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secured at the heel in a staple firmly driven into the bulwark stanchions, this rail to reach breast high. Fishing over the low bulwarks of a small yacht whilst standing on the deck is a most fatiguing affair. The most comfortable boat to fish in is one of such a depth, as you stand on the platform, that the deck will reach the waist of a man of ordinary stature, and if deeper, a false platform should be raised above the other. This is about the depth of the majority of fishing-boats which work with hook and line. A boat of this depth affords sufficient shelter without embarrassing a man's movements, which is a great consideration. If it were not for the appearance, a fishing-boat would always be better without a counter, because the lines are more readily accessible, and can be more easily cleared in case of a fish sheering amongst the other lines and causing a foul, to which a great liability exists when Mackerel-fishing under sail, from the sudden darting of the fish from side to side, and which can be only prevented by the absence of all obstacle to freedom of action on the part of the fisherman. If a boat is built, therefore, specially for fishing, let her have no counter.

The Itchen River Rig.-The Itchen River or Southampton Rig is much used by the fishing-boats of that town, and is frequently adopted in pleasure boats of twenty feet length and upwards.

It consists of a yawl mainsail without a boom, travelling on an iron horse across the stern, with a jib or forestay sail on a short bowsprit or iron bunkin, which sail does duty for both jib and foresail.

These boats in strong winds, provided there be not too much sea, will work to windward under the head-sail only, a great advantage in squally weather.

With their two sails set they are full powered, but in light weather they sometimes set a sharp-headed topsail on a spar, which does duty as both yard and topmast.

I have seen some small yachts of this rig with a jib and mizen in addition to the above-mentioned sails, which appeared to answer remarkably well; but for match sailing they often bend a cutter's mainsail.

The Itchen river boat requires less rigging than almost.

any other, and is, therefore, well adapted for the combined purposes of pleasure and fishing.

The cost of such a boat will be about 757., length twentyone feet, breadth of beam eight feet, draught of water three feet seven inches. Excellent boats of this class are built by Payne, of Southampton.

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Prices of Boats.-The charges for building boats of moderate size are usually ten or twelve shillings a foot, measuring the extreme length, and the cost of a boat thirteen feet six inches in length complete will be nearly as follows:

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Second-hand boats of this size from 67. to 10l., according to condition, &c.

Open pleasure-boats of from sixteen to eighteen feet length will cost from 20l. to 30l. Second-hand, from 12. to 20%. Anything from eighteen to twenty-two feet keel is more expensive in proportion to size, and if fitted as a yacht will cost from 70l. to 140/. new; and, second or third hand, may be bought from as little as 157. up to as much as 80l., according to condition and existing demand,

A yacht of fifteen tons is the maximum size manageable by a man and a boy, and can be so contrived as to be made very comfortable; about 10l. a ton is the price of a craft secondhand, as a rule, but opportunities often occur of purchasing at a lower figure.

For a fishing-boat where a harbour exists, the size may range from five to fifteen tons for an amateur.

CENTRE BOARD BOATS.

Many boats, from the ten feet dinghy upwards, are now fitted with centre boards or plates, enclosed in a water-tight case or trunk, and working on pivot at the fore end. This arrangement gives considerable sailing power to a boat of light weight, as it to a great extent prevents the lee way or side-drift. For a boat of small size kept on a beach, it is desirable that the plate should lift out of the case to diminish weight in hauling up. A good-sized sailing craft thus fitted can be kept for use from a very shallow harbour, and the finest sailing boats of this class I have met with are at Brighton and Shoreham. For this and all other varieties of boats and yachts of moderate size, I refer my readers to 'Yacht and Boat Sailing,' by Mr. Dixon Kemp.

REMARKS ON BEACH OR SURF BOATING.

Launching from a Steep Shingle Beach.-In calm weather with a smooth sea you may launch stern-foremost; but when there is much swell, which is frequently the case even in fine weather, prefer the bow, as your boat will not ship nearly so much water going off head against the sea.

The beach-boats of Yarmouth and Deal have always been celebrated for their sea-going capabilities, and their crews, known as beachmen, are a fine hardy race of fellows, accustomed to launch in all kinds of weather to assist vessels in distress. In the west of England there are also very good beach boats, particularly at Chisel, Portland, Beer, Sidmouth, and Budleigh Salterton. At the last named, I saw in 1866 some of the best boats of a medium size, eighteen to nineteen feet long, and from seven to eight beam, I have met with anywhere. These boats are built for the offing Crab-fishermen, by Exmouth builders. Their chief fishing-ground is from six to ten miles at sea.

If the beach be of shingle and steep, heave your boat down until the water nearly reaches her, having previously placed in her track three or four greased ways,.upon one of which she is supposed to be resting at the water's edge, and if the swell runs along the beach from either one side or the other, point the head of the boat a little to meet it, and watching for a smooth, as the water runs up, away with her, and tumble in over the stern, shoving off with an oar to get clear of the breaking wave with all despatch. If you have a companion, let him get on board before you heave afloat, and stand prepared to shove off and pull immediately the boat moves. Your ballast will of course have been placed on board at the water's edge; but if you have tanks for ballast you will fill them more readily after you are afloat, for which you should provide a funnel tub, with a couple of inches of gutta-percha tubing, one and a half inch in diameter.

Launching from a Flat Sandy Shore.-On beaches consisting almost entirely of sand, there is frequently a very long flat, except just at the top of high water, when the above directions are also applicable.

As I found it very laborious getting my boat down and up a beach of this kind near which I resided for some seasons, I had a simple kind of carriage made (fig. 84), consisting of a frame about eight feet in length by five in breadth, supported on two rollers instead of wheels, fixed a foot from each end, and equal in length to the breadth of the framework, under which the axles of these rollers worked in sockets driven up from the

under side, and secured on the top by nuts let into the upper surface. These rollers did not sink into the sand as wheels would have done, and much facilitated the work : but on dry sand above high-water mark I found ways of hard wood five

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FIG, 84.-Boat Carriage for a Flat Sandy Shore.

feet in length and four inches in breadth preferable, as the rollers drove the sand before them and choked themselves. On this shore the tide ebbed about six hundred feet, but watching the tides I rarely had half the distance to go over.

It often happens that there is excellent fishing off a coast of this kind, consequently if undeterred by a little labour very good sport may be had. Boats for such coasts should be built of fir for lightness.

On the coast of Ireland boats called 'Curraghs,' constructed of a framework of wood covered with canvas, are in use; and a smaller description for Salmon-fishing are found on the Severn and Wye &c., and termed 'Coracles.'

In launching off a flat sandy shore, get the boat nearly afloat, and having crossed the oars in their places, drop the handles inside; if alone, stand at the stern in the water holding the boat at right angles to the waves, and when you perceive a smooth, shove off and pull seaward as fast as possible. If caught by a breaker, hold the boat up with the oars but do not force against it, and she will split the wave with her bow without damage, unless an excessively bad one.

Beaching or Landing.-In landing under sail keep your boat straight before the sea, and if she steers wild take in the mizen if you carry one, or bring a little more weight aft; let

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