Americans relied on clipper ships to carry goods from the east coast to the west coast until the development of a nationwide rail system. As this was prior to the building of the Panama Canal, the ships had to take the long route around Cape Horn. In the middle of the 19th century, race organizers encouraged the best captains to test their skills against each other and the elements with races between New York and San Francisco. In Cape Horn, players use their wits and the wind cards to direct the movement of their ships. The cards define the wind direction and speed along the route. Players may place cards to advance their position or to disrupt others. In the end, the player with the best tactics will win the race and the game. The others will plan for the next race.