766 



Popular Science Monthly 



work of setting up the hull may begin. 

 First nail the sideboards to the beveled 

 scarf or rabbet in the stem, by a double 

 row of nails. Galvanized cut boat- 

 nails should be used, and a hole must 

 first be bored before the nail is driven 

 home. This must likewise be done in 



19' 



Fig. 2. Sideboards 



fastening all parts together — otherwise 

 splitting is likely to spoil the work. 



Now place mold A, 5 feetfrom the 

 stem (see deck plan Fig. i), and after 

 bending the sideboards around it, 

 secure firmly in position, by tacking a 

 batten across the sideboards at top 

 and bottom. In doing this, merely 

 drive the nails partly in, so that they 

 may be easily removed later on. Place 

 mold B, 3 ft. from mold A, fasten and 

 set up mold C in the indicated 

 position. Owing to the some- 

 what abrupt bend of the sides 

 at this point on to the stern, 

 a rope strap may be 

 twisted around the 

 sideboards like a tour- 

 niquet, to force the 

 sideboards tightly up 

 against and at right 

 angles with the molds. 

 K] Clamps may, of course, 

 be used, if at hand. 



The transom is now placed between 

 the sideboards — outside flush with edges 

 of sideboards — and fastened in place by 

 nailing the sides to it. 



The floor-stringers are now to be 

 nailed along the inside bottom edge of 

 each sideboard. To make the stringers 

 follow the bend near the stern, make 

 several slight saw-cuts across, so that 

 the stringer may be sprung to follow 

 the curve of the sides. 



We are now ready to put in the oak 

 ribs, and these must be nailed solidly 

 to the sideboards. Space the ribs about 

 18 ins. apart, and nail with galvanized 

 boat-nails, through the sideboards. 

 Clench the ends on the inside of the rib. 

 The hull is now ready for the flooring. 

 Turn the hull upside down, and if the 



Fig. 3. 



Stem 



sideboards and stringers are not perfectly 

 straight across the edges, plane off until 

 the flooring fits well when laid across 

 the bottom. This detail is an important 

 one, for if a tight joint is not made here, 

 the boat is likely to leak. The floor- 

 boards are now laid across and nailed 

 solidly to the edge of both stringers and 

 sideboards. Begin at the bow and 

 finish at the stern, letting the last floor- 

 board extend beyond the transom about 

 yi in. and neatly round off the edge. 



To prevent any possibility of leakage, 

 it is a good plan to lay a strand Or two 

 of candle-wicking along the edge, before 

 nailing the flooring in place. The floor 

 boards must be planed so that the edges 



* 45" 



^T T^ 



52" 



^=m'¥ f^ 



f 



-36 



mi 



\ 



45' 



-42" 

 N9 3 



~3t. 



« 36"- » 



Fig. 4, Molds 



Uf 



are perfectly square and' smooth, that 

 each may fit the other as tightly as 

 possible. If this is done, and cedar or 

 white pine lumber free from knots or 

 defects is used, the bottom will quickly 

 swell water-tight. Calking is never 

 satisfactory in flat-bottomed boats, for 

 it is almost impossible to keep it from 

 falling out of the seams. It is unneces- 

 sary if the flooring is laid as directed. 



After the bottom is on, nail the J/g 

 by 6-in. strip of Georgia pine (do not 

 use North Carolina pine, which is an 

 inferior wood), in the center of the out- 

 side. This forms the outside keel or 

 shoe and should run from stem to stern. 

 Fasten by nailing from the outside, and 

 clench the nails on the inside, setting in 

 the heads well below the surface. This 

 should also be done throughout the 

 boat, so that putty may be filled in to 

 make a good finish. 



The boat may now be turned right 

 side up and the seats and seat-risings 

 put in. The risings are simply % by % 

 in. strips, screwed to the ribs the seats 

 resting upon them. 



The molds may now be remov^ed. 



