234 The Story of the New England Whalers 



Since 1860 the usual length of the whale boat 

 has been 28 or 29 feet. A 28-foot boat is 20 feet 

 long on the keel, 5 feet 8 inches wide, and 26 inches 

 deep. The keel is "4 inches in rocker"; it is 

 bent in the shape of a bow. The sheer or up- 

 ward curve of the rails was 15 inches above the 

 horizontal plane amidships in former days, but 

 it is made less in these days. All framing is made 

 of white oak and the planks are of cedar. The 

 ribs are but half an inch deep. Inch-pine boards 

 are used for thwarts. A mast is stepped through 

 a hole in the forward thwart. Centreboards are 

 located where needed. The stem rises above the 

 rail, where it is shaped like a Y, in the bottom of 

 which is a brass roller or a lining of lead to form 

 a smooth fairway for the whale line. A shallow 

 box is built something like a forecastle deck in 

 the bow of the boat. On this are coiled the spare 

 ends of the whale lines that are attached to the 

 "live" harpoons. At the stern of the boat a 

 stout timber head rises from the keel up through 

 a short deck, and it is well supported by knees. 

 The whale line is taken from the tub to this 

 timber head, around which two or three turns are 



