Now I have gotten away ahead of my story and must get back to the dimensions of Mister Simms. Over all she is just 36 feet, on the water line 35 feet, and on the beam 11 feet. Her freeboard at the bow is 5 feet 6 inches; at the stern 4 feet, and at the lowest point 3 feet 7 inches. This is a heavy displacement type and must not be confused with the average lightly built motor boat. A heavy boat is always comfortable especially in rough and bad weather. She is less lively than a light craft, dryer, and her weight absorbs engine vibration nicely. In case of grounding there is little to worry about except a loss of time for even a bad pounding will do little damage. And a heavy boat need not be slow; in fact it seems to me that in any kind of a sea that the heavy boat plugs along keeping up a high average speed; while, the lighter sister is obliged to slow down if the going gets bad at all.

Mister Simms is a trunk cabin boat and I have left a nice wide deck all around the craft. There is a bulwark rail 6 inches high from end to end giving security when going forward to handle anchors or lines. The pilot house gives protection; but being short allows the sun to shine in the after end of the cockpit and, too, in case one wishes to use the boat for fishing gives headroom for poles and gear. The cockpit floor is well above the water line and is of course self-bailing. Unlike many motor boats Mister Simms has a bridge deck between the cockpit and the deck house. Now this means that one must step over this in going below which is not a hardship. It also means that the hull will be greatly strengthened because the bridge deck ties the sides of the hull together thus preventing wringing and panting. Also the bridge deck brings the sill of the companionway doors well above any water that might find its way into the cockpit in the event of a sea coming over the stern.

Stepping below the unusual size of Mister Simms begins to be appreciated. First there is a big slow turning 50 h.p. engine, 700 r.p.m., under the cockpit floor and completely separated from the cabin by a water-tight bulkhead. Everything connected with the engine, including fuel tanks, batteries, etc., are abaft this bulkhead. The galley is located on the port side and is 5 feet 4 inches long, containing ice box up under the bridge deck, sink, coal range, large lockers for dishes, locker for coal, and a closet under the sink for pots and pans. On the port hand there is a chart table with fine big lockers below. The cabin is divided into two parts by the toilet room and clothes locker.

The main cabin is fitted with two seats and has folding berths behind these. The folding berths are in the form of boxes 6 feet 2 inches long and 2 feet 4 inches wide. Springs are built into these and mattresses. They swing on a pivot hinge, each end. When folded up the bottom of the bunks form lazy backs for the seats. Then behind the folding bunks will be found nice big lockers for blankets, and linen, and things.The forward cabin sleeps two on built-in berths 24 inches wide and, of course, full length. You, will notice that the cabin trunk extends over the forward cabin for a matter of 2 feet which provides full headroom for dressing. There is a little seat built in between the ends of berths and beneath this and the bunks there are lockers, for anchor chain, and other miscellaneous gear.