Preparing to set a spinnaker on the 23 Metre Shamrock. She is hard on the wind, which is fresh bordering on strong, and all hands are alert on the streaming deck. The spinnaker boom is run forward and supported by its lift, ready to be swung out when the yacht comes off the wind at the next mark. First mate William Wadley of Rowhedge and two hands at the forehatch are probably a shackling on the headboard swivel of the immense sail which will emerge, gathered sausage-like in stops, from the hatch. A reaching staysail curves away above but the main boom is sheeted in hard, almost to the centerline. The reaching staysail was probably set for an earlier leg of the course and kept because she will shortly be off the wind again with the spinnaker also set. The weather shrouds and backstays and the lee sheets are bar-taut, while the lee shrouds and backstays are slack. The weather headsail sheets trail on deck in lazy curves. The small capstan on the foredeck was used to make taut the headsail tack downhauls and for other purchases. Foam sweeps the lee deck as Captain Sycamore drives her hard.