65 
If the qualities to be tested involved the handling of the 
boats, then the models must be large enough to carry a crew; 
that is to say, they would have to be small lifeboats. Even 
with such, much experience can be and has been gained, 
which could not be obtained with larger boats for bad 
weather, for the smaller is only moderate for the larger, and 
is of comparatively common occurrence compared with that 
wliich affords a similar test for the larger boats. 
It is, however, the self-righting qualities of these boats 
that is for the moment in question ; this requires no crew, 
or at most a dummy crew, so that there is no limit to the 
smallness of the models, except what arises from the con- 
ditions of dynamical similarity, and these would admit of 
models as small as two or three feet. 
It may be well to say one word as to the powers of self- 
righting, and the question as to how far these powers may 
be affected by the wind and waves. I do not know that it 
has ever been suggested that wind and wave have any such 
effect. But it is equally certain, that there is no a priori 
reason . why they should not, and short of actual experience, 
that any boat which would right itself in calm water would 
do so equally well in any storm that might blow, no reason 
would be satisfactory. On the other hand there are reasons; 
wind and waves must, individually and collectively, affect 
the stability of an upturned boat. 
In the first place, the wind will keep such a boat broad- 
side on, which will be in the trough of the sea raised by the 
wind, although the swell may, of course, be running in 
another direction. The wind, acting on the bottom, will 
further drive the boat broadside on through the water. 
This horizontal thrust of the wind, acting on the part of the 
boat above water, and balanced by the resistance of the 
water on the submerged portion, will tend to right the boat 
by turning her keel to leeward, and so far, it would seem 
that the wind would help to right her, but owing to the 
