The Harvard varsity sailing team will leave the small boat regattas where they have dominated New England competition to participate in the Kennedy Cup for 44-foot yawls at the Naval Academy this weekend.

Harvard and Brown are the New England reresentatives to the Kennedy Cup, a major national regatta, East-coast entries are chosen on the basis of performance at the McMillan Cup in the fall in 44-foot yawls at the Naval Academy. Brown was first and Harvard third.

Difficult to Predict

"Although we definitely have a good chance of doing well. it is a difficult race to predict," sailing coach Mike Horn said. "The West-coast teams have an advantage because they can sail all year round and because they do more big-boat sailing than the colleges in the East, USC and San Dicgo State provide the major threats." he said.

Harvard All-American Robbie Doyle will skipper a ten-man crew that includes an experienced core of former captain Jeff Storer, Charlie Koch. Abbott Reeve and captain Joe Worth.

Harvard last won the Kennedy Cup in 1966. the Cup's first year. Last year the Crimson did not qualify.

Last Weekend

Harvard skippers dominated both divisions to lead the sailing team to an undisputed first place in a field of 14 at the Owen Trophy last weekend at M.I.T.

Doyle was the low-point skipper in Division A. and Reeve and Koch, alternating at skipper, won Division B.

The Crimson will sail in the Greater Boston Championships, the Oberg Trophy, on Monday in defense of last year's title. M.I.T. is expected to provide the major competition.