The Republican journal., 1900-05-31
THE CHESAPEAKE GUNNER"

per OF IlldL magazine All Illustrated d.
ticle on the "Cunners" of Chesapeake
Bay. 1t should be said at the outset
that the Chesapeake Gunner is not in
the least like the Penobscot bay cum
ner. The latter is a fish, the former a
sailing craft, an Improvement on the
Old-fashloned dugouts once commonly
used on Northern streams and lakes
and on Southern creeks and bayOus.
The writer cIuised in these craft for
three seasons on the lower Potomac
River i'll the early los, sailing with two
companions in one Of the smaller ones
about seventy-fve miles on one trip
AS we sailed from one resort to another
we ate and slept ashore, with the eX-
ception of one night, when we encoun-
tered a heavy storm and had to beach
our craft on lee shore and find shelter
in an outbuilding AS the Potomac
near its mouth is about eight miles
wide, and gales and fierce squalls are
frequent. a Weatherly craft and skillful
handling are necessary, and both are
found in the 'cunners' of that region
and tie men who sail them. They are
out in all Weathers even when big
three niaSted schooners are under close
reefs: riding the seas like ducks, and if
two men are aboard, one will be bailing
while the other holds the tiller or steer
ing paddle Ballast is rarely used. and
then m the form Of sand bags. and as
The craft are open they cannot sink even
If they capsize. They may be easily
capsiZed, and this is sometimes done in
sight of a summer resort to ''show off.
the occupant climbing up as the Gunner
goes over until he is astride the keel. The
trick is not to get wet above the knees.
Capt kenealy speaks of the skillful
banding OF these cunners, as for exam
pie in bringing them alongside a gang
way ladder In making a landing the
canoe is always brought on the lee side
Of tile wharf, and she must come in
hfad ON and Just reach. If She strikes
the wharf with sufficient force to break
an eeg the skipper is disgraced
Ia the nearly thirty years that have
elapsed since the writer crlised on the
lower Potomac some changes in tie
form and rig Of the cullner might nat
urall De expected, and tie craft Capt.
kcuealv Describes is somewhat differ
ont from those of the '7o's. His illus
trati"ns and descriptions give only a
sIoop I9. and lie speaks OF Wire rigging,
stays. halIia1lS. ETC. but ut the time of
which write only the very smallest
cannes had but one mast, and generally
a single sail u leg Of mutton. with no
ShroidS. stays or haliards. The sail
was la~iled to the mast and set with a
sprlt that served also as boom. If lib
was used it was attached 20 the mast
and to iiat boWsprit that fitted over
the stem and was held in place by a
pin. TO take in the iib the pin was re-
moved and the boWsprit unshipped, and
with the sail was dashed to the mast.
The larger craft had two nasts. the
malulnast shorter than the foremost
and carrying a smaller sail also of the
leg OF mutton shape In very heavy
weather the foremost would be unslip-
ped and laid inboard. and the main
mast shipped i'll its place. Capt ke-
nealy speaks of the mast being stepped
at an angle of about twenty degrees.
but formerly the mast hole was made
large enough to admit wedge. and
WheM the canoe was on the wind this
was Placed forward of the mast to rake
1t aft. int when before the wind the
wedge was placed aft and the mast
mad" nearly perpendicular The only
rigging WAS tie fore. main and lib
sheets, the latter trimming aft within
reach OF the stcersman. In case of a
SItGet squal.- and they are very sud
drn-tAe masts are unstepped and, with
the ~al!S. thrown overheard, leaving the
shoes fast. Capt. kenealy speaks of
the ladder, but rldders We're only used
OH the very largest craft OF this type.
Others were stetred with paddle, so
called, but really a compromise be
tween an oar and paddle, Just eight
feet long, and made OF oak. The pad
die was held Oh the lee side against the
rail. and in race, OF in light weather.
it was used to scull the craft along. A
novice who should attempt to scu!l in
this way would find it a very difficult
feat.
Perhaps a word or two as to the CON
strlctlon of these canoes would be of
interest. TO build one of medium size
two large square timbers are clamped
together and heWn to the desired shape
for the outside. Then the clamps
ale removed and the inside followed
ON. the keel or centreboard box put in,
and tie two parts treenaiied together.
Iht ijOtt0ln is from four to six inches
OF solid wood and the sides somewhat
less Ihe Wdshboards. coamings and
tlWarts are then added This used to be
done 10y tile purchasers of the canoes,
WHO also made t1le spars and sails, the
builders furnishing only the hull. They