EVERY BOY HIS OWN BOAT BUILDER. 



J. M. MARTIN. 



Those young men and boys who live or 

 spend their vacations alongshore may be 

 interested in learning how to build a cheap 

 yet seaworthy boat. In the way I shall 

 describe, 8 boys built a fleet of 4 canoes at 

 slight cost, and in 3 working days. In 

 these canoes they cruised Long Island 

 sound, landing wherever night overtook 

 them. When camping", the boats were car- 

 ried high on the beach and a hollow square 

 formed with them. Over this square the 

 sails were spread and propped with the 

 spars, forming a sort of tent in which the 

 boys slept as comfortably as if at home. 



To make such a canoe, get a piece of 

 oak, 1 J4 inch thick, 4 inches wide and 14 

 feet long, and shape it thus: 



leaving it i34 inch wide at the ends. Take 

 2 pieces of oak 134x6x22 inches; cut 

 these like B and C. Then fasten these 3 

 pieces together with 3-inch screws, as 

 shown in Fig. D. 



JT 



FIG. D. 



These make the stem, stern and keel set 

 up for the further building of the canoe. 

 Next, get 2 pieces of clear, sound white 

 pine 134 inch thick, 18 inches wide and 

 3 feet long, and with compass, saw and 

 brace and bit cut them like Fig. E. 

 After sawing out the center, 

 place the rib on flat, replace 

 the center piece and with a 

 pair of common 2-inch iron 

 butts make fast at 1 and 2, 

 Fig. E. This will form 

 doors for closets in each end of the canoe. 

 Erect these ribs at F and G, Fig. D, and 

 screw up through keel as shown. 



Next, take 2 strips of oak 1^4 inch 

 thick, 2 inches wide and 16 feet long. Cut 

 one end of each on a slight angle to fit 

 against stem ; screw one fast at each side 

 of stem, and bend around the 2 solid ribs 

 as shown in Fig. H, cutting to proper 

 length and screwing to stern post. 



FIG. E. 



FIG. H. 



Be sure both sides are evenly curved. 

 In screwing through oak, bore first with 



a gimlet bit and countersink, or you will 

 have hard work and probably split things 

 as well. 



Next get a lot of flat barrel hoops. If 

 you are near a cooper's, new ones are best, 

 but I have used them from old flour and 

 sugar barrels. Fit these in, 3 inches apart, 

 screwing them down to the keel with 1 34- 

 inch screws. Judgment must be used in 

 shaping these ; always make them straight- 

 er toward stem and stern. By having a 

 long thin strip you can determine the model 

 of your craft by continually springing it 

 from end to end up and down the ribs. 



At a sawmill get 24 strips of pine 3-16 

 inch thick, 23^2 inches wide and 16 feet 

 long. Turn frame upside down and starting 

 at the keel bend these strips lengthwise 

 over the ribs, nailing through with one- 

 inch wire nails. By holding the hammer 

 head on the nail, your partner, from 

 under the frame, can hammer down the 

 point, thus clinching it. Put these strips 

 first on one side and then on the other, so 

 as not to get the frame out of shape. 

 These strips go T /2 inch apart, and must 

 be narrowed at both ends to get the full 

 number in at stem and stern. 



Measure around your middle rib, from 

 keel to oak strip. It will be about 32 

 inches. Procure 10 yards of canvas of this 

 width, of a grade costing about 30 cents 

 a yard. Daub the outside of keel with 

 thick paint, and starting one inch past the 

 center line of keel, tack on canvas with 

 galvanized tacks every half inch. Stretch 

 canvas well and tack on oak strip at top. 

 Lap around stem and stern posts. Do the 

 same on other side and you have your 

 canoe. 



The deck is constructed as shown in 

 Fig. K. The cross deck beams are one 



FIG. K. 



inch thick and 13/2 inch deep. They are 

 planked over with same stuff as was used 

 in hull, namely 3-16 x 2V2, and all is cov- 

 ered with canvas tacked over the edge on 

 oak strip. When deck is covered, spring 

 2 pieces of one inch half round moulding 

 on oak strips, which will form a finish and 

 cover the tacks. 



On front deck we put a piece of 134 x 4 

 oak through center. ■ Through this we cut 

 a 23^ -inch hole where the mast goes, as in- 

 dicated in Fig. K. 



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