The varsity crew will put oars to water at 11:30 a.m. Saturday and break a precedent--it will be the first time is history that the crew has raced in the fall. Opponents are the MIT varsity and a boat rowing for the Union Boat club propelled by five ex-varsity Harvard crowmen, two ex-jayvees, and an assistant dean. The whole event is being filmed in color. The race is not the opening regatta is simply a three quarter mile informal jaunt across the Charles basin to a chowder lunch at the boat club before the Dartmouth game.

The Union Boat Club is sponsoring the affair in hopes of encouraging graduating Harvard and MIT rowers to join the club crew. No one seems to be very worried about winning. Crow coach Tom Holles hasn't even named a crew for the race, though he is pretty certain that Art Rouner will stroke.

On face value, the Boat Club crew should have the edge. Much of its manpower starred in varsity boats in the last three years. Frank Strong, captain of the '48 boat, whom Bolles called the best number six man he had ever seen, is rowing six again on Saturday.

Some of Harvard's last year's varsity will be rowing against Harvard on Saturday, but four men from last year's boat are still around and will row for the current Crimson: Bill Leavitt, cox and captain, Tod Anderson, last year's number five, Claney Asp, two, and Ted Reynolds, number three.