width to enable the sculler to obtain the necessary leverage and elevation of his sculls. The gunwale was accordingly flared out wide at these points, above the waterline. This flared gunwale had nothing to do with the flotation of the boat ; it was in effect nothing more than a wooden outrigger, and it was this which eventually suggested to the brain of old Harry Clasper the idea of constructing an iron outrigger, thereby enabling the beam to be reduced, and at the same time the sculling leverage to be preserved without the encumbrance of the top hamper of these flared gunwales, Such was the old wager wherry, and its later development of the wager outrigger.
We have said that the wherry is ebsolete. Modern water- inen use, for passenger purposes, a craft called a ‘skiff.’ She is an improvement on the ‘gig,’ a vessel which came into vogue on the ‘Vhames for amateur pleasure purposes about the year 1830. The ‘gig’ was originally adopted from nayal ideas. She had a flush gunwale, and the rowlocks were placed on the top of it. So soon as the outrigger came in, oarsmen realised the adyantage to be gained by applying it to the gig, in a modi- fied form, Half-outrigged gigs became common ; they had a reduced beam, and commanded more speed ; they were used for cruising purposes as well as for racing. Many regattas offered prizes for pair oars with coxswains in outrigged gigs. Theoretically a gig was supposed to be ‘clinker’ built, ie. each of her timbers were so attached to each other that the lower edge of each upper timber overlapped the upper edge of the timber below it, the timbers being ‘ clinckcd,’ hence the name. ‘Carvel’ (or caravel) build is that in which the timbers lie flush to each other, presenting a smooth surface. ‘This offers less resistance, and before long builders constructed so-called ‘gigs’ for racing purposes, which were caryel built. From this it was but a step to build racing gigs with but two or even one ‘streak’ only, ie. the side of the hull, instead of being constructed of several planks fastened together, was made of one, or at most two planks. The ends of the vessel were open-—uncanvassed, and in this respect only was there anything in common with a
