GUNNING-PUNT ACCESSORIES 161 
handed) use two long paddles and no oars. Ina single punt 
_a long paddle may be used for cruising, and oars dispensed 
with—except one for sculling—though with the large double 
punt we strongly advise the shipping of a pair of oars and the 
introduction of a long paddle, more as an auxiliary tool than 
anything else. For the large double punts a long paddle 
should not be shorter than eleven feet over all. A long paddle 
for a single punt may be between nine and ten feet, according 
to the beam of the craft. The hand part, or shank, is best 
made of ash. The blades can be made out of in. yellow 
pine. Rubber rings or a plaiting of tarry twine on the shank 
prevents, to an extent, water running down the paddle and 
wetting the paddler. The blade ends should be fenced with 
thin brass strips, through-riveted, not tacked on, to prevent 
wear and splitting of the wood. 
The overside hand-paddle is entirely for use in side- 
paddling and other light fowling craft. A pair of them is 
required to paddle the boat. The punter lies on his chest and 
uses a paddle in each hand over the sides of his craft. The 
construction of such an article may be readily understood by 
reference to the sketch. The paddles are secured with pieces 
of cord to the punt, so that the punter may, on nearing fowl, 
leave hold of them to take the shot. 
A long spoon or setting paddle is a useful tool in a double 
punt, especially if the puntsman is not an adept at using a 
scull or a setting-pole. It is these two last-named articles 
that the spoon paddle is intended to supersede. With this 
paddle the punt is worked up to fowl, by the puntsman lying 
on his back aft of the cockpit. If a right-handed man is 
working the punt, the movement with the paddle is made 
over the left side astern (coaming removed), and is a pull with 
the left hand and a push with the right for a forward motion, 
and a right-hand swing of the punt’s bow and vice versa for a 
reverse swing. This paddle should be made of ash, so as to 
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