INDIAN BOAT DESIGNS. 



163 



siderable distance on either side. By loading the projecting section on the weather 

 side with one, two, or three of the crew, a very efficient counterpoise is obtained. 



Two main varieties exist, the southern form employed from Rameswaram in 

 the south to Ammapatnam, halfway up the west side of the bay, and the northern 

 which is seen chiefly at Adirampatnam, Muthupet and the neighbouring villages on 

 the northern shore. The hulls of the former may either be dug-out canoes or, when 

 large, carvel-built plank boats of the same general form. The rig is a square-headed 

 lug, set on a mainmast stepped a little forward of amidships. The outrigger in these 

 consists of a long plank of heavy palmyra wood stayed only by a shroud on either 

 side, led to the mast-head (fig. 8). In any but the finest weather the lee shroud is 



Fig. 9. — A large Muthupet balance-board boat. Palk Strait. 



transferred to the weather side of the outrigger plank which then has two shrouds — 

 one at the far end, the other some distance inwards. At the same time the 

 lashing of the plank being loosened, it is run out some distance further on the 

 weather side, giving a lop-sided appearance but increasing the counterpoise leverage. 

 The shrouds give grip to the men stationed on the weather end of the plank. 



In the northern varieties, for they differ considerably among themselves in 

 detail, the hull is usually narrower and longer than in their southern sisters, while 

 the majority have a quaint three-masted rig that separates them decisively from 

 any other Indian coast craft. Those of Muthupet, called vala vathai, are the longest 

 in this locality and instead of being dug-outs are narrow carvel-built boats of 

 canoe form (fig. 9). The average length is 43 feet, with a beam of 4^ feet; depth 2^ 

 feet. The crew consists usually of five meii, 



