Possible Clues:

• Waves approaching the front of a ship
• Ship's facilities, each facing waves?
• Half-chance overcoming each obstacle to progress
• Waves approaching a ship's front
• Is leading each swell of opposition
• Mass of waves approaching front of ship
• Leading diamonds instead of hearts - that might not delay Victory as much as this
• Possible result of tossing, with each series of waves coming straight at boat