How to Build and Sail a Small Boat 



By Stillman Taylor 



THE average boy will find it compar- 

 atively easy to build a thoroughly 

 satisfactory sailboat, and no diffi- 

 culty will be experienced if the simple 

 instructions which follow are well under- 

 stood before undertaking the work. A 

 boat of this flat-bottom or "sharpie" 

 model, is the easiest of all sailing craft 

 to construct, it will be found safe and 

 stable and will show a fair amount of 

 speed with a reasonable spread of sail. 

 It is, moreover, essentially a boy's boat, 

 suitable for use on rivers and lakes, and 

 because of the flat bottom, it draws but 

 little water, and is upon this account a 

 very desirable boat for use at the sea- 

 shore, for it may be pulled up on the 

 sandy beach. 



The cost of building will naturally 

 vary somewhat — depending upon the 

 locality and the kind of fittings used. 

 The finished hull may be built for $io, 

 and if the mast is rounded out by the 

 builder, and the sail is stitched by 

 mother or sister on the sewing-machine, 

 the total cost may be kept within $20. 

 A completely rigged boat of this type 

 will cost not less than $75 if made by 

 a boat-builder. 



In beginning the work, first cut out 

 the stem as shown in Fig. 3. Oak or 

 ash is the best material for this part of 

 the craft, but cypress may be used. As 



may be noted in the diagram, the stem 

 is rabbeted out on a bevel to receive the 

 sideboards. 



The sideboards may next be marked 

 to the shape and dimensions shown in 

 Fig. 2, and then 

 carefully sawed 

 out with a rip 

 saw. 



The molds, 

 which give the 

 correct width and 

 shape of the boat, 

 are merely used to 

 keep the sides in 

 shape while put- 

 ting in the ribs 

 and flooring. 

 These are re- 

 moved when this 

 part of the work 

 has been com- 

 pleted, hence they 

 may be made from any odd pieces of old 

 lumber found about the house — packing 

 boxes, etc. Three molds are required, 

 the dimensions being shown in Fig. 4. 



The stern or transom is best made of 

 oak or ash, but cypress or cedar will 

 answer very well. This is first drawn 

 to shape and sawed out to the shape 

 and dimensions shown in Fig. 5. 



Having gotten out these pieces, the 



Deck plan 



Material Required for Hull 



2 pes. Cypress f 



2 pes. Cypress j 



2 pes. Cypress g 



I pc. Cypress i J- 



1 pc. Cypress g 



I pc. Cypress J 



I pc. Cypress J 



4 pes. Cypress J 



1 pe. Oak or Ash 6 



2 pes. Oak or Ash | 



I pe. Oak or Ash | 



I pc. Oak or Ash \ 



1 pc. Oak or .Ash \ 



2 pes. Oak or Ash 2 



2 pes. Oak or Ash | 



I pc. Georgia pine | in 



I pc. C^orgia pine i " 



1 pc. Georgia pine I 



5 pes. Cedar or white pine.. 5 in 

 5 yds. "" 



in. X 18 In. X 15 ft Sideboards 



in. X 2 in. X 15 ft Floor-stringers 



in. X I in. X 14 ft .Seat-risings 



n. X 9 in. X 12 ft Seats 



in. X 15 in. X 8 ft Sides centerboard trunk 



in. X 3 in. X 12 ft Deck beams and knees 



n. X 2 in. X 30 in Centerboard posts 



n. X 18 ft Decks 



n. X 18 in Mast blocks 



n. X 15 ft Ribs 



n. X 31 in Stern transom 



n. X 12 ft Cockpit coaming 



n. X 46 in Top centerboard trunk 



n. Half-Roimd Molding. . . . Fenderwales 

 n. (Juarter-Round 



Molding To cover tacked edge on coaming 



c 6 in. X 15 ft Outside keel or shoe 



c 7 in. X 7 ft Centerboard 



c 8 in. X 4 ft Rudder 



c 6 in. X 16 ft Flooring-i)oards 



13 



5 

 3" 



No. 8 or 10 ounce Canvas Deck 



765 



covering 



