PUBLISHER'S NOTES. 



A TOP LINE LAUNCH. 



I have a small launch, built by the Fay 

 & Bowen Engine Co., Geneva, N. Y., and 

 fitted with one of their 3 horse power en- 

 gines, which I have used 3 years, and some 

 of your readers might like to hear about its 

 behavior during its third season. Last 

 spring I made a movable waterproof can- 

 vas canopy and curtains for the boat. In 

 the summer I took a trip to Wheeling, W. 

 Va., in company with a friend, and made 

 the round trip, 180 miles, in 5 days. We 

 had a 16 foot skiff in tow, containing an oil 

 stove, provisions and bedding. We slept on 

 the launch every night. 



Coming home we had to stem a stiff cur- 

 rent, as the locks on the Ohio river are not 

 yet completed. In some places we had stiff 

 rapids, but the launch took us through 

 without any trouble. 



About 2 weeks later I went, in company 

 with the same man, to Morgantown, W. 

 Va., which is the head of navigation on the 

 Monongahela river. The round trip was 

 about 250 miles, from Sewickley, Pa., and 

 we had the same skiff and load in tow. We 

 made the round trip in 5 days and slept on 

 the launch, as on the Wheeling trip. We 

 used only 23 gallons of gasoline, and went 

 through 13 government locks each way. 



I ran the launch over 1,000 miles last 

 summer, in all stages of water, and had no 

 trouble, but a lot of fun. The engine and 

 boat are as good as new, except that the 

 finish on the latter is slightly marred. The 

 engine is a good one and full of business ; 

 and the heavier the load the better she 

 works. 



In locking through on the Monongahela 

 river the easy handling and reliability of 

 the engine were well demonstrated. When 

 approaching a lock I would blow the horn, 

 put the engine on slow speed and run the 

 boat in a circle until the gates were opened ; 

 then shoot into the lock and shut down. 

 As soon as I received the signal that all 

 was ready I would start the engine again 

 and run out of the lock when the gate was 

 opened. I never had the slightest trouble 

 in starting the engine and never delayed 

 the lock men a minute. They all compli- 

 mented us highly on the handling of the 

 boat, and said we gave them less trouble 

 than anything they ever put through. They 

 were somewhat amused at the small size of 

 the boat, for the skiff load of freight which 

 we were towing looked nearly as big as the 

 boat. They showed us as much courtesy as 

 they did the largest steamboat on the 

 river. 



James C. McCormick, Jr., Pittsburg, Pa. 



STEEL MOTOR BOATS. 



W. H. Mullins, the boat builder, of Sa- 

 lem, Ohio, must certainly work nights. He 

 is always doing something new. Few of 

 his products get in view of Recreation 

 readers. They go out into the busy world 

 through other channels and are in daily 

 use by thousands of people. 



Mullins steel ducking boats are staples 

 wherever the ducks drop in, and now, in 

 order to keep up with the trend of modern 

 progress, Mr. Mullins has put on the mar- 

 ket a steel motor boat which is sure to be 

 a winner. One of these is called the Beav- 

 er Tail, and is, without doubt, the record 

 boat of the world for a 21-footer. It has 

 exceeded a speed of 15 miles an hour in 

 shallow water and with a temporary ar- 

 rangement of the engine. It is believed 

 that under different circumstances and with 

 a well-regulated and well-equipped engine 

 this boat would run 16 to 17 miles an hour. 

 Such speed is phenomenal for so small a 

 boat. 



These steel motor boats are bound to prove 

 popular. If there is anything the boatman 

 grows weary of it is a boat that is con- 

 stantly leaking. Steel boats are always 

 watertight and secure. By a special ar- 

 rangement the engine is so placed that the 

 vibration of the engine is taken up by the 

 frame work and is not communicated to the 

 hull of the boat. Not only this but the 

 new steel boat will weigh not over one-half 

 as much as the ordinary wooden boat of 

 the same size. Mr. Mullins is counting on 

 a great trade in these boats, and is building 

 a special factory in which to build them. 



NEW H. & R. PRINTING. • 

 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, 

 Mass., have put out their 1905 calendar, 

 and it is very attractive. The artist has 

 given us a pretty girl, pretty enough to eat, 

 dressed in hunting togs and equipped with 

 one of Harrington & Richardson's single 

 barrel guns. She is sitting on a bench, evi- 

 dently thinking over some good sport she 

 has had, because she wears a smile that 

 won't come off. Her companion is an Eng- 

 lish setter, no doubt of blue blood stock, 

 and he looks as happy as any lucky dog 

 would be in such company. 



This calendar is a genuine ornament to 

 any office or house, and every sportsman 

 should have a copy of it. Harrington & 

 Richardson will send a copy free of 

 charge if you will ask for it and mention 

 Recreation. H. & R. know how to get up 

 attractive printed matter relating to guns 

 and revolvers, too. Their latest is a new 

 catalogue showing all the different models 



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