[ 176 3 
differed in nothing from a common keel boat (tho^ 
a flat one would be better) except that at the stern a 
false keel or runner was placed, turned up before, 
and perpendicular behind, touching only about two 
indies, so as to bring the boat nearly to a level 
when on the boards, and support her back parts ; 
the board that was to support the front of the boat, 
was one third of the length from below, and direct¬ 
ly under the mast ; the rudder of the boat was of 
the usual form, except that the irons were reversed, 
as the pressure was from below, and was shod with 
iron, that was not however as sharp as I should 
have expected. The boat was 12 feet long, and 
was strongly fixed by a cradle and screws passing 
through her bottom into the board. The mast was 
thirty-six feet long, and supported not only by the 
usual stepping, but by shrouds that were fixed not 
to the boat, but to the ends of the planks that co¬ 
vered the runners. The boom was eleven feet long ; 
by this you may judge of the size of the sail, which 
was increased by a foresail (or jib) the stay passing 
from the mast to the end of a bowsprit ; both to¬ 
gether were much more than could have been car-. 
ried with safety on the water. You will easily see 
from the form of the runners and the few points on 
which they touch, that the slightest matter will steer 
this boat, so that it is not necessary to have the 
rudder very sharp. 
Bo ATS of this kind and form will sail within two 
points of the wind, and they assured me that with a 
