Since the first edition of this book was printed, yacht designers have studied to reduce weight aloft.

This has not infrequently resulted in fitting ironwork blocks, etc., far too flimsy to endure the strain of a stiff breeze. There is always a happy medium between spider-web rigging and rigging uselessly heavy and clumsy, and my advice therefore is not to go to extremes. In racing craft on the fresh-water lakes piano wire has been used for standing rigging, and because of its enormous strength and notable lightness has answered well enough. In salt water, however, it should be avoided because of its liability to corrosion.

The principal changes in rig of late years follow: The substitution of turnbuckles and rigging screws for the old-fashioned dead eyes and lanyards; the reduction of the length of the bowsprit because of the long overhang forward, which has done away with the reefing bowsprit on all modern craft; the invention of masthead shrouds, bridles on gaffs, and the throat halyard pennant. By means of the three devices mentioned, strains aloft are both minimized and equalized. Large vessels carry double masthead shrouds, and every racing yacht is fitted with single ones. Gaff bridles and throat halyard pennants are also considered to be well-nigh indispensable.

In the matter of running rigging, flexible steel wire is now much used for throat and peak halyards. Its advantage is that there is little or no "give" to it. The rig of a modern 25-foot water-line sloop with a pole mast is as follows: Bobstay-rod of steel 3/4-inch in diameter, set up with a turnbuckle at the end of the bowsprit; shrouds, two each side, 1-1/8-inch steel wire; forestay set up to stem head, 1-1/4-inch steel wire; jib set flying, hoisted with 3/4-inch 8-stranded flexible steel-wire halyards, set up with a jig-purchase; runner-shrouds of 7/8-inch wire canvased over; main lifts 3/4-inch flexible steel wire, parcelled, sewed over with white codline and then covered with white canvas sewn on. The throat and peak halyards are of 3/4-inch flexible steel wire. The blocks are all strapped with grommets of flexible steel wire sewed and leathered.

Steel wire is now also used for the leech ropes of racing sails, and is employed largely in the lower canvas of all the big racing yachts. Flexible steel wire is nearly as pliable as new hemp rope of the same strength. The greater the diameter of the sheaves over which it passes the longer it will last. This wire cannot be belayed to a cleat. Therefore, Manila rope is spliced to the hauling end of the wire, which insures its remaining fast after once being belayed. This is a most difficult splice to make.

The accompanying illustrations show the sail plans and rigs of a modern schooner and a modern yawl. When compared with the sloop and cutter rigs on pages 211 and 212, it will be easily seen that many radical changes have been made.

It occurred to me in revising the book for this edition, that it might be wise to omit the directions for rigging a running bowsprit, bending a loose-footed mainsail, and some other devices which in the light of modern improvements might be deemed either archaic or obsolete. On second thoughts, however, I decided to let them stand as written. There is still a goodly fleet of "old-timers," cutters and yawls with straight stems and reefing bowsprits—craft some of them half a century old or more, and sound as a gold dollar in spite of severe service. The deadeye and the lanyard, although being pushed hard by the turnbuckle, die slowly, and are yet to be found in brand new vessels of the twentieth century.

To equalize and minimize strains on mainbooms, mainsheet bridles are now fitted. Overhangs are growing longer and longer and bowsprits shorter. The Larchmont one-design class of 1901 has a length on deck of 40 feet 7 inches, with a water-line length of 25 feet. The sail area is 1,103 feet, and the out side ballast weighs 6,100 pounds. The centerboard houses entirely below the cabin floor, the draught being 4 feet 6 inches, and 8 feet with the board down. The aim of the designer is to combine racing and cruising qualities—a much-to-be-desired combination, never to be completely attained, I fear.