Page:Yachting wrinkles; a practical and historical handbook of valuable information for the racing and cruising yachtsman (IA yachtingwrinkles00keneiala).pdf/161

 choppy sea Bantam crawled through her lee and beat her. Captain Green was so demoralized by the trick of which he was the victim that he did not regain his self-possession until it was too late.

Captain Sly was convinced that Captain Green would imitate him in everything, and the result proved that he had formed a correct estimate of his opponent.

It is not wise or politic to undervalue the sailing qualities of an opposing yacht, especially when she is practically an unknown quantity. In other words, don't prophesy unless you know. Here is a case in point:

When the Madge was about due to sail her first race in these waters, the skipper of her Yankee opponent is said to have paid a visit to Sawyer, the sail-*maker, and asked for the loan of some flying kites.

"Any old stuff will do," quoth the skipper. "I've only got to knock out that narrow-gutted coffin anchored yonder."

The sails were lent by Mr. Sawyer, and it is needless to say that they did not fit "like paint on a post." The "coffin" beat the "skimming dish" with singular ease.

I put this little yarn on record only just to show the contempt the average American yachtsman had at that time for the epoch-making Madge.

The proper balancing of sails is im