Page 327 equipment and instruments 4242 



Whaleboats are quite seaworthy, even when heavily loaded, and are very useful for 

 the transportation of personnel and equipment in open waters, where the sea is usually 

 rough and turbulent, and for landing through surf. They are splendid boats for the use 

 of topographic parties on an open coast, for transporting supplies and equipment to 

 camps, for carrying lumber and other supplies for signal-building parties, and for towing 

 other motorless boats laden with supplies. They are not particularly suitable for use 

 in sounding. 



4242. Dory 



A dory is a small flat-bottomed boat with sharp sheer; it is almost double-ended, 

 having a narrow V-stem. It is a typical New England craft, used by all Bank fisher- 

 men. A 20-foot dory has a beam of 5 feet 10 inches and draws about 1 ji feet when fully 

 loaded; this is the preferred size for use in surveying; it will accommodate a party of 

 three or four men with equipment. Smaller dories, 16 feet in length, have been used 

 but they are too small for most survey parties. 



A moderately loaded dory is more stable than one lightly loaded, its one disad- 

 vantage being that it is somewhat unsteady when light. Properly managed this boat is 

 most seaworthy, but a layman must use it with caution. It is a good boat for use where 

 landings have to be made on an open coast in a moderate swell. A special well is usually 

 constructed at the stern for the installation of an outboard motor, otherwise the bow 

 and stern are practically alike. This construction makes the dory a good surfboat 

 when either bow or stern is headed into the sea, and landings can be made on the beach 

 by heading straight in through the surf with little danger of swamping, or can be made 

 by turning around and backing in. Dories can be used independently or in conjunction 

 with a launch. 



4243. Skiff 



A skiff is a light motorless boat with a flat bottom, square stern, and fair freeboard. 

 It is light and easily handled but is not especially seaworthy. The flat bottom and wide 

 stern make the boat Steadier than a dory but it does not have as much freeboard or 

 riding ability. 



A skifi^ is useful in more or less protected waters and is ordinarily used in conjunc- 

 tion with a launch, being towed from place to place and then used for landings and trans- 

 portation along the beach. An 18- or 20-foot skiff is most satisfactory for the use of 

 survey parties; one less than 16 feet long is practically useless. Outboard motors can 

 be attached and used on skiffs if desired. 



A small skiff carried on a trailer towed by a truck can be used advantageously by 

 field inspection parties engaged on air photographic surveys, where a boat is occasionally 

 needed in protected waters. This eliminates having to rent small boats and the time 

 spent in obtaining them. 



4244. Gondola-Skiff 



The gondola-skifi^ is an oversize skiff, developed by the Chesapeake Bay seine fisher- 

 men. It is about 25 feet long, with a 7)2-foot beam overall, and has a 5K-foot square 

 transom, which is cut away for the installation of an outboard motor. The bottom is 

 flat and thwartship planked, with a keel and keelson each consisting of a heavy plank 

 laid flat. The bow is decked over for 5 feet aft of the stem. There is a 7-inch deck 

 extending along each side of the boat with a small coaming or washboard on the inboard 

 edge. This boat has proved ver}^ suitable in areas like Chesapeake Bay, Albemarle 



