CAPTAIN BOYTON'S MISTAKES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2631, 14 June 1877, Page 3

CAPTAIN BOYTON'S MISTAKES.

Apropos of some recent cruises of Captain Boyton in Italian waters, the New York Times writes: —" .Every one knows that Captain Boyton wears a life-preserv-ing dress, in which he floats on his back in water, and propels himself either with a paddle or a sail. It is difficult to see how he can find much pleasure in this pursuit. He is in no danger of sinking unless he knocks a hole in himself by running on a sharp reef; but -. he is compelled to remain in a tedious and uncomfortable position. If he were able to go on deck, so to speak, and stretch his legs by walking up and down his abdomen, or if he could go aloft and scan the horizon from tho lofty elevation of his nose, the wearisome sameness of his voyages would be to some extent broken up Owing to the way in which he is constructed, these recreations are impossible., and he can only vary the monotony of paddling head first by occasionally backing astern and slowly forcing the blunt boots through the water. These inconveniences are, however, unavoidable, so long as Captain Boyton persists in converting himself into a seagoing vessel. Where he is at fault is in his stubborn refusal to avail himself of modern improvements in the art of propulsion. Whether we regard him as a sailing or a paddling craft, he is equally behind the age, and he has even failed to adopt the most efficient means of securing speed and weatherly qualities when under sail. He'made a grave mistake when he had himself cat-rigged instead of cutter-rigged. Ho carries but one sail, and when he is running before a fresh breeze and rolling heavily—-as he inevitably must, in consequence of his depth of hold and the dead weight of his skirt pockets—he is very apt to roll the extremity of his,boom under, and thus run the risk of a capsize. Had he adopted the cutter-rig he could have safely scudded before a gale of wind/under his foresail alone, his mainsail being snugly stowed and his topmast housed. A graver mistake, however, was his failure ta provide himself with a centreboard, or even a temporary false keel. Owing to this unaccountable omission, he cannot beat to windward, and he makes an enormous amount of leeway when sailing with a beam wind. Hence, unless he has the wind directly astern or on bis quarter, his sail is worse than useless. It is idle to say that that is, the fault of his model. His model is well enough, though he was evidently not designed for speed, but no light-draught man without either keel or centre-board can go to windward. For Captain Boy ton to claw cff'alee-shore under sail would be an absolute impossibility, and if ever he finds himself in such a situation, and his paddle breaks down, he may make Tip his mind that he will have to abandon himself to his underwriters and claim a total loss." .>■'_•