I welcome Slade Penoyre’s logical approach to the suitable boat question. I am sorry I have insufficient experience to give him the answer.

All I would like to establish at the beginning is that clinker does not necessarily mean heavy and plywood boxes are not necessarily light. In fact a given weight of wood would make a stronger boat used clinker than box. It is, of course, true that most box boats are built down to a price and most clinker boats up to strength, but for the purpose of this interesting investigation I suggest boats should not be divided in this way.

What is more important, I think, is shape. The most important dimensions are beam, to keep reasonably upright without exhausting a crew, and freeboard, to keep out the sea. With liberal proportions to both these dimensions the other safeguard against swamping must be decking, I have come to believe that three-quarter is insufficient. On my dinghy everything forward of midships is battened down with a small canvas cover. This does mean remote control of the foresail but I accept Col. Hasler’s view that you cannot drive a small boat to windward without covering her with water. Yours faithfully, John Deacon