First published in 1968, The Thousand Dollar Yacht has won countless admirere and the status of a boating classic. The story of the Billy Ruffian is told from lofting to launching, and later her cruises on Long Island, Fisher's Island, and Block Island sounds-a story that distills the wind, fog, sun, salt, and sand, conveying the sensations of sailing to a set destination or meandering gloriously through coastal waters.