GUNNING-PUNT ACCESSORIES i6i 



handed) use two long paddles and no oars. In a 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 fin. 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 



