Popular Science MotitJdy 



767 



In the place occupied by them put in a 

 rib, in the same manner you have 

 fastened in the others. 



The work of making the centerboard 

 may now be started, which is shown in 

 Fig. 6. First cut the slot in the exact 

 center of the floor, and through the 

 outside keel. Make this slot 2 ins. 

 wide. At each end, put in a post. 

 Nail this post solidly to the flooring 

 and to the keel. The sides of the center- 

 board trunk are best made of a single 

 board; if two are used, calk the seam. 

 The sides are 



^ JO/^ ► shaped as shown 



and nailed to the 

 posts. Lay two 

 or three strands 

 ^,/ ^ of candle-wick- 



^ ing at the junc- 



Fig. 5. Transom^ ^-^^^ ^f flooring 



and trunk. Finish by nailing a i-in. 

 quarter-round molding to cover the 

 joint, first laying in a strand or two of 

 candle-wicking. For the centerboard, 

 two pieces of Georgia pine are doweled 

 together as shown in diagram. Gal- 

 vanized or plain iron rods about j^ in. in 

 diameter are all right for fresh water, 

 but brass is more durable in salt water. 

 In boring the dowel holes, make them 

 the same size as the dowels, and 

 take particular care to bore the holes 

 straight, otherwise the board will not be 

 true. In the lower left-hand corner of 

 the centerboard, make a 43^-in. slot. 

 Bore a hole through the trunk and hang 

 the board by driving an oak pin flush 

 with the outside of the trunk. Near the 

 after-end of the top edge of the board, 

 drive a staple or screw-eye, and fasten a 

 galvanized iron rod in the eye, so that 

 the centerboard may be raised and 

 lowered. The top of the trunk is 

 finished with a X by 33/2-in. oak piece, 

 in which a hole is bored to allow the 

 rod to project through. Screw this in 

 place on the edges, using brass screws. 

 The deck beams may now be put in, 

 and while many boats are made with a 

 flat deck, it is best to form a "crown" 

 by curving the beams i J^ or 2 in. in the 

 center. For the fore deck, put in three 

 deck beams, running them across and 

 screwing solidly to the ribs. Two 

 beams should be put in to support the 

 stern deck also. To support the side 



decks, knees should be put in to rest 

 upon each seat, and in between. The 

 deck details are shown in Fig. 8. 



The deck is laid in strips, running 

 fore and aft (lengthwise of the boat). 

 Begin by laying the first strip from stem 

 to coaming line; then fit the others as 

 shown in diagram. When ready to lay 

 the side decks, put a few strands of 

 candle-wicking along the top edge of 



-36'----* 



/3 



^ 



4Z--j^-.> 



SO/^RD 

 BOARD JOINED WITH DONELS-^^ 



Fig. 6. Centerboard construction 



sideboards, and nail the deck solidly (o 

 the sides. Screw firmly to the deck 

 beams, countersinking the heads of all 

 screws and nails. 



Now that the boat is decked, cut out 

 the inside curve for the coaming of the 

 cockpit. The coaming will not require 

 steaming, if ^-in. oak is used. Simply 

 bring the forward ends together to form 

 a A, A butt-block shaped to fit, is now 

 screwed firmly in place to make a solid 

 joint. 



If the deck is carefully laid with 

 tight joints and kept well painted, it 

 will be water-tight, but the usual 



