A Bawel Stav© Iceboat 



\ N iceboat that will scoot across the 

 /-\ ice at tremendous speed with little 

 risk of an accident must appeal to 

 every boy and girl, but the cost of such a 

 plaything is generally too great and the 

 difficulties of making a small one are often 

 beyond the young mechanic; however, 

 there is no reason why every boy who can 

 handle a saw and hammer should not be 

 able to build a boat with barrel staves for 

 runners as described here, since the construc- 

 tion is simple and the materials inexpensive. 



Procure an old 

 barrel with stout, 

 thick staves, and 

 knock it apart, se- 

 lecting three of the 

 best staves for the 

 iceboat. Barrels in 

 which oil, molasses, 

 tar, and hardware 

 have been packed 

 are the best, as the 

 staves are thick and 

 stout and will not 

 split easily. There 

 will be needed three 

 perfect staves of 

 equal length and 

 thickness for the 

 boat. The underside of these should be well 

 polished with sandpaper until they are 

 smooth. Three blocks of wood are then 

 cut out 6 in. long and 3 in. square. Nail 

 one of these blocks to each of the three 

 staves, driving long wire nails in from the 

 underside. In the center of one block bore 

 a i-in. hole 4 in. deep. This is to receive 

 the steering post. Procure a board 2^ ft. 

 long, 4 in. wide and 1 in. thick and nail it on 

 top of two of the blocks, thus joining the 

 two forward runners of the iceboat to- 

 gether. It is now ready for the main 



General details for making a smooth-run- 

 ning, speedy and very economical ice- 

 boat in which the runners are barrel staves 



carrying board. This should be 6 ft. long, 

 6 in. wide and 1 in. thick. An oak or pine 

 board that will not break when loaded 

 should be used. Nail it to the cross board 

 as shown at A, about 6 in. from the end, and 

 fasten the other end to the steering runner 

 by means of the steering post. Bore a i-in. 

 hole through the board at the proper place 

 and put the steering post through it, driving 

 it firmly into the hole in the block of wood. 

 The hole in the runner board must be long 

 enough so that the steering post will work 

 in it freely. The 

 steering post should 

 be of stout oak 1 ft. 

 long and 1 in. in 

 diameter. It should 

 be a tight fit in the 

 hole in the runner 

 block and nailed to 

 prevent turning. 



The body or hull 

 of the iceboat is 

 then finished, al- 

 though the builder 

 may desire a cockpit 

 for comfort. This 

 can be made of any 

 box of the right size 

 nailed to the runner 

 board, with a hole bored through the bot- 

 tom for the steering post. The mast can be 

 cut in the wood or made from a fine bamboo 

 fishing pole, which although light is strong 

 enough. Nail a block of wood 2 in. thick 

 with a hole in the center at the place B, for 

 the mast staff and insert the butt end in it. 

 To brace it in position run a stout fish line 

 from screw eyes on either side and forward 

 to a point half way up the mast. No back 

 brace will be needed as the sail will pull in 

 this direction, keeping the mast perfectly 

 steady and in an upright position. 



937 



