BOATS AND BOAT-BUILDING. 87 



be free in the oar-locks, not pinned or hinged to 

 them. Nothing about a boat looks more " green " 

 or old-fashioned to me than to see an oar 

 pivoted to a long iron pin which sticks up from 

 the side of the boat, and is continually catching 

 upon weeds and brush, and yet I know several 

 first-class duck-hunters, in other respects, who 

 use them. 



To run easiest, excepting when very heavily 

 loaded, the boat should be so trimmed * that the 

 bottom at the bow shall be slightly out of water ; 

 then, instead of ploughing through, it will glide 

 smoothly over the surface. 



A very good style of paddle boat for small 

 streams and ponds may be cheaply and very quickly 

 made as follows : The bottom of inch pine is 

 first got out in shape, thirteen feet long and 

 twenty-five inches wide at centre, tapering in ah 

 easy curve to each end, both ends alike. To 

 the bottom are securely fastened, at right angles, 

 equidistant from each end, and six feet apart, 

 two braces of pine, one and' a half inches thick 

 and nine inches in height ; at the under side, 

 equal in length to width of bottom where they 



* Loaded in such a way. 



