SKIFF-RIGGED BATEAU.
There are three methods of keeping a boat from making leeway (going side-ways)—by a centre-board, leeboard, or keel. The last is impracticable for a small boat, and will not be considered. There are two varieties of centreboards in use—the ordinary drop pattern, as used in the larger boats, and the dagger. The drop is generally triangular in shape, held in place by a pin at the lower corner of the trunk passing through the apex. The dagger is only a board or board shaving a projecting cap on the top, so that it will not fall through the trunk, and is lifted entirely clear when not wanted. The drop pattern is a little more convenient, but somewhat difficult to make. The drop is just as efficient, and can never get out of order, whilst easily replaced if broken. It is the one most used by the "natives." The only danger of this board, and one that must be always borne in mind when sailing in waters where bars abound, is that it cannot raise up when it strikes an obstruction as the drop will, and, if you are not watchful, may upset your boat. The leeboard seems only a miserable apology at the best, and is only pardonable when you do not desire to cut a hole in your boat's bottom to build a trunk. The only practicable method is to make a movable board with clamps that fit over the gunwale, and move it to the lee side as the boat's course changes. In a previous article (Harper's Round Table No. 818) there has been described how to make a rudder with tiller and yoke-line attachments, and it will be unnecessary to go into details here. The yoke lines are sometimes the only way of steering in some types of boats, as, for example, the St. Lawrence skiffs. In the sea skiffs and river bateaux there is an extremely simple means of steering by an oar. It is held in two places, either in a lock or groove cut in the stern-board or under the lee counter. The stern oar is used in much the same manner as a rudder, but the lee oar is kept out of the water most of the time, only being immersed when the boat begins to fetch up, and taken out as soon as this tendency is corrected. The reason of this is that the oar, being rested against the gunwale, projects over the side at quite an angle from the fore and aft, and hence, if kept in all the time, it would throw the boat's head off.
There is quite an extensive use of the jib in this class of boats. The jib can be made to exert quite an influence on the boat's speed, and if the sails are nearly balanced the boat can be held on a straight course by proper trimming. It is only by experience that the trim of the jib can be learned, as it depends on the balancing of the sails, on how close you are sailing, and on the strength of the wind. When going about let slack the jib-sheet just before the boat begins to round up, trimming it again when on the other tack. If the jib is out too far it has a tendency to flap, and if too flat, there is a tendency of the boat's head to fall off the wind.
[A SKATING ADVENTURE.]
Tim lived in Minnesota. His mother had forbidden his attending a skating carnival that was to be held at some lumber mills ten miles down the river. Against her orders, however, Tim had clapped on his skates, and was whirring along the frozen stream.
He kept in the middle of the stream to avoid the dark shadows cast by the trees and any soft ice along the banks. It was a beautiful moonlight night, sharp and cold. The pine and fir trees along the banks crystallized with ice crackled as the wind sighed through them. He had gone about five miles, and was speeding along past some small brush that lined the bank, when he heard the noise of something heavy crashing through it. The thought of wolves came to his mind, and he grew frightened.
He looked in the direction of the sounds, and there, skulking along, was a dark shadow, surely a wolf. Thoroughly frightened, he paused, and then thinking he would not be noticed, slowly turned, and began skating back. But the dark shadow hesitated, and then also turned and followed him. Tim skated faster and faster, but on came the shadow. Fear now fell upon him and lent him additional speed, and his skates fairly hummed along over the ice.
The dark shadow had left the bank, and had taken to the centre of the frozen stream, bounding along after Tim with rapid leaps. As Tim glanced back he was sure he could see the red distended nostrils and gleaming eyes of the wolf, his tongue hanging from his mouth.