I certainly agree that "The process of puzzlement and Gestalt will occur in repeated iterations" when reading Royce and I also believe it is "arguably the most essential book to keep on board one's small boat for reference by the captain or the most novice of crew".However, high performance sailboat design has created the need for a new sailboat primer and Royce's work is badly in need of update. The fall of the American sailor in world competitions such as the Americas Cup and Around Alone is directly related to the popularity of Royce whose work even in 2003 results in the manufacturing of new pocket cruisers that sail like those illustrated.There has been a revolution in sailboatthinking and today this book should be viewed for historical interest rather than as a primer for learning how to sail because boats designed for high performance are sailed much differently than the style advocated in Royce.