Page:Yachting wrinkles; a practical and historical handbook of valuable information for the racing and cruising yachtsman (IA yachtingwrinkles00keneiala).pdf/220

 There is, however, one point which I wish to make. Not so long ago it was common report that the owner of a yacht in a class where shifting ballast was prohibited, habitually carried bags of shot in his cabin and when the breeze was heavy placed them on a shelf to windward, so as to increase the boat's stability. The charge was never investigated. Whether true or false, I know not. If true, the offender should have been expelled from the club and from the society of gentlemen generally. If false, the same justice should have been meted out to his calumniators. In my opinion, the case called for the fullest inquiry.

The practice of being measured with three light men aboard as crew and sailing the race with three heavyweights, was begun by certain unscrupulous tricksters. This was, however, stopped summarily by a hard and fast rule, defining the limit of live weight to be carried.

The race committee, if it sees any transgression of the sailing rules, should disqualify the offender, whether a protest is made or not. For the honor of our yachtsmen be it said, that, generally, if they commit any breach of the rules, such as fouling a mark, they voluntarily report the incident to the officers and thus there is no need of an accuser.

An owner above all should make it his business to see for himself that the taxable length of his yacht is never