108 



CANOES. 



her somewhat uncomfortable and wet in a sea- A modern canoe, then, may be defined as a 

 way, and led to the construction of the " Nau- boat, sharp at both ends, and capable of being 

 tilus," which had a decided, at first an exces- effectively propelled by one man, seated amid- 

 sive, sheer, but was greatly the superior of the ships, and using a double-bladed paddle. These 

 " Rob Roy " in rough water, and for extended paddles are usually made in two parts, jointed 

 expeditions. The " Rob Roy," moreover, was in the middle by means of brass ferrules. The 

 narrow, and consequently liable to upset; canoeist is provided with a seat and a back- 

 board (the latter an essential in this method of 

 paddling), and delivers his strokes alternately 

 on one side and the other of the canoe. Steer- 

 ing may be effected by means of the paddle 

 alone, or with the aid of steering-gear, against 

 which the feet press as against a rowing- 

 stretcher, and which is connected with a rud- 

 der by means of ordinary yoke-lines. This 

 steering-gear, while not essential, adds greatly 

 to the ease and quickness with which the 

 canoeist can manage his boat. Indeed, it can 

 hardly be dispensed with in paddling for a long 

 distance across the course of or against the 



and so many changes in nomenclature are con- 

 stantly adopted for the sake of convenience by 

 builders and designers, that no complete cata- 



Lulc 



THE ROB ROT. 



the boat afloat in case of accident. These are 

 best made of sheet-copper or other non-rusting 

 metal. Such, in its simplest form, is the mod- 

 ern canoe. The equipments and fittings in 

 common use are so numerous and elaborate 

 that they can not here be enumerated ; but it 

 should be said that one object of the canoe is 

 to provide a sleeping-place for her owner when 

 camping out. To this end the clear floor-space 

 amidships should be at least seven feet long, 

 part of this being below decks, so that when 

 covered with a tent or awning the occupant may 

 be perfectly protected from rain. The spare 

 room below decks is used for stores and equip- 

 ments. The complete canoe is a sailing-craft. 

 The sails are of every conceivable size and 

 shape, but only those that have been thorough- 

 ly tested are here described. As the canoeist 

 is obliged to sit amidships, it is for many rea- 

 sons desirable to carry two sails a large main- 

 sail forward, and a smaller mizzen aft. This 



logue can be attempted here. In a general 

 way, all may be grouped in one or the other of 

 four classes: 



I. The Bob Eoy. Small, light, narrow, and in- 

 tended mainly for paddling in smooth water. Small 

 power under sail. Decked fore and aft. 



II. The Nautilus (in which class the "Shadow" 

 model is best known in the United States) 14 to 17 

 feet long, by 28 to 32 inches beam. Has more or less 

 sheer fore and aft, and can safely carry from 50 to 80 

 square feet of sail. Decked fore and aft. 



III. The Pearl. Same general dimensions as fore- 

 going, but deeper, heavier, and stronger. Intended 

 mainly for deep-water sailing, and capable of spread- 

 ing from 100 to 150 square feet of canvas. Decked 

 fore and aft. 



IV. Open canoes. These are mainly of Canadian 

 build, and are of all sizes. They have a general re- 

 semblance to the Indian "birch," after which they 

 were originally modeled. They are well adapted for 

 the use of hunters and frontiersmen ; have 



great carrying capacity, and are frequently 

 provided with sails. They are sometimes 

 decked over, to render them more sea- 

 worthy. 



Paddles are the special implements 

 of canoe propulsion. The canoeist 

 faces the bow, and can see where he 

 is going; whereas the oarsman faces 

 the stern, and is obliged to turn in 

 order to keep a lookout ahead. This, 

 in fact, is the most distinct difference 

 between canoes and other small boats. 

 The paddle may be either single or 

 double, the latter being usually made (Af a ,' n js f < e . 



of spruce, and from seven to ten feet Se "iMjjen .?'. 

 in length. Single paddles are used 

 mostly by hunters indeed, they are 

 essential for their purposes but the double last is also known as a "dandy" or "jigger." 

 blade is generally used by amateur canoeists The mizzen adds to the " weatherly " qualities 

 on extended trips. of the canoe when under sail, and renders it 



THE NAUTILUS. 



