA]."A crash in last year's Head.