ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author describes the activity in which he came into closest contact with his uncle Charlie. Uncle Charlie kept his boats moored behind The Glades in a hole affording slightly greater depth of water than elsewhere over the sandy bottom. Every Saturday Uncle Charlie sailed his boat over to Marblehead in time for the race in the early afternoon and then back again afterwards. Uncle Charlie's boats were not at their best in a blow. When people tried to explain Uncle Charlie's racing record, they spoke of his touch at the helm. Uncle Charlie never sailed any extreme course on the mere gamble of picking up a favorable slant. Uncle Charlie harbored no illusions that he could, except by sheer luck, overhaul any boat on the run to the finish, and he went over, so to speak, to the defensive.
