SURF BOATS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1230, 3 May 1864, Page 4

SURF BOATS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES

g IR —My attention was drawn to the subject of " Management of boats in a surf " by a letter on the subject from a -'Norfolk" man; and should you consider the following additional remarks worthy of notice in your journal, I shall be glad to feel that 1 have afforded some information which may prevent so unnecessarily large a number of valuable lives being again lost. I will dwell mainly on entering a river with a heavy surf; though a few remarks on proceeding seaward may not be out of place. If there be a very heavy head sea and wind, too much strength cannot be put to the oars, as even then much headway will not be made, and speed on meeting the sea is the boat's Should there be a heavy sea but no wind, or very little, it would not be desirable to put the boat at its greatest speed; the object being merely to prevent a sea carrying the boat away in front of it, and thus being brought broadside on, or turned clean over—bows up, stern down, and eventually bottom up. And the only way to avert either of these catastrophes is to give the boat way sufficient to pass through the top of the wave and leave it astern. By giving too much way the bow may come down too quickly after surmounting the wave. A. small boat in experienced hands may be managed so that each wave shall break before reaching her. The danger in running in bow first is the possible want of inertia. Therefore shift the ballast or weights abaft the centre (avoiding the extremities) before entering the surf, and avoiding the error of trying to run in at greatest speed, only allow the boat to proceed sufficiently fast to prevent the sea too suddenly overtaking her, but slow enough to allow the sea to take her stern first easily, then her centre, and lastly her bow. If the boat be going too fast her'stern will be raised, her bow depressed, she will be carried wildly ou in front of the sea, the bow will become immersed, and eventually she will turn over—you may say, heels over head; or else a greater pressure on either bow will cause the boat s head to swerve, the sea will act on the opposite quarter, and a capsize ensue. By towing an openmouthed canvas bag (of a conical shape) mouth first behind the boat, too great speed may be prevented, and either of the above chances of coming to grief reduced to a minimum, or altogether avoided. A large basket will answer the purpose. The yard spanned and sail loosed, towed astern, will answer the purpose as well, and protect the boat from the break of the sea also. As a general rule, especially in square-sterned boats, there can be no doubt that stern first is by far the best method of going in. The rudder should never be trusted to alone when running in bow first; but an oar placed over the quarter instead; or to assist, I would strongly advocate the canvas bags, especially if running in under sail. I am, sir, A SEAMAN'S WELLWISHER. Stock Grove, Leithfield, Feb. 22.