84 EQUIPMENT. 



straight and smoothly in line with cross-bars, and 

 the edges afterwards painted to receive the bottom. 

 A straight line should now be drawn from stem 

 to stern, and, if it is found on measuring that 

 one side-board has sprung more than the other 

 (not often the case, however), it must be brought 

 back to position and secured when screwing on 

 the bottom. The bottom boards, fivo-eighths of 

 an inch thick (not more than three should be used, 

 and two is better, if they can be obtained of 

 sufficient width), being screwed firmly in 2Dlace to 

 the cross- iSars and bulkheads, are next roughly 

 trimmed around on their outside edges in line 

 with the sides, and fastened to them firmly by 

 " fourpenny " nails driven along the edge, about 

 two and a h^<lf inches apart, the heads of which 

 should be slightly sunken in the wood. 



After finishing the bottom smoothly (not round- 

 ing the edges), the boat may be turned over, and 

 the seats put in; one near the stern, with its for- 

 ward edge resting on the permanent brace before 

 mentioned, nine inches wide, and parallel with 

 bottom of boat; a second at eight inches forward 

 of the middle, and the third midway between 

 the two others. These two last should be seven 

 inches wide, one inch thick, and placed six inches 



