Small Boat Wrinkles 



wherever they touch any wood; the friction-wheel on 

 the bilge-pump is served with rawhide belt-lacing 

 over the usual rubber tyre (this gives a great wearing 

 surface); the belt-lacing is saturated with a waterproof 

 sticky belt-dressing before being wound on the friction- 

 wheel, so that it will still run and drive the bilge-pump, 

 even though the fly-wheel has been drenched with spray 

 from a breaking sea or rain. 



A full complement of tools is carried in a waterproof 

 tool-box inside the engine-house, also well up off the 

 floor and clear of water; both spring-bottom oil and 

 priming can are carried inside the engine-house in a 

 handy holder on a little shelf. 



A Study of Ballast. 



If it is at all possible to avoid it, never select a hull 

 that has to carry ballast to keep her in trim, other than 

 the driving machinery. Nearly any hull has wood enough 

 in it to float the engine and act as a life-raft for the 

 passengers (with the exception of the high-speed 

 craft). 



It is wise to have the boat sheathed inside, from the rail 

 right down to the floor, so that lighted matches cannot 

 be carelessly dropped into the oil or gaseous bilge-water. 



Endless precautions might be written down, but the 

 photos depict the more important wrinkles conducive 

 to safety and pleasure in power boating. Where I 

 believe that speed boats furnish the most fascinating 

 form of sport outside of flying, I get more gratification out 

 of a look, word, or nod of approval from a regular old- 

 time salt-water sailor when he inspects my dory than 

 I would from the plaudits of thousands when crossing 

 the finish-line in a fifty-mile-an-hour " go-devil." 



85 



