With the traditional season-opening Stein Cup race against Rutgers and Brown only four days away, heavy weight crew coach Harry Parker has not yet picked a first boat to represent Harvard Saturday on the Charles.

"The change in the academic schedule and the moving back of Spring vacation has put our whole operation a week behind," Parker said yesterday, Hence, Parker is still in the process of choosing between 11 oarsmen for the varsity's eight positions.

It is highly probable that three of the first boat's seats will be occupied by the only returning varsity oarsmen from last years' Eastern Sprint Champion crew. The three include captain Bill Hobbs. Brian Johnson and Dave Mitchell. Returning as varsity coxswain for the third straight year is Tom Tiffany.

Entering his ninth season at Harvard, Parker, who holds a 31-3 record. put his squads out in eighths for the first time on Monday. Previously, he had been working the crews in fours for seat racing purposes.

"We're not really a unit yet." Hobbs said. "Yesterday was the first day we really rowed hard. On the power we were very good but all in all we lacked swing."

Hobbs says Parker will probably set the boat today. "But right now it looks like Pete Sutton at how. Paul Ramsey or Art Cooper at two. Bill Mahoney or Fred Lane at three. Jim Ehrmon at four. Johnson at five, Dave Sawyier at six, Mitchell at seven, and I'll be stroking." Hobbs predicted.

In the battle for the number two position, Cooper pulled his back in practice this week and may not be completely recovered by Saturday. At seat number three, Parker has been alternating individuals, using Lane on Monday and Mahoney yesterday. Today's performance will without a doubt determine the shell's lineup for Saturday.

Against Brown and Rutgers, the Crimson will be going after its seventh consecutive Stein Cup victory. Last year on the Raritan River at New Brunswick. N.J. Harvard beat the Bruins by five boat lengths and outdistanced Rutgers by seven. The junior varsity crew rowed to a three length victory but Brown upset the freshman shell by 11 seconds.

"We expect the main test to come from Brown." Parker said. "They've been very impressive so far this season but we're definitely hopeful. We just don't know how fast we're going to be."