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rowing boats, is not fitted for boats intended to carry a press of sail, 
or to navigate squally waters. There are many types of boats with 
somewhat flat floors, but it will require close attention to the 
disposition of the weights to obtain in any of them an increase of 
stability after 25 degrees, while in some 12 degrees or 14 degrees 
is the limit of the maximum of stability. In other words, a force 
sufficient to heel these boats over 12 degrees, 14 degrees, or 25 
degrees, would, if it continued to act, infallibly capsize them. 
Such boats could never lie over in a squall till the wind emptied 
from their sails, and then recover: they have usually great initial 
stability, but power of recovery they have none. It would be too 
much to say that these boats are unsafe under sail, since our 
smaller fishing boats and shore boats generally are of this type ; 
but it is to be observed that these are very lightly masted, that 
they never carry a press of sail, that they are seldom exposed to 
such squalls as are common on our lakes, and that they are in the 
hands of men bred and born to the work, Under these conditions 
they enjoy a tolerable immunity from accident, but they are not 
suited to our waters, Some years ago centre-board boats of the 
original American pattern were introduced on Windermere, very 
broad, with a midship section shewing a very flat floor, and having 
little or no ballast. They were cheap, fast, and exceedingly handy, 
but their lack of power of recovery caused them to be viewed with 
disfavour. The Yacht Club excluded them from the races, and they 
have now disappeared, though a few centre-boarders ofa better type 
are still seen. Even these are scarcely, in my judgment, fit to go 
through much heavy weather in the hands of amateurs. For this 
there is nothing but a heavy weight of lead carried at least four or 
five feet below the water, 
With a well designed boat, good gear, and competent manage- 
ment, there is nothing to excite apprehension in sailing on 
Windermere. It is no more dangerous than driving in a carriage. 
A boat not fit to go through squalls, bad gear, and carelessness, 
involve serious risk. Yet considering how often and how recklessly 
the conditions of safety are disregarded, the accidents are wonder- 
fully few. 
