May, 1921 
FOREST AND STREAM 
211 
Tap over the planking lightly with a 
piece of broom stick to loosen all par- 
ticles of sand that have become im- 
bedded in the wood, and to locate any 
loose planks. Where one is split or 
loosened it must be refastened with cop- 
per tacks long enough to go through the 
rib and clinch. This smooths and great- 
ly strengthens the whole boat. The out- 
side is now given a coat of yellow ocre, 
mixed thin with boiled oil to penetrate 
and fill the wood, making it waterproof. 
One coat is sufficient if properly applied. 
T HE new canvas will be found to 
have a fold through the center 
lengthwise. This should be laid 
along the keel line, and the cloth fast- 
ened with one tack toward each end 
where the stem begins to turn up. 
Draw tight enough to smooth the wrin- 
kles, and without setting heads down as 
they are taken out before replacing keel. 
Never wet canvas when stretching or 
the work will be botched. The fold is 
used as a guide in keeping the goods 
straight. 
Begin amidships, drawing straight 
down, until fold shows in a slightly 
curved line, and place four tacks 
through the four middle ribs, setting 
heads tight. The work is now trans- 
ferred to the opposite side where the real 
stretching begins. Too much stress can- 
not be placed on the importance of doing 
it properly and sufficiently. It will be 
necessary to clamp a hand vise on the 
edge directly opposite the first tacks and 
pry around the gunwale making the 
cloth tight as a drum head. The vise 
must be moved for each tack throughout 
the entire length of the boat, and when 
four are set each side, the stretching 
must be toward the end as well as 
downward. 
Alternate from side to side after each 
four are driven, and if the center fold 
does not keep straight, and the canvas 
perfectly flat and tight, do it over until 
it is right. At the ends it is not possi- 
ble to remove all the wrinkles until the 
slit is made for the lap over. Just draw 
tight as can be and let it go at that, and 
do not trim edges until the recovering is 
completed. 
I N slitting, great care must be taken 
not to cut too far or the cloth will be 
ruined. Draw one side around the 
stem, using the hand vise, until all wrin- 
kles disappear, and use fastenings sim- 
ilar to those taken out. With a pair of 
sharp shears trim this flap a quarter 
inch from the wood, smear joint thickly 
with white lead, as taken from can, and 
work well into pores and stretch oppo- 
site side. Tack closely enough to thor- 
oughly bed it in the lead, making a 
water tight joint. The bang iron is now 
screwed in place, except where it at- 
taches to keel, and the edges filled with 
lead. When both ends are finished the 
edges are trimmed and a very thin coat 
of lead and boiled oil well worked in. 
After a couple of days to dry repeat 
this thin coat, then use thicker paint 
until the canvas is completely filled. 
Screw keel in place, using old screw 
holes, and finish with desired color ca- 
noe enamel, or, better still, have your 
painter make some, using both zinc and 
lead, with best quality spar varnish in 
place of oil. This will give a finish as 
nearly scratch proof as can be obtained. 
Two coats are required. 
The finishing strips are replaced, and 
with the inside and paddle varnished, 
it will make the almost discarded old 
craft practically good as new, both in 
looks and strength. 
J. Sterling Bird, New York. 
A LIGHT TENT FOR PACK TRIPS 
H AVE a 5 x 7 foot wedge tent made 
from what is known as balloon 
silk. In the top of it, where the 
ridge pole usually goes in a tent, sew 
a strong fish line the size of a slate pen- 
cil or a little larger. Let this line run 
entirely through the ridge of the tent 
lengthwise and ten or fifteen feet be- 
yond it at either end. Have the same 
kind cf cord sewed in all around the 
bottom of the tent with a loop left at 
each corher and a loop in the middle 
and at ends and sides. You can swing 
this tent up between two trees without 
using poles, then all you have to do is 
to stake it down all around and your 
camp is made. You can use poles in the 
ordinary way if you choose. Such a 
tent will weigh about four pounds fin- 
ished and rolls into a very compact 
package. So-called “balloon silk” is a 
very fine woven thin cotton cloth that is 
very light weight and still tight and 
waterproof and makes an excellent light 
weight tent. 
Ross Merrick, Washington. 
MAKE YOUR OWN LANDING NET 
Y OU should have a good landing net 
when you are fishing for anything 
but the smallest kind of fishes. 
Any game fish requires the use of a net 
to safely get him into the boat or on 
shore. Such a net may be readily made 
at practically no cost. 
At No. 1, is shown a drawing of a 
landing net made as described. A han- 
dle, see No. 2, which may be an old 
broom handle, as at H, may be used for 
your landing net. Two strips of metal, 
A and K, are used in attaching the han- 
dle to the hoop of the net. Strip A, is 
six inches long, three-fourths of an inch 
wide, by one-eighth of an inch thick 
and made from any pliable metal. This 
strip is secured to the end of the han- 
dle by a screw bolt two inches long, as 
at T. 
The hoop, W, see No. 3, may be taken 
from an old cask and should be sixteen 
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