RUDDER. 435 



two locks, or two small padlocks, at either end when 

 required. 



Boxes like these cannot be made quite impervious 

 to wet, without a cover dropping well over them 

 from the top to cover the lid joints. A white 

 painted one of duck or canvas answers well. Such 

 strong stuff will not readily wear out, if you use 

 the box as a rowing seat. 



Rudders. With a good paddler in a double punt 

 the incumbrance of a rudder can be dispensed with. 

 In a single it would require another hand to manage 

 it, if not two, when other matters, such as gun, 

 paddles, and firing, are to be thought of. In sailing, 

 a paddle is far preferable to a rudder ; with the 

 former, the punt can be both steered and helped 

 up to her course by an occasional stroke this side 

 or that, which a flat-bottomed craft is sure to want, 

 unless the wind is nearly aft. This can be done in 

 one movement. A rudder could only steer. If, 

 however, a rudder is fancied, let it be rigged to ship 

 and unship easily. 



A punt draws, we will say, three inches of water ; 

 a rudder continuing the line of her extreme draught, 

 would be next to useless and have little power. It 

 should drop at least three inches or more below 

 the floor to be of service, and be fitted so as not to 

 catch when striking a shallow, or progress would 

 be stopped, as the extra depth of the rudder would 

 otherwise sink in the ground and hold the punt. 

 I give the shape that I have found to answer best, 

 as it will not hinder a backward course, and will 

 lift when running over a hard shallow. But, after 

 all, the best of rudders are, to my mind, in the way, 



F F 2 



