There is a good deal to be said for fast little motor boats. There are many watering places where their use is invaluable. And there are thousands of boating people, young and old, who love the excitement of buzzing along at rapid speeds in craft of this type. This little Restless will supply the requirements of many people who want a boat to use for afternoon spins, and for long runs over water that is not too rough. After all she is a small boat with modest freeboard; you cannot expect to coast down the Atlantic seaboard or cross Lake Michigan in a boat of this kind in bad weather. However it is perfectly surprising how much of a sea these fast runabouts will negotiate without getting into serious difficulties.
Restless' arrangement shows the motor under flush hatches with a driver's Cockpit aft. She is the sort of boat in which two is company, three a crowd. And since I have mentioned crowd may I make it emphatic that it is not only dangerous to overcrowd any boat but positively criminal. There is a comfortable seat (for two) and this being low down in the cockpit places the live load low in the boat. All controls for the motor are placed conveniently on the motor bulkhead and with an automobile type steerer the little boat will be as easy to handle as the most modern of cars. The motor is under flush hatches and separated from the cockpit by a bulkhead made from light staving or plywood.
Restless is 14 feet in over all length; 13 feet, 9 inches on the water line; 5 feet, 1 inch in breadth; and 1 foot, 1 3/4. inches in draft. The freeboard at the bow is 1 foot, 8 1/2 inches; and at the stern 1 foot, 3 inches. Below the chines the sections are straight; above moulded as shown. The keel is a real keel and extends to the propeller post. While there may be a slight loss in speed this arrangement is superior to the usual metal strut and exposed propeller shaft. With the deadwood and keel the boat can be better handled while ashore, and is not only stronger constructed but is somewhat easier to build and far better to handle in rough water, especially if running away from the wind and sea. The expense of buying a cast bronze strut and bronze shaft log is also saved.
There seem to be no two of us who prefer the same make of motor. This writer has found that all are pretty reliable if carefully and properly installed; that is most important. In the plans the motor shown is a four cylinder 133 cubic inch unit weighing approximately 350 pounds; this is about the right size, type and power. I would not advise anything much different. A motor of this power will propel the boat at a speed of between 25 and 26 miles an hour. There is a gasoline tank of 22 gallons capacity under the after deck which will be ample for the usual service expected of a boat of this character.
