260 BOATS AND BOATING. 



secured at the heel in a staple firmly driven into the bulwark 

 stanchions, this rail to reach breast high. Fishing over the low 

 bulwarks of a small yacht whilst standing on the deck is a most 

 fatiguing affair. The most comfortable boat to fish in is one 

 of such a depth, as you stand on the platform, that the deck 

 will reach the waist of a man of ordinary stature, and if deeper, 

 a false platform should be raised above the other. This is about 

 the depth of the majority of fishing-boats which work with hook 

 and line. A boat of this depth affords sufficient shelter without 

 embarrassing a man's movements, which is a great consideration. 

 If it were not for the appearance, a fishing-boat would always 

 be better without a counter, because the lines are more readily 

 accessible, and can be more easily cleared in case of a fish 

 sheering amongst the other lines and causing a foul, to which 

 a great liability exists when Mackerel-fishing under sail, from 

 the sudden darting of the fish from side to side, and which can 

 be only prevented by the absence of all obstacle to freedom of 

 action on the part of the fisherman. If a boat is built, therefore, 

 specially for fishing, let her have no counter. 



The Itchen River Big. The Itchen River or Southampton 

 Rig is much used by the fishing-boats of that town, and is 

 frequently adopted in pleasure boats of twenty feet length and 

 upwards. 



It consists of a yawl mainsail without a boom, travelling on 

 an iron horse across the stern, with a jib or forestay sail on a 

 short bowsprit or iron bunkin, which sail does duty for both jib 

 and foresail. 



These boats in strong winds, provided there be not too much 

 sea, will work to windward under the head-sail only, a great 

 advantage in squally weather. 



With their two sails set they are full powered, but in light 

 weather they sometimes set a sharp-headed topsail on a spar, 

 which does duty as both yard and topmast. 



I have seen some small yachts of this rig with a jib and 

 mizen in addition to the above-mentioned sails, which appeared 

 to answer remarkably well ; but for match sailing they often 

 bend a cutter's mainsail. 



The Itchen river boat requires less rigging than almost 



