THE MAINE COURSE

Showcasing a boat at any classic yacht regatta in Newport, Rhode Island is not for the faint of heart. “Blending in” means being perfect, in every way. We are not just talking about the lustre of endless layers varnish or brightly polished bronze, or even matching white lines and crew uniforms. The proportion of staysail to yankee to mainsail and mizzen must be flawless. The sheerline cannot waver from the exceptional lines of Stephens, Alden and Burgess. And if a boat has all this, then it must be sailed balanced, barely disturbing the cobalt blue ruffles of a Narragansett Bay sea breeze.

Late last summer, in a 15-knot breeze, one such regatta was underway as a parade of yachts sliced their way upwind towards the finish line off the tip of Rose Island and its diminutive, homely lighthouse. Every boat was sailed to perfection, toerail just kissing the white foam created by the bow wave and occasionally buried for a few seconds as a puff of wind rolled