AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF BOATS AND SMALL VESSELLS, FOR EITHER SAILING OR ROWING, WHICH WILL NEITHER OVERSET IN VIOLENT GALES NOR SUDDEN GUSTS OF WIND, NOR SINK IF THEY SHOULD BY ANY ACCIDENT BE FILLED WITH WATER
Year: 1785

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, LIONEL
LUKIN, of Long Acre, in the Parish of Saint Martin's in the Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Coach Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, by His
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Second day of November, in the twenty-sixth year of
His reign, did give and grant unto me, the said Lionel Lukin, my exors,
adñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Lionel Lukin, my exors, adñors, and assigns,
and every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy and
deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said Lionel Lukin, my
exors, adiiors, or assigns, should agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, and vend, within that part of His
Kingdom of Great Britain called England, His Dominion of Wales, and Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF BOATS AND SMALL VESSELLS, FOR EITHER SAILING OR ROWING, WHICH
WILL NEITHER OVERSET IN VIOLENT GALES NOR SUDDEN GUSTS OF WIND, NOR SINK
IF THEY SHOULD BY ANY ACCIDENT BE FILLED WITH WATER," as to me, the said
Lionel Lukin, my exors, adiñiors, or assigns, or any of them, should in their

page_text: discretion scem meet, and that I, the said Lionel Lukin, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, should and lawfully might have and enjoy the whole profit, benefit,
commodity, and advantage from time to time coming, growing, and arising, by
reason of the said Invention, during the term of years therein mentioned, to
have, hold, exercise, and enjoy the said licence, powers, priviledges, and
advantages therein-before granted or mentioned to be granted unto me, the
said Lionel Lukin, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, for and during and unto the
full end and term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent
next and immediately ensuing, and fully to be compleat and ended, according
to the Statute in such case made and provided; in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Lionel Lukin, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a particular description of
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be inrolled in His Majestie's High Court of Chancery within
one calendar month next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Lionel Lukin, do hereby declare that my said Invention of An Improve-
ment in the Construction of Boats and Small Vessells, for either Sailing or
Rowing, which will neither Overset in Violent Gales nor Sudden Gusts of
Wind, nor Sink if they should by any Accident be filled with Water, is
described in manner following (that is to say):
--
To the outsides of boats and vessells of the common or any other form, are
projecting gunnels slopeing from the top of the common gunnell in a faint
curve towards the water, so as not to interrupt the oars in rowing, and from the
extreme projection (which may be greater or less according to the size and
use the boat or vessell is intended for) returns to the side in a faint curve, at
a proper distance above the water line. These projecting gunnells may be made
solid, of any light materials that will repel the water, or hollow and water-
tight, or of cork, and covered with thin wood, canvas, leather, tin, or any other
light metal, mixture, or composition. These projections are very small at the
stem and stern, and increase gradually to the dimensions required. These
will effectually prevent the boat or vessell from being oversett by sudden squalls
or violent gales of wind, either in sailing or rowing, or by imprudent or
unskilful management. In the inside, at the stem and stern, and at the sides
(where the projecting gunnells are not necessary), and under the seats and
thwarts, are inclosures or bulkheads, niade water-tight, or filled with cork or
other light materials that will repol the water; the spaces between the timbers