Boat Sailing in Fair Weather and Foul, 6th ed.

by A. J. Kenealy

X.
COMBINATION ROWING AND SAILING
BOATS.

Whip purchase
and traveler.
Fig. 1.

A boat intended for both rowing and sailing should be partly decked, and have as high a coaming as possible round the cockpit. A folding centerboard should be fitted as in Fig. 10, so as to avoid the awkwardness of a trunk, which in a small craft takes up too much room. Outside ballast is not necessary; a few bags of sand will do instead. An open boat under sail is dangerous except in the hands of a skilled boatman. In a scrub race the helmsman cracks on until the lee gunwale is almost on a level with the water. He may go along like this for some time, but if the water is rough, ten to one a sea will sooner or later come in over the lee bow, and the weight of water to leeward may cause the boat to capsize before the sheet can be let go and the helm put hard down to bring her head to wind. This in itself is not agreeable; and failing to right the boat one may be compelled to cling to the keel or rail until relief comes, or till he gets too tired to hang on any longer. The excellent sport of sailing in a stiff breeze is obtained at its best only in a partly decked boat. The half-decked craft may also be made into a life-boat with the aid of water-tight boxes of tin or zinc. The cockpit should be made as narrow as is compatible with comfort.

The combination rowing and sailing boat should have as little gear as possible. Sheets and halyards should always be kept clear for running and never be allowed to get foul. If you are so unlucky or so imprudent as to meet with a capsize, keep clear of the ropes, for a turn of one round the leg may send you to Davy Jones's locker.

Jib and Mainsail Rig. Fig. 2.

In writing of rigs suitable for small craft I shall not weary my readers with descriptions of sails that are not at all adapted for practical use in American waters. The amateur desirous of becoming acquainted with the rig of boats suitable for Bermuda waters, the Norfolk Broads, the Nile, or the inland lakes of Timbuctoo must look elsewhere. Nevertheless the amateur may rest confident that I give practical instructions for the best possible rigs, and he may adopt any one of them after due consideration of the comments on each variety without any fear of future regret.

The mast of the combination sailing and rowing boat which is shown in Fig. 2, should be so stepped that it can be taken down at a moment's notice. It should not be stepped into the keelson through a hole in the thwart, but should be fitted with a strong iron clamp and pin screwed to the after part of the thwart, so that it may be unshipped in a hurry. The mast should be light and strong. The sheave-hole in the head should be fitted with a galvanized-iron or yellow-metal sheave, and should be sufficiently large for the halyards to travel freely when the rope is swollen with water. A block may be fitted to the mast-head for the jib halyards. The boat should be provided with a galvanized-iron horse for the lower block of the mainsheet to travel on. This is a great convenience in beating to windward as the boom will go over by itself without the aid of the helmsman. The sail also sets better with the aid of a horse to keep the boom down.

The jib sheets and all halyards should lead aft within easy reach of the helmsman so that he may be able to handle them without letting go the tiller. The cushions of the stern sheets should be stuffed with cork shavings such as grapes come packed in from Spain. They should have life lines sewed to them so that in case of need they may be used as life-preservers.