BERTHON BOATS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1047, 11 January 1884, Page 4

BERTHON BOATS.

An invention Of the greatest importarice is that known as the Berthon “folding boats.” The Berthon boats were invented some years since by the Rev. E. L. Berthon, a clergyman residing at Romsey, in Hampshire. They maybe roughly compared to an ordinary leather hand-bag turned inside out, ao that the folding frame closes backwards, the. bottom being strengthened with longitudinal ribs and the framework kept open by stretchers. When folded up they resemble a very long-pointed oval, with beautiful lines. The vans and stretchers are laid lengthways along each side of the folded boat and secured by straps, a handle being provided for convenience of carriage. The longitudinal ribs and keel, exclusive of the folding framework, which forms the gunwale of the boat, are from five to seven or more in number, according to size, and are made of the finest Canadian elm—an almost indestructible wood, which has in addition the twonecessary qualitiesof lightstrength, covered with a double casing of specially prepared long flax canvas, which has been made perfectly waterproof.. The canvas covering being both outside and inside the open boat with the ribs between, the act of expanding jt ; ,fills -ihe space between the (filter (md imfer covering with air, rendering buoyant. When required for use it is simply opened as Widejas the framework will allow —that iaTtS until the two halves form one plane, the boat being kept open by the necessary thwarts and stretchers. The canvas forming the double lining ol the Berthon boats has been tested by suspending weights from a strip one inch When cut off longitudinally they have borne a weight of 5701 b, while the strips cut transversely bore a strain of syolb. When collapsed these boats shut up into a space of one-fifth of .their width.: It will thus be seer that the construction of the Berthon boat is so simple that no instructions Even the case of the or follower, the boats «4n and fixed ready for use in a few minutes. From the construction oi the boat, as above described, it will be seen that it is provided with six 01 more air-cells, perfectly independent ol each other, so that even if one is acci dentally pierced or cut the bouyancyol the boat is only slightly diminished, Ordinarily speaking the Berthon boats are propelledby a pair of light sculls but they can be easily fitted with £ mast and sail. Under sail, even in bac weather, they are almost without rivals in speed In an ocean trip made lasi year by Captain Harvey, R.N., one o the boats made ter knofi» ;an hour. In beating to wind ward iii a. heavy sea they beat ordinary wooden boats, as was proved on many occasions in Algoa Bay in December ißßi.' r A twenty-two foot boat which was carried By the Union Company’s s.s. Spartan to the Cape, and whict has made splendid sea trips, is to be tiye.f ’.exhibition, and is here depicted. Enough has been said ol the lightness,(portability, safety, convenience, speed and sailing qualities ol the Berthon boats to show that they are most admirably adapted for, lake, rivei angling.—“ The Fisheries oi theiWorld.”