A SUCCESSFUL MOTOR CANOE. 



95 



alongside his own home without chill or 

 languor, he may catch his own fish for 

 breakfast, and in the evening, after gliding 

 on through sunshine or moonlight, the 

 owner of a small boat at anchor in a safe 

 haven may take his pipe, spread out his 

 rugs and cushions and survey with a pro- 

 prietary mien the surrounding waters. 



Cheap yachting ! It is the Elysium of 

 the tired business man and the invention of 

 the angels. But it has its "Don'ts," too. 

 Ignore a boat of superb fittings. She costs 

 too much. Get an able boat and pay as 

 much attention to her equipment and out- 

 fit as to her design. The comfort and 

 pleasure of an owner are dependent on such 

 secondary features as lighting, ventilation, 

 plumbing and communication. 



It is best to finish each day's run early. 

 There is always danger after dark. 



It is unwise to take too many trappings 



along. Use the same rule that soldiers do 

 when starting on a march. Pick what is 

 needed and take no more unless it be a 

 hammock for an uncomfortably warm night 

 or an extra blanket for a cold one. 



Always lay in a good supply of provi- 

 sions, ice and coal. Calms come like the 

 proverbial thief in the night. 



Don't, above all things, select a boat in 

 bad order or even a very old craft. Ex- 

 amine everything in sight and have a 

 builder examine everything out of sight. 



If you pick a sound boat, select con- 

 genial companions and choose an interest- 

 ing cruising area: you will own your float- 

 ing cottage and live as cheaply as on shore, 

 if not cheaper. Under such conditions the 

 highest degree of pleasure and instruction 

 may be attained, and every night all hands 

 will rest with the tranquillity of a forgiven 

 sinner. 



A SUCCESSFUL MOTOR CANOE. 



A. D. W. SMITH. 

 Photos by the Author. 



Great interest has been aroused in the 

 development of small motor craft, and 

 while there are many classes of motor 

 boats the motor canoe here described is, as 

 far as T know, the only successful one in 



SHOWING SKEG, PROPELLER. ETC. 



operation. It is an ordinary stock paddling 

 canoe, 18 feet long, 35 inches beam, 14 

 inches deep, built by The Canadian Canoe 

 Co., Peterboro. As shown in cut No. 1, a 

 skeg is built on from about the center of 

 the keel to the stern. Through this skeg 

 the shaft runs to a point sufficiently low 

 to keep the propeller submerged under all 

 conditions which, as far as I can find out, 

 was the main difficulty experienced by 

 others 



This skeg not only answers the purpose 

 mentioned, but also provides a long bear- 

 ing for the shaft, and stiffens the canoe 

 considerably. It is fastened through by 

 bolts sufficiently long to be riveted under- 

 neath to the one-inch half oval iron which 

 serves as a protection to the keel, and is 



carried from the bow to the stern, at which 

 point it projects as a shoe protecting the 

 propeller blades from injury either while 

 running or landing. The rudder is attached 

 to this shoe, and steering can be controlled 

 from any part of the canoe, as an endless 

 cord runs through screw eyes and pulleys 

 attached to the gunwales. 



Motive power is supplied by a 2-cycle, 

 single cylinder one horse power gasoline 

 engine, set up exactly in the center of the 

 canoe. It is fastened to a bed made from 

 2-foot pieces of ash, laid longitudinally, with 

 2 cross pieces formed to fit the bottom of 

 the canoe. These pieces also act as braces, 

 and are fastened from the outside by brass 

 screws. 



The propeller shaft from the engine to 



RUNNING IO MILES AN HOUR. 



the skeg is encased in brass tubing, and is 

 supported by 2 bearings about 2 feet apart. 

 This stationary casing also acts as a bear- 

 ing where it enters the skeg, and the shaft 



