Seabright Skiff

     A completely new form of launch, fast yet seaworthy, is wanted, and the only one of this description now in use is the Seabright Skiff. This is a development of an old sailing beach boat which is now in use off the New Jersey, U.S.A., coast. The skiffs range from 20 to 40 ft. (6. 1 to 1 2.2 m.) in length and, when heavily powered, can run at speeds up to 21 knots. The boats working off the beaches were usually com- pletely open, with their engine housed in a box aft of amidships. Skiffs are lap strake planked, with steam-bent frames. The bottom is flat and narrow, made of three to five plank of spruce or yellow pine cleated together between the bent frames with oak battens. In the example these were 1 J x 3 in. (32 x 76 mm.) oak, not shown in the plan. They are lightly but strongly built. The peculiar form of the stern, with its reverse chine in the tuck, was used in the early sailing model and has been retained because it produces a steady-steering boat. Another advantage is that the boat can be pumped by the helmsman, the skiffs being often operated by one man.

     The Seabright skiff is less expensive to build than the Cape Island model, is just as fast or faster for a given power, and is far safer. Proportions of beam and depth to length need not be those shown in the example ; they are often proportionately wider and deeper and the boats are very lively in a sea, the price paid for their otherwise fine qualities.