or a lacing of ratline; the jib is run out upon the bowsprit. Cutters carry a long bowsprit, which is fitted so that it can be reefed or taken in entirely, or according to the size of the jib that is used.

The cutter rig is suitable for boats of any size, and for small vessels up to sixty or eighty tons; beyond that size the schooner rig is preferred, as being lighter, and one that can be more safely handled in a sea-way. The boom and other spars required for a larger cutter being found very heavy, and sometimes dangerous and difficult to reef and manage in strong winds and heavy seas.

There are, however, among the pleasure squadron, a few cutter yachts up to, and even above, one hundred tons. But when at sea in bad weather they usually unship their heavy boom and gaff, and use a trysail or smaller sail in the place of the large mainsail.

The following may be relied on as suitable dimensions for a cutter-rigged sailing boat, half-decked or provided with onefoot water-ways inside the gunwale on both sides of the boat.

SLOOP-RIGGED SAILING BOATS.

THE sloop (anciently shaloop), an old-fashioned, but most useful rig, resembles the cutter in some respects; the mainsail is, in fact, precisely the same, but the fore-sail is set on a fore-stay, which is attached to the outer end of a standing bowsprit; if a jib be used, a jib-boom becomes necessary. The fore-sail is generally large; and for fast sailing, the lower leech or flap should be laced to a boom. The sloop rig was, until recently, chiefly confined to boats and small trading vessels; but since the Americans have improved upon it, and turned out several very decided clippers rigged as sloops, it has become rather a favourite rig for English pleasure boats, and small yachts. (See the Wild-fowl Shooting Boat, at page 101, which is sloop rigged.) A boat with a long sharp bow is desirable for the sloop rig.

Some of the New York sloops are the fastest boats in America, beating even their famous schooner-rigged pilot boats. The difference between the rig of the English cutter and the New York sloop is, that the mast of the latter is stepped farther forward, and they have a larger mainsail, which is laced to the boom; and they carry a stay-sail (also laced to a boom) in the place of our cutter's fore-sail and jib. The keel of the New York sloop is very deep aft, but at the bow it has very little hold of the water. The smaller of the American sloops are very broad and shallow, but these are fitted with a centre-board keel; (1) and the mast is placed as far forward as possible-in fact, close to the stem. (See engraving of centre-board boat sloop-rigged, post, p. 86.)

In the American sloop yachts (as in their schooners), the mainsail is laced to the boom with reef-knittles, and cut in a scientific manner, so that it stands very flat, and no leech below the boom can be gathered. The fore-sail, instead of being reefed as in English cutters, is made with a bonnet, and so cut as to stand quite flat when laced to a small boom.

(') Sce post, Centre-board' boats.

The sloop is as useful a rig for a small yacht, or an open sailing-boat, as any that is known, and as simple in management; no topsail need be used, unless the boat is sufficiently stiff to bear one; and more or less peak can be given to the mainsail by simply pulling on or easing the halliards.

THE YAWL RIG.

THE term yawl, as distinguished from the yawl-rig, signifies a boat with stem and stern alike; both ends being sharp, like a whale boat, or a Norway yawl.

A yawl is also a term applied to a man-of-war's boat, resembling the pinnace, but smaller; carvel built, and generally rowed with twelve oars.

The yawl-rig is a distinct term applied to a special form of the sails of a boat; so that any sailing-boat that is yawl-rigged is also termed a yawl.

The yawl rig consists of a gaff-mainsail—of a narrower form than that of a cutter, and without a boom—a fore-sail, jib, gaff-topsail, and jigger, or lug-mizzen. (See the engraving on opposite page.)

For comfort and convenience, the yawl rig is one of the best and handiest that is known, whether for a yacht or pleasure boat, large or small. The mainsail being all inboard, and much narrower than that of a cutter, it is less difficult to manage, and can be the more readily reefed; and a lighter mast suffices. A boom being also dispensed with, is another great advantage, as it considerably lightens the rig, and enables the boat to ride easier in a sea-way; and the annoyance of a heavy boom swinging over head from side to side, when the vessel is tacked, is of course avoided.

The yawl rig is admirably adapted for a shooting or fishing yacht; in fact, no better rig is known for either purpose; many large English yachts and pleasure boats are yawlrigged.