Punting and Punts
-No pastime on the river Thames has increased so much of late years as punting; and the evolution of the punt, from the slow, heavy, clumsy craft of the old fishing type to the light, long, 16-inch wide racer, has been equally remarkable. The old fishing punt was well adapted to the needs of the Thames fisherman, for it was divided into two unequal portions by a well near the stern, through which the water flowed. Thus the smaller fish were kept alive for bait, to say nothing of such larger ones as with greater or less frequency fell a prey to the angler. Moored across the stream, with two ryepecks, and carrying three chairs, it affords a safe and comfortable vantage ground for the roach and gudgeon fisher, who seldom fails to be accompanied by a stout jar of nut-brown PUNTING AND PUNTS] ale, which is set to cool in the well. When it is let down stream by the skilful fisherman, who guides its course with a pole as quietly as he may, the spinner for trout or jack can cast his line with something firm and solid to stand upon; and, sitting safely in its stern, the barbel and chub fisher drops down to his haunts, with no fear of his equilibrium being disturbed. The navigation of this craft required both skill and strength, more skill and strength than is wanted to keep a tolerably straight course in its much lighter successors, which are now seen in such numbers up and down the river Thames. The old Thames fishermen were THE TATE LIBRARY, BRIXTON, S.W. chief charms lies in its variety; no two strokes are exactly the same; the depth of the river is constantly varying; sometimes the bottom is hard and sometimes soft; on many of the reaches there are ballast holes of some considerable depth, and other pitfalls for the unwary; and in order to urge your craft upon the even tenor of its way you must never let your attention wander, but be prepared for every event. And in this consists one of the greatest attractions of punting as an exercise; in rowing, variety is strictly discouraged, and each stroke should be as similar as possible to the one before; in punting, varieties of START OF THE PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. adepts in the art; they were acquainted with each eddy in the stream, and knew the bottom not less well than the surface, and the way they pushed their heavy loads up some swift-rushing weir-stream was a triumph of art not easy to acquire. In time the punt was adopted as a pleasure boat, and its evolution was rapid. The old fishing punt was built to stand rough work, with oak knees and treads, and bottom of thick deal, heavily pitched and tarred. The modern punt is built as light as possible throughout, and the old pitch and tar has been replaced by paint; the wet well has disappeared, and its place been taken by back rails and comfortable cushions. As a pleasure boat for the Thames, the punt cannot be beaten. Its speed may not be great, but it is still great enough for those who are not in too much of a hurry to enjoy the river properly, and, as an exercise, punting cannot be excelled. One of its [Photograph by Sport and General. strokes are forced upon you from the constantly changing nature of the conditions; while the upright position, facing the direction in which the boat is going, and the greater freedom of motion, form an additional advantage. No wonder then that the popularity of punting as an exercise has increased; it calls into play every set of muscles, and makes demands upon the intelligence as well. The exercise is also well adapted for women. Ladies' competitions, where the palm is awarded to those who show the greatest skill in handling the pole and punt, are not unknown at local regattas; and to the onlooker a lady punting, standing erect and propelling her craft with ease and dexterity, is a more graceful and grateful sight than that of an equally accomplished sister labouring at the oar.
The proficiency of punters, both amateur and professional, has greatly increased of late years. The vagaries of the old punting circumnavigators are much more rarely to be met with; the number of those who can stand still and keep a straight and [PUNTING AND PUNTS pelled to keep his own water, would not be a better test of speed.
Running the Punt-The old style of running was in vogue when the punts used were heavy fishing punts with poles to match. Edward Andrews, of Maidenhead, champion in 1876, was perhaps the most practised exponent of the style; but when he went down in 1877 before Abel Beasley, of Oxford, who stood still and pricked his heavy punt, stern first, down-stream, the supporters of the old style experienced a rude shock. But even now, where the water is very deep and a strong stream or wind has to be faced, and the punt to be used is not a light one, running is still the best method of getting it along quickly; but one or two maxims should be borne in mind :-Do not attempt to run the whole length of the punt, three steps are enough.
Do not go too far into her head or too far towards her stern, or you will stop her way. Get your weight well on to the beginning of the stroke, take three long strides and get a good strong finish. Turn on your heels (do not take a step backwards, as is so often done, as that makes the boat POSITION IN RACING PUNT. speedy course has multiplied indefinitely.
Both punts and punt-poles are much lighter and better made than those of days gone by; and the numerous amateur and professional punting races which take place annually have done very much to encourage their proper use.
Punt-racing-There are two styles of punt-racing, (1) running, (2) pricking; and the first may be described as the old method and the second as the new. The course has a turn in it, one or more ryepecks being fixed to mark it. In amateur races it is usual, when the river permits it and the stations are equal, to have a separate turning ryepeck for each competitor; and this practice has of late obviated to a great extent the collisions which took place when the competitors turned at the same pole.
To do this neatly has been always considered an important point in a punting race, and having the course with a turn enables the spectators to see the beginning and finish of the combat; but it may be doubted whether a straight course downstream , in which each man would be com- PUTTING IN THE POLE. GOING SLOW. roll), and then come back towards the head of the punt as quietly as may be, gathering up the pole as you go.
PUNTING AND PUNTS] This was the style of running a punt adopted by Andrews, and it has not been beaten; it is a kind of double shove, and, In a 16-inch wide-racing punt, which requires steering as well as shoving, a good deal is wanted besides mere strength, and, unless a good style is acquired, the best results cannot be obtained; though practice under a competent instructor is the best receipt for the purpose, still a few hints may not be entirely useless.
A good punter should be able to punt either side equally well; but supposing that you are punting with the right hand leading, place your right foot against a knee of the boat, or some other well-defined spot, where she balances the best, and keep it there. Fix your eyes on the bow of the punt right through the stroke, and do not let them come round with the pole, or you will lose your direction, and a punt should never be allowed to deviate a hairsbreadth from the true course. If the punt is going fast, drop in the pole well in front of you (the distance depends in a great degree on the depth of the river and the pace at which you are going), raise your hands as far up the pole as you can, get the weight well on, keeping the pole quite close to the chest, and finish with the weight on and the chest square. Then recover the pole smartly with the hands, draw the extended foot BEGINNING OF THE STROKE. under certain circumstances, can even now be adopted with advantage. It is, however, a much rarer thing to see a punt well run than well pricked; there is generally too much running and not enough shoving about it, the punt is not kept on an even keel, and the pace is not proportionate to the energy expended.
Pricking a Punt-This is the method now adopted both in racing and pleasure punts. The long shove, its highest development, came from Oxford, having been evolved by the Beasley family, Abel of that ilk, who held the professional championship from 1877 till he retired in 1890, being its most successful exponent. It is no less successful in light than in heavy punts, and as the old champion used to say, "it breaks their hearts." The secret of it is to keep the body upright, not to bend over the pole, and to finish the stroke well out. To keep the body upright and to work hard, strong loins are requisite, such as are seen in a well-ribbed-up hunter. All cannot acquire it; some start with it well enough, but, when pace and distance have told their tale, they fall away into the old bent body position and short stroke, which lead to destruction.
MIDDLE OF STROKE. アン gently back, so as not to shake the punt, and commence the next stroke. The work should be done with the weight, loins, and legs, and not with the arms. In fact it is not unlike rowing. You reach forward to the full extent, apply the weight, then take FINISH OF STROKE. a step back which corresponds to sliding, finish square, and, as it were, slide slowly forward and repeat the dose. The long body swing, smart recovery with the hands, and slow sliding forward will always beat the snatchy armwork which is the pitfall of racing punts.
The Amateur Punting Championship used to take place at Sunbury under the auspices of the old Thames Punting Club, and afterwards has been held at Staines, Maidenhead, and Shepperton; and the last course, which is mile in length, has proved so satisfactory that the amateur championship will probably be held there for the future.
The Professional Championship takes place at Maidenhead over what has been known as the championship course below Maidenhead bridge, half a mile downstream and half a mile back, and was started as an annual event in 1888, though before then several matches between watermen had taken place over this course during the previous thirty years. The prizes are £15 and a gold medal to the winner, £12 to the second, £8 to the third, and £5 to the competitor, exclusive of the winners, [PUNTING AND PUNTS who completes the course in the fastest time in any heat. When Abel Beasley was punting he carried all before him; but since his retirement in 1890, the meeting has, with few exceptions, been a profitable one to the Haines family of Old Windsor. There is usually a large number of entries, and the meeting takes a whole day; the entrance fee is IOS., and the competitor who punts his heats to the satisfaction of the committee receives £1. The punts are 27 feet long and 2 feet 9 inches wide, and are provided by the committee.
The Thames Punting Club was revived in 1890, and consists of more than 100 members. The committee have drawn up a body of rules and regulations, under which most punting races are now held, as well as their own championship meeting, at which, besides the championship proper, there are novice races, junior races, senior races, and veterans' races, to say nothing of double punting. As catamarans, and strange flatbottomed craft shaped like canoes, made their appearance under the name of punts, the T.P.C. committee were compelled to define a punt in the terms given below.
DESBOROUGH.
RULES AND REGULATIONS.
DEFINITION OF A PUNT.
A Punt is a flat-bottomed craft without stem, keel, or sternpost, and the width at each end must be at least one-half of the width at the widest part.
The length of a Punt is its extreme measurement over all, and its width is its extreme part measured inside on the bottom.
Subject to compliance with these definitions, a Punt may be any length or width.
A Punt when used for racing shall have no external attachment to assist the balance, or for any other purpose.
For racing purposes a Punt shall not be propelled by any means other than by a pole used by the punter.
RULES FOR PUNT RACING.
I. All Punt Races shall be started in the following manner:- The starter on being satisfied that the competitors are ready and the sterns level, shall give the signal to start.
II. If the starter considers the start false, he shall at once recall the punts to their stations; any competitor refusing to start again shall be disqualified.
III. Any punt not at its post at the time specified shall be liable to be disqualified by the umpire.
IV. The umpire may act as starter, as he thinks fit; where he does not so act, the starter shall be subject to the control of the umpire.
V. A competitor must not put his pole in another competitor's punt, and any competitor who does so or touches with his hand-or any part of his body-any object outside his own punt, will be liable to disqualification.
VI. It shall be considered a foul when a competitor's punt collides with the punt of another PUNTING AND PUNTS] competitor, unless in the opinion of the umpire such contact is so slight as not in any way to interfere with it. The umpire shall be the sole judge of a punt's own water and due course during the race; he may caution any competitor when in danger of committing a foul, and may stop and restart a race at his discretion. race during which such conduct or fouling has occurred.
DEFINITION OF AN AMATEUR PUNTER.
An Amateur Punter is one:- VII. At all Regattas and races held under the Rules of the Thames Punting Club a Ryepeck shall be provided for each competitor at the turn.
All punt races should be started down stream, the same as Club races, unless it be found impracticable by the Committee of the Regatta. In Scratch races competitors being clear of their opponents after turning may choose their own water, but no boring or fouling will be permitted; the competitor so offending shall be disqualified. In Handicap races all competitors must keep to their own stations. Any competitor departing therefrom, and by so doing fouling the punt of another competitor, does so at the peril of disqualification.
When the course is specially marked out with buoys each punt shall keep its own water throughout the races. A punt departing from its own water will do so at the peril of disqualification if touched whilst out of it. VIII. The umpire, when appealed to, shall decide all questions as to a foul.
IX. A claim of foul must be made to the umpire by the competitor himself before getting out of his punt.
X. In case of a foul, the umpire, whether appealed to or not, shall have the power- (a) To place the punts except the punt committing the foul, which is disqualified-in the order in which they come in. (b) To order the punts engaged in the race, other than the punt committing the foul, to punt over again on the same or another day. (c) To restart the qualified punts from the place where the foul was committed.
XI. A punt to be adjudged the winner must, on reaching the winning post, contain all the competitors who started in it.
XII. Every punt shall abide by its accidents.
XIII. No boat shall be allowed to accompany a competitor for the purpose of directing his course or affording him other assistance. Any competitor receiving such direction or assistance shall be disqualified at the discretion of the umpire.
XIV. The jurisdiction of the umpire extends over the race, and all matters connected with it, from the time the race is specified to start until its final termination, and his decision in all cases shall be final and without appeal.
XV. Any competitor refusing to abide by the decision, or to follow the directions of the umpire, shall be disqualified. XVI. The umpire, if he thinks proper, may reserve his decision, provided that in every case such decision be given on the day of the race.
XVII. Subject to the foregoing rules, the race will be won by the competitor who is the first to take his punt up to the winning line.
XVIII. Any person who is reported to the Committee of the T.P.C. by either the starter or umpire of any punting races for unbecoming conduct or intentional fouling, may be declared incapable of competing for or winning a prize at any Regatta or in any race held under the rules of the T.P.C. for such period as the Committee of the T.P.C. may decide upon, including the 1. Who has never punted in any race for a stake, money, or entrance fee. 2. Who has never knowingly punted with or against a professional for any prize. 3.-Who has never taught, pursued, or assisted in the practice of athletic exercises of any kind for profit. 4.-Who has never been employed in or about boats, or in manual labour, for money or wages. 5.-Who neither is nor has been by trade or employment for wages a mechanic, artisan, or labourer, nor engaged in any menial duty. 6.-Who is not disqualified as an amateur in any other branch of sport.
DEFINITION-JUNIORS AND VETERANS.
A competitor who has won a scratch single punting race in punts the size of which is restricted shall, after that date, punt as a Junior in Best and Best Punts only.
A competitor shall be entitled to punt as a Junior in a Best and Best Punt until he has wor a scratch single punting race in a Best and Best Punt, that is, a race in which the size of the punt is not restricted or in which the punts are not provided by the Committee of the Regatta.
A Junior Punter is one who has never competed for the Championship.
A Junior who wins a race which disqualifies him from further competition as a Junior, may, however, compete at the same meeting in any Junior race for which he may be properly entered, but after that meeting will be no longer qualified to compete as a Junior.
A Junior who has won a double punting race is not eligible to punt in a double punting race as a Junior at a subsequent meeting.
A Veteran may be either a Senior or Junior Punter who is over 40 years of age.
LIST OF AMATEUR CHAMPIONS. 1886 E. V. Gardner 1887 F. Tomkins (T.P.C.) 1888 W. H. Grenfell (T.P.C.) 1889 W. H. Grenfell (T.P.C.) P.C 1890 W. H. Grenfell (T.P.C.) 1891 N. M. Cohen (T.P.C.) 1892 A. H. M. Kilby (T.P.C.) 1893 B. Rixon (T.P.C.) 1894 H. S. Verity (T.P.C.) 1895 B. Rixon (T.P.C.) 1896 B. Rixon (T.P.C.) 1897 Colin Romaine (T.P.C.) 1898 Colin Romaine (T.P.C.) 1899 N. M. Cohen (T.P.C.) 1900 C. R. Mullings (T.P.C.) 1901 C. R. Mullings (T.P.C.) 1902 C. R. Mullings (T.P.C.) 1903 C. R. Mullings (T.P.C.) 1904 J. H. Secker (T.P.C.) 1905 J. H. Secker (T.P.C.) 1906 J. H. Secker (T.P.C.) 1907 J. H. Secker (T.P.C.) 1908 A. Gordon Dickson (T.P.C.) 1909 J. H. Secker (T.P.C.) 1910 F. C. Covell (T.P.C.) Length of Fastest time. the course min.sec.. in yards. 566 6 48 1320 7 6 1320 6 40 1320 7 7 1320 5 50 1224 5 29 1224 50 1260 0 1282 2 6 0 56 51 34 9 IO دو دو دو دو دو دو دو دو دو دو دو دو LIST OF PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONS.
Over the Maidenhead Mile. 1877 to 1890 Abel Beesley 10 min. 59 sec. .. .. .. .. ..
II min. 41 sec.
IO min. 6 sec. 1876 E. Andrews 13 min. .. 1891 W. Haines ..
II min. 14 sec. 1892 G. Haines .. .. ..
II min. 59 sec. 1893 C. Asplen .. ..
II min. 43 sec. 1894 W. Haines .. ..
II min. 28 sec. 1895 Meeting not held 1896 F. H. Haines .. .. 1897 W. Haines .. ..
II min. 14 sec. 1898 W. Haines .. .. ..
II min. IO sec. 1899 G. Haines .. .. .. 1900 G. Haines .. .. 1901 W. Haines 1902 F. Nicholes 1903 G. Haines .. 1904 W. Haines 1905 W. Haines .. 1906 W. Haines .. .. .. 1907 W. Haines 1908 W. Haines 1909 F. Nicholes .. 1910 F. Nicholes .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 min. 21 sec 9 min. 37 sec. .. 10 min. 5 sec.
IO min. 39 sec. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9 min. 47 sec. 9 min. 27 sec. 9 min. 28 sec. 9 min. 40 sec. 9 min. 39 sec. 9 min. 36 sec. .. .. 9 min. 56 sec.