A hull after the manner of Rescue Minor is the ideal form for use in shallow water; and at the same time forms an excellent model for rough water service and for carrying a heavy load without increasing the draft greatly. It may not be amiss to say that this latest member of the very large family of Atkin boats is my five hundredth design. Not a few of these designs show shallow draft boats of the type of Rescue Minor in various lengths and proportions and for many services. I am glad to be able to say that the owners or users of these shallow draft boats have written me that the performance of each has more than exceeded my predictions, especially as to unusual speed with modest power, and the ability to travel in as little as six inches of water either forward or backward and when fitted with proper weedless propeller to work through grass, mud and snags of serious character.
Rescue Minor has an over all length of 19 feet 6 inches; water line length is 19 feet; breadth, 5 feet 8 inches; and draft with two men aboard, 6 inches. Under way at top speed the draft will remain at 6 inches. The freeboard at the bow is 2 feet 2 1/2 inches; at the stern 1 foot 7 inches. The underbody is unique. The entire after body of the hull forms the tunnel for the propeller, and the forward body the means for supplying the water to the tunnel.
The form of the hull is simple and therefore comparatively easy to build using waterproof plywood planking. The nature of the bottom of the hull provides perfect protection to the shaft, propeller and rudder. All athwartships sections are straight and honest. Nothing protrudes below the bottom of the double-ended flat keel. The bottom of the keel is perfectly straight. There are fewer pieces in the construetion than in any other boat of equal size and capacity. And added to these straightforward features one can rest assured that because I have perfected the design by slow development over many years and by the production of many boats of this particular model Rescue Minor will astonish people who may be under the impression that an extremely shallow draft boat cannot be fast and at the same time seaworthy and able.
The motor shown on the plans [Gray Sea Scout "Lugger," 2 7/8" bore by 3 1/2" stroke, 25 hp. @ 2,000 rpm.] is of 91 cubic inch cylinder displacement and weighs 340 pounds. With propeller 10 inches diameter by 12 inches pitch the speed of the boat will be 17 1/2 miles an hour with the motor turning 2,000 r.p.m. It will be noticed that the shaft angle is very nearly parallel to the water line; but that the center of the shaft is splayed to port about 5 inches at the motor flywheel. This splaying does several things; not least of which is to correct the side thrust of the righthand turning propeller, and therefore contributing not a little to the speed of the boat. The advantage of this splay will be felt also when the boat is backed.
The little boat was designed for service in connection with rescue work for the various war time services, Army, Navy, Red Cross, Coast Guard, etc., and for this reason the cockpit is left free of thwarts and open for stretchers. For civilian use one might fit two athwartship seats and dispense with the after seat and gallows frame; these not being vital for pleasure purposes, nor for that matter, desirable.
