UC-NRLF 
 
 
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Nine Motorboats 
 
 AND 
 
 How TO Build Them 
 
 Second Edition 
 
 A Book of Complete Building 
 Plans and Instruction, which 
 contains all necessary informa- 
 tion for the amateur who 
 wants to build his own boat. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 THE MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 iio-iia WEST 40th STREET 
 
^/;^^5^ 
 
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 -K"' 
 
 Copyright, 191 3- by 
 THE MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 New York, N. Y. ■ 
 
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 9 
 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Page 
 
 . . 7-15 
 
 
 
 "Pop Gun"— A 20-Foot Runabout 
 Designed by C. G. Davis 
 
 
 
 A 25-Foot Cruiser 
 
 Designed by Frederic S. Nock .... 
 
 . . 16-36 
 
 
 
 A Single Step Hydroplane 
 
 Designed by George F. Crouch .... 
 
 . . 37-47 
 
 
 
 "Sunfish"— A 32-Foot Day Cruiser 
 
 Designed by C. G. Davis 
 
 . . 48-60 
 
 
 
 "Mollyhawk"— A 28-Foot Cruiser 
 Designed by C. G. Davis 
 
 . . 61-74 
 
 
 
 "Beaver" — A 23-Foot Cruiser 
 
 Designed by C. G. Davis 
 
 . . 75-92 
 
 
 
 A 25-Foot Runabout 
 
 Designed by Frederic S. Nock .... 
 
 . . 93-109 
 
 
 
 A Dead Rise Runabout 
 
 Designed by A. M. Keys 
 
 . . 110-113 
 
 
 
 A Light-Draft Stern-Wheel Boat 
 
 Designed by C. G. Davis 
 
 . . 113-119 
 
 
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 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
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 268523 
 
*' Pop-Gun " — ^A Twenty-Foot Runabout 
 
 DESIGNED BY C. G. DAVIS 
 
 THIS little runabout, named Pop-Gun by one who saw 
 a model of her, is a 20-footer of such simple con- 
 struction that anyone can undertake her construc- 
 tion with certainty of success — that is, anyone who knows 
 enough of the use of tools to build a box. All that is 
 needed is a knowledge of how to use a saw, how to plane 
 the edge of a board straight, and how to nail lumber to- 
 gether. There are very few curved cuts to be made, and 
 nearly every cut is along a straight line that may be 
 snapped with a chalk-line or drawn with a straight edge. 
 In fact, the designing of a boat like this is the hardest 
 part, and that is done. 
 
 Simplicity in every feature has, of course, been the 
 leading object in designing Pop-Gun, but simplicity is 
 quite possible in a very good little runabout, and Pop- 
 Gun will prove a handy, serviceable, sturdy boat that will 
 carry several people easily, and travel along at about 
 eight miles an hour with a 3-hp. mot6r. 
 
 The construction of a round-bottomed boat requires 
 considerable skill other than that necessary to use the 
 tools. The shaping of each frame and plank is quite an 
 art; but in this boat the construction is so simple that 
 anyone should succeed in producing a good boat. We 
 will take each piece of wood in turn and tell you just 
 how to shape it. 
 
 First come the three patterns, or molds, that give you 
 the desired shape. These are shown clearly and with all 
 the necessary dimensions marked on them for repro- 
 ducing them full size. A large sheet of brown wrapping 
 
 paper will do if a clean board floor is not available to 
 draw them on. 
 
 Take the shape of the middle mold, No. 2, for exam- 
 ple. Draw a straight line horizontally across the paper 
 or floor and with a large, steel carpenter's square draw 
 a center line, which we show here dotted at right angles 
 to it. Each side of this center line measure off 2 feet 
 4>^ inches, which represents the width of the boat at the 
 deck to the inside of the planking. Eighteen and one- 
 quarter inches below this — the distance given in the plans 
 of the molds — draw another horizontal line and measure 
 f out two feet each side^— that distance, i8j4 inches, repre- 
 sents the vertical depth of the side plank, which of course, 
 if measured on the angle will be a fraction longer; 19 
 ■finches it really is. Four and three-quarter inches below 
 the second line draw another short one representing the 
 keel and measure out three inches each side, the keel being 
 six inches wide. By drawing lines connecting these spots 
 you have the outline of the mold. The- others are found 
 in exactly the same way, using the distances marked on 
 the plans. Wooden patterns have to be made of these 
 three molds so that when properly spaced and set up the 
 planks forming the boat can be bent around them. This 
 causes quite a little strain to come on the molds, so do 
 not build them so flimsily that they will give or break 
 under the strain, and cause your boat to be built crooked. 
 
 in Figure I I have .shown one method of putting to- 
 gether a mold, and in Figures 2 and 3 other ways are 
 shown. It matters little which way you build them: the 
 
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 a ^/ra/<ffff //ne h rct/£^ cfou//? fhe//oor, /:/ja 
 apac/rit^ of fhe tvou/tifj /J- mea^uree/ e^anafeac/; r^oif/a^ 
 /^ set up an<^ j ecu re// braceaf ar^af //jen //}e kee/ /o danf oy^er 
 fhem ar7af fajferJi/ a/oufn To /As a^rire' /t u//// /a^e., the s/e/n ao^:/ 
 /h& fra/i50/n he/'r)^ prei//ou^/y bo/fe^ fb 't 
 
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 Mould No- 1. 
 
 2--A'/z 
 
 /iou/d No-2. 
 
 Mould No-5 
 
 Transom 
 
 one that cuts up your available wood to best advantage 
 is the one to use. Cleat the various pieces securely to- 
 gether and nail a brace about 4 inches wide by i inch 
 thick across the heads of each mold. Mark the center 
 line at top and bottom to assist you when you come to 
 set the molds up along a center line. Don't cut up ex- 
 pensive wood for molds, for they are only temporary 
 affairs that will be thrown away when the boat is built. 
 The transom is to be cut out of l^-inch oak to the 
 size and shape given. Try to get good dry, seasoned oak 
 and, if possible, a piece wide enough to make the tran- 
 som in one piece. If you can't get this, make it of two 
 pieces but keep the seam between the two well up, so that 
 it will be out of water most of the time, and therefore not 
 be liable to leak. Saw it out to the given shape with 
 square edges. The bevels necessary to let the plank lay 
 flat on it can be planed off later, when it is set up, by 
 bending a board over the molds so that it touches the 
 transom and then planing off the after edge until the 
 plank lays flat on the transom. (Figure 4.) 
 
 If the transom must be made of two pieces, plane up 
 the two edges that are to meet so that they make a per- 
 fect fit. You can soon tell whether they do or not by hold- 
 ing them up to the light of a window or lamp (Figure 5) 
 
 and the light shining 
 through the crack of 
 the seam will soon 
 show you where the 
 high spots are. Mark 
 them and run a shaving 
 off, and then try again. 
 Keep at it till you make 
 a perfect fit. The ama- 
 teur is very apt to try 
 to do this with a short 
 plane ; most amateurs 
 show a preference for 
 the smoothing plane but 
 if they will take a long 
 "jointer" plane they 
 will get better results. 
 
 The amafeur ^enem/Zy /?as 
 MO i}ench i//j&. he aefi cs^au^r? 
 c/o/jis fences antf /loMs //<^ 
 ^oaraf betu/een them co^'^^ 
 /ic boi'es a ho/e.. 
 
 A strong, neat joint can be made by dowelling these 
 two together. Lay the two pieces of the transom flat on 
 floor and rule about four straight lines across both; but 
 be sure to have them square to the seam and parallel with 
 each other (Figure 6), not staggered, as in Figure 7. 
 If they are put, as shown in Figure 7, you can never 
 drive the two together as the dowels will bind and pre- 
 vent this. The holes must be very carefully bored so that 
 they will not run and come out through the side of the 
 board. Clamp one piece of the transom in a bench vise 
 if you are using one or get down on your knees, as nine- 
 tenths of the amateurs have to, and hold it between yoiir 
 knees. By looking squarely down on it you can tell pretty 
 
 
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accurately whether the bit is running true or not. A 
 good way to get the bit started true is to tack a straight- 
 edged stick against the face of the board opposite the 
 hole. With this guide you can keep the shank of the bit 
 true by your eye. Figure 8 illustrates this point clearly. 
 Bore in to a depth of about four inches into each side. 
 Don't try to make the bit cut too fast — just press on the 
 handle of the bit with one hand and after you have cut 
 in a couple of inches pull the bit out and run your hand 
 down it to sweep the shavings out of the worm of the 
 
 FIGl-9 
 
 ria///n^ jur/ace /arMe s/i/as aff^ Ga//dn7 Jboardc. 
 
 screw. If you feel the steel is quite hot you know you 
 are crowding the bit too fast. Crowding too hard is what 
 causes the bit to run out to one side and may cause the 
 point of it to come out through the side, disfiguring your 
 transom. Some people lay on a brace and bit and put all 
 their weight into it and then wonder why the bit gets bent 
 or cuts crooked. Give the cutting point time to do its 
 work. A bit isn't a conductor's punch ,to be pushed 
 through by force — turn it. Dip the ends of the dowels 
 into some liquid glue before you drive them into the 
 transom. 
 
 In order to give a' better nailing surface to the side and 
 bottom planks, take some pieces of the ij4-inch oak about 
 three inches wide and screw it fast all around the edge 
 of the transom. Use about ij4-inch brass screws and 
 bore so that their heads go in about J^ of an inch. Set 
 
 of jfen?. 
 
 r/a-zo 
 
 F/G'/Z 
 
 these re-enforcing pieces so they extend out beyond the 
 edge of the transom so that when you come to bevel the 
 transom to take the sides and bottom planks there will be 
 wood enough to do so and it will not be as in Figure 9. 
 Round up the top edge of the transom two inches higher 
 in the center than it is at the sides to give the necessary 
 crown to the deck. The keel is a parallel oak board. 
 
 twenty feet long, six inches wide and iJ4 inches thick 
 that one can have sawed for him at the lumber yard 
 where he buys the wood. Be sure to get a sound, clear 
 oak board. 
 
 The stem is built just as ninety-nine out of a hundred 
 skififs are built — of two pieces, and' this greatly simplifies 
 the work. There is no rabbet to be cut. Just get a piece 
 of dry, sound oak, 28 inches or more in length and 3J^ 
 inches square. Twenty-eight inches is the exact, neat 
 length required, but if you get it out 3 feet long it will be 
 long enough to reach the floor so you can brace it se- 
 curely and then saw it off after you turn the boat over. 
 Down the side that is to be the front edge draw a center 
 line and ^ of an inch each side of it draw lines parallel 
 to it; this represents the J^-'nch face that is to be left 
 square, as shown in figure 10. With draw-knife and plane 
 cut this stem to the wedge shape shown. 
 
 To secure the transom and stem to the keel, cut out 
 two knees of 3-inch oak or hackmatack so that the grain 
 follows, in a measure, the shape of the knees and is not 
 so crossgrained as to split off easily. Cut them accurately 
 to the angles given 
 in Figures 1 1 and 12, 
 and be sure to have 
 the edges square and 
 true so that when 
 the stem is riveted 
 to the keel they will 
 stand square and not 
 be off to one side, or 
 crooked. If you have 
 ever done any rivet- 
 ing these knees can 
 be riveted to the 
 keel, stem and tran- 
 som by some J^-inch 
 galvanized iron rod, 
 riveted over clinch 
 rings. If you have 
 not done any of this 
 kind of work, I 
 
 would advise bolting them fast with galvanized iron 
 carriage bolts, putting washers under the nuts. Set 
 the heads in just flush with the outside of the keel and 
 stem, but at the transom let the heads in far enough 
 (^ of an inch will do) to allow a wooden plug being 
 inserted to hide the bolt head. Dip the bolt into varnish 
 or paint it with red lead if you cannot get the galvanized 
 iron bolts and are forced to use black iron. 
 
 You will find that now is the time to bore the shaft 
 hole through the keel, as you can see both inside and out- 
 side of the boat, and line up the angle you want your 
 shaft to run with a chalk line stretched along the edge 
 of the keel plank. Get out a shaft log of clear, sound, 
 4-inch oak and fit it to the under side of the keel as it is 
 bent over the molds. To do so you will have to cut out 
 part of the mold but that is of no consequence. 
 
 When you have scribed and cut this shaft log so that it 
 makes a perfect fit, lay a piece of heavy muslin painted 
 with rather thick white lead paint between the log and 
 keel and with boat-builders' screw-clamps screw the log 
 firmly in place until you have bored and bolted it fast with 
 a row of carriage bolts along each side. Take care to 
 leave the center clear of bolts so that the shaft hole can 
 be bored through. 
 
 To bore this hole looks like a momentous question to 
 the amateur, and if he tries to do it without proper pro- 
 vision beforehand he will find that it is diflficult. First of 
 all, get an auger of the proper diameter for the hole you 
 want to bore. This diameter varies with the engines and 
 depends upon what make of engine you decide to instal. 
 
 Take that auger to a blacksmith and have him weld on 
 a long handle, five feet from the end of the auger to the 
 
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 Shape of knee, fhaf 
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 11 
 
20 '- 5 " hn^. 
 
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 P/an of s/'c/e p^anM$ 3o/h /op ar7j boffo/r/ ea'^es are ^eac^ ^/ra/c^M //^es. 
 
 crank, and let him bend a crank to turn it, with 7 inches 
 throw. 
 
 You cannot bore from the inside out and to start the 
 bit on the outside, clamp on, temporarily, a block of oak 
 just so that the bit can start into it and get cutting true 
 before it strikes the slanting keel. By so starting the bit 
 will bore clean and true through the keel and so on 
 through the deadwood, or shaft log. 
 
 To hold the auger true while starting to bore, rig up 
 a couple of temporary uprights with a score cut in them 
 just enough to steady the auger or bit as shown in Fig- 
 ure 13. 
 
 With this much done, the troublesome features of the 
 construction are practically over and the rest is plain 
 sailing. The sides, in localities where wide lumber is 
 obtainable, can be made of one board to a side. A ^-inch 
 cedar or pine board 20 feet 6 inches long, 24^^ inches 
 wide forward arid i4j/$ inches wide aft will do. Both 
 top and bottom edges of this side plank are dead straight 
 lines, requiring no shaping whatever, which makes the 
 work of building such a boat much easier for a novice. 
 He can lay out his plank with a chalk line or straight 
 edge, and so long as the planks are 24^^ inches wide at 
 one end and 14^^ inches at the other in a distance of 
 20 feet 6 inches, he cannot go wrong. By bending such a 
 plank around the molds you can soon see how the edge 
 of the transom will have to be beveled so that it fits flat. 
 
 When that little cutting has been done, proceed to fasten 
 the side planks into place. This part of the work is very 
 interesting to the amateur, as in a short time he sees the 
 boat rapidly take shape and begin to look like a real boat. 
 
 If the side planks cannot be gotten in one width they 
 can be made of two narrower ones. The frames that are 
 fitted in afterwards will hold them securely together and 
 the seam can be caulked and made water-tight. This 
 seam will be above the water level, however, so it is not 
 likely to leak. 
 
 Let the side planks extend an inch or so beyond the 
 stem and transom and saw them off flush afterwards. 
 Fasten thft side planks with either Ij4-inch galvanized 
 boat nails or i>4-inch brass screws to the stem and tran- 
 som. To make a neat job the heads of the nails or 
 screws should be counter-sunk about J4 or 3-16 of an inch 
 and the hole either filled with putty or a wooden plug. 
 
 The lower edge of the side plank must have an oak 
 batten along its edge to give a greater nailing surface for 
 the bottom boards. To put this batten in, saw a notch 
 out of the corner of the molds and then bend -in the bat- 
 ten, which should be of oak about ^-inch thick and 2J4 
 inches wide. Either rivet this to the edge of the side- 
 plank or screw it fast from the inside, letting the edge- 
 e-xtend down far enough so that it can be beveled off to 
 take the bottom boards, just as the re-enforcement for 
 the transom was put on. 
 
 FIG- 13. 
 
 7^e ^cz/o/^r/d ^ ai/(^er /i:<fe/y //- ri^/7/7//7(^ ^/-iie to f/)£ ///7e a^ 
 
 12 
 
A "Pop Gun" buiU by Smith Kennerson of Rochester, N. Y. 
 
 PART II 
 
 THE next step in the construction of Pop-Gun is to 
 get out a lot of strips of oak for frames ^-inch by 
 2 inches wide and rivet them across the inside of the 
 side planks in the form of frames at intervals of every 
 twfo feet. You can rivet them in or nail them fast from 
 the outside, setting the nail heads in for either putty ot 
 wooden plugs. 
 
 At each up-and-down-side frame so riveted in on the 
 side planks, fit a floor frame of the same size so that it 
 notches into the chine piece alongside the frame and is 
 nailed diagonally through it into the chine piece, the other 
 end beveled so that it fits flatly on the inside of the keel, 
 the two butted together in the center. Screw the end of 
 the frame fast to the keel and when all the floor frames 
 
 Fic- 14 
 
 ^2fmbtr ^a ' 
 
 are in fit in some i-inch thick sawed Hoors as shown in the 
 midship section. Fit them in alongside of the 'frames and 
 nail them fast to the frames and keel. 
 
 Where the deadwood, or shaft log, is riveted fast to 
 the keel the floor frames cannot, of course, go across the 
 boa-t, and to secure them at this point various means are 
 resorted to. Some builders cut a dovetail jog in the shaft 
 log and dovetail heels of the frames into it ; others 
 simply butt the frame up against the log and rivet it to 
 the keel ; but a better way than either of these is to cut 
 out some small oak knees and rivet them alongside of 
 •the frames and screw them fast to the shaft log, as in 
 Figure 14. 
 
 To carry the engine a couple of heavy floors are fitted 
 across high enough to fit onto the chine pieces and 
 securely riveted or bolted to them. By being fastened to 
 the chine pieces and keel in this way they distribute the 
 strain of the engine over sufficient area to prevent its 
 straining the hull in any way. Be sure to cut a groove 
 or limber hole, as it is called, across the underside of all 
 floors down near the keel -to allow any bilge water that 
 may collecet to run aft, where it can be pumped out. 
 
 When all these floors are securely fastened in you are 
 ready to plank the bottom of the boat. For this you 
 
 need some %-inch cedar boards about 9 inches wide and 
 19 feet long. 
 
 The first plank each side of the keel, called the gar- 
 board, will have to have a slight bevel planed on its 
 edge next to the keel, so that the seam will not stand 
 open too wide. It must be wider open on the outside 
 than the inside, so that the caulking will wedge in tight 
 as it is driven in, but not So wide open as a square edge 
 on the board would make it. 
 
 You will find a straight plank will, when it is put on 
 over the floor frames, touch the keel forward and aft, 
 and amidships it will stand away Ij4 inches, but the 
 plank can be shoved in edgeways, so -that it will fit tightly 
 all along the keel. 
 
 The second plank on the bottom will not be quite so 
 long and can be edge-sprung the same as the garboard 
 was, and a third plank on each side will complete the 
 bottom. Cut the edges of each board so ii is flush with 
 the side plank and either screw fasten .or nail them to 
 the edge of the side planks and frames. If you have 
 bought clear cedar plank you will not have much plug- 
 ging up of knot holes to do, but absolutely clear cedar is 
 almost impossible to get. Try all knots that look loose 
 and knock them out, filling the hole by driving in a pine 
 or a cedar plug and sawing it ofif flush outside. 
 
 The loose knots are usually distinguishable by a fine 
 black ring of bark around them. Ream out all of the 
 black stuff so that clear wood shows, for if you leave, it, 
 it will only rot away and your plug will then be loose 
 and liable to come out. 
 
 Plane off the seams so that they are smooth and even, 
 and with medium sandpaper folded over a block of wood 
 just large enough to be held in the hand easily, scrub 
 crossways across the grain and then with fine sandpaper 
 rub it fore and aft with the grain. Before you give it 
 
 Sottom Soan/ 
 
 3 
 
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 opsmn^ of /Vf /f/cAat //i //k /rr/t/d/e.. iruf/Ae 6aar</can iepuj/isi/up ^/a//t. 
 
 the final rubbing, the bottom planks should be caulked. 
 The amount of cotton necessary for this will vary with 
 the size of the seam you have left between the boards. 
 The seam should be perfectly tight inside and opened 
 about an eighth of an inch on the outside, but some of 
 our amateur builders may be dismayed to find a plank that 
 was put on perfectly tight has, at the end of a few days, 
 shrunk so that it is opened a sixteenth of an inch or so. 
 It is for this reason that the seam is made wider open 
 on the outside, so that the cotton you are caulking with 
 jams tighter and tighter as it is hammered into the wedge- 
 
 13 
 
sTiaped seam. But if the seam is wrongly beveled, that 
 is, so that the seam is wider open on the inside than the 
 outside, you can readily see you cannot keep the cotton 
 from falling through, and as all the pressure is on the 
 
 
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 outside, if it is beveled as first described you can see it 
 is being pushed in against the bevel of the plank. 
 
 The seam is not apt to be open the same amount all 
 along and to even this up somewhat various methods are 
 resorted to. One way is to take a sharp-edged caulking 
 iron (Figure 15) and drive it in the same distance all 
 along to even the seam. Another way is to make a 
 "beetle" out of hard white oak. A beetle is nothing more 
 than a round or oval piece of oak about 4 inches long, 
 2 inches diameter if round or about ij^ by 2 inches if 
 oval, with a wedge-shaped tongue cut across the long way 
 of it, as shown in Figure 16. By being cut on a bevel as 
 shown, you can insert this beetle in one end of a seam, 
 and by driving on the beetle with a mallet send it along 
 the whole length of the seam, making it of uniform width 
 and bevel, as the cedar will readily compress when the 
 beetle comes to a narrow place. Another way, but one 
 that requires metal wheels, is to have beveled edge wheels 
 set in a handle about 15 inches long (Figure 17). By 
 rolling this wheel along the seam it can be opened in a 
 few moments. 
 
 The cotton used in caulking boats comes rolled up in a 
 ball already spun into a band about as thick as your 
 thumb, but that, you will find, will readily split to any 
 desired thickness. Take off a string of it large enough 
 •.to pack tightly into the seam and either hammer it in 
 with a hlunt caulking iron or roll it in with a blnnf-edge 
 roller; the sharp ones you used to open the seam will cut 
 the cotton all up. Where spun boat cotton cannot be 
 obtained take the ordinary cotton and pull it out into a 
 sort of string and roll it under the palm of your hand 
 ■over your knee. You will find it is very apt to break 
 apart, but by simply laying the ends together and rolling 
 
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 them they will unite again. On very small seams cotton 
 wricking that can be purchased in balls is used. This con- 
 sists of several cotton cords loosely twisted intg__one 
 
 round wick, but any number of these cords can be sepa- 
 rated. Take out three, four, five, or as many strings as 
 will be necessary to fill the seam and twist them up a 
 little before you hammer or roll them into the seam. 
 
 In caulking, where you come across a hole larger than 
 the general run of the seam bunch the cotton up as showjj 
 in Figure 18 by loopmg it into loops. When these are 
 hammered into the seam it will fill the hole. 
 
 The caulking should all be driven in so that it is at 
 least an eighth of an inch or so below the edges of the 
 planks to give room for the putty. To hold the cotton 
 into the seam and to form a holding-on for putty, paint 
 the seam over the cotton. You can do this with a narrow 
 chisel-pointed brush, but the edges of the boards will get 
 as much paint as the seams. Take a handful of shavings 
 or a piece of cloth and wipe off the surplus paint if you 
 have to use such a brush. There is a special brush made 
 for this purpose, called a seam brush, consisting of a sin- 
 gle row of bristles set in a thin wooden handle. When 
 this paint is dry, mix up some putty and putty all the 
 seams and nail heads or screw heads not covered by 
 wooden plugs and then paint the bottom with some anti- 
 fouling paint. Green looks very pretty with a white top 
 side. 
 
 When the bottom is dry, knock all the braces loose from 
 the floor and molds, transom and stem. Get a couple 
 of men to help you and pick the boat up by the ends and 
 turn her over right side up onto a couple of boxes or 
 heavy timbers. 
 
 The bottom being complete the next step is to build the 
 frame for the deck. For a shelf to lay these <1eck beams 
 
 F»G- 18. 
 
 > > » ■ .^g^ 
 
 k4jen you sfr/ke. a ie//a^e /:>/ac&^ 
 
 on you want two strips of oak — yellow pine will do if 
 oak is hard to get — I "4 inches thick, 3 inches wide and 
 20 feet long. Nail these fast to each of the frames so 
 that the upper edge is about ij^ inches below the level 
 of the edge of the side planks. If there were no round 
 or crown, as it is called, to the deck beams, which are 
 2 inches deep and I inch thick, this shelf would be put 
 just 2 inches below the side line, but to allow for the 
 arch-up of the deckbeam, which is about J/2 inch at the 
 inner edge of the frames, the shelf is raised that' much so 
 the underside of the deck beam will rest on it and the 
 top of the deck beam will come even with the top of the 
 side plank and not half an inch or so below it, as in Fig- 
 ure 19. 
 
 To get out the oak deck beams you must first make a 
 pattern of the curve wanted. A flat deck made of straight 
 deck beams spoils the looks of any boat. In your haste, 
 to get the boat done do not be tempted to use flat deck 
 beams. 
 
 I have shown a crown of 2j^ inches in 5 feet on the 
 plans. You can sweep such a curve by taking a batten 
 15 feet long, drive a brad through one end as a pivot and 
 hold a pencil at other end as you sweep an arc of a circle 
 on the floor or on a thin board you are going to cut as 
 a pattern. The measurements of such a curve are given 
 in Figure 20. 
 
 With this pattern you can mark out as many beams as 
 you want and saw them out by hand with a rip-saw, 
 planing them up smooth afterwards. If you have no cir- 
 cle plane to go around on the inside of the curve, clean 
 it with a spoke shave. Get out two beams of ij^ inches 
 in thickness, one to go across at the forward end of the 
 
 14 
 
cockpit and one at the after end. The first is fitted in 
 alongside of the third frame from the stem, the other at 
 the second frame from the stern. 
 
 In the general construction plan one style of deck fram- 
 ing is shown that requires considerable cutting and fitting, 
 bu^ a far more simple way is illustrated in Figure 21. 
 
 The sill piece is of i^-inch wide by 2 inches deep oak 
 or yellow pine— oak if the beams are to be jogged into it, 
 yellow pine will do if not. In Figure 21 there is no cut- 
 ting to do; the sill piece is bent parallel with the side of 
 the boat one foot in from the outer edge and riveted to 
 the underside of two beams forward and two aft. Brace 
 it up temporarily until all the short beams are cut and 
 riveted into their places, as shown on the plans. Then 
 fit one permanent brace, about midway of its length, and 
 fasten it to a crossfloor below to stiffen the deck, should 
 anyone sit on it along the sides. 
 
 Nail the beams down into the shelf with 3-inch gal- 
 vanized wire nails. Fit a V-shaped block of oak across 
 from side to side away up in the extreme bow, resting on 
 top of the shelves and butting against the after side of 
 the stem, thick enough (about 2>4 inches) to allow you 
 to cut the proper crown of the decks on it so the decks 
 will .ay flat on it. This not only stiffens the boat but gives 
 you wood to screw a flagpole socket or bevel low chocks 
 fast to. 1 
 
 Fit another similar block between the beams of the for- 
 ward deck as shown on the plans to receive the screws 
 holdmg a cleat, and aft in the corner formed by the side 
 and the transom fit a small knee to stiffen it. 
 
 The deck should be either of Ya or ^-inch pine or cedar 
 put on in wide boards and painted or varnished as suits 
 one's taste. I would not advise having the boards too wide ; 
 
 one hatch setting in on cleats, screwed fast to the sides of 
 the coaming and which can be removed bodily to get at 
 the engine. Such matters as these are of minor impor- 
 tance, and any man will use his ingenuity to rig it up to 
 suit his own taste. . . r -ii 
 
 The placing of the engine and lining up of the shaft will, 
 of course, have to be figured out from the engine, diameter 
 
 FIG-20. 
 
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 I f I t i i L — I, U 1 < ^ i ' * ■ 1 ^..~~ 
 
 ' // you ^ai't n/ room ro iswee/) a<3 /artfe a c/rde, you i:an /a/ 
 oJ/ your aecA ijsa/ns /rjf?^ f/ieje //(^ures 
 
 that is, twelve or fourteen inches. Keep them down to 
 about six inches in width, for the reason that the expansion 
 and contraction of a very wide board will cause the seams 
 between them to open too wide. Fasten the deck to the 
 beams with about ij4 or iJ/^-inch galvanized wire nails, 
 with heads punched in about a quarter of an inch, and the 
 holes filled with putty to match the wood in color, if it is 
 to be varnished, but not necessarily so if you are going 
 to paint it. For the sake of simplicity in construction, I 
 have shown the forward end of the cockpit cut off V- 
 shaped instead of a half-circle, which would require the 
 steaming and bending of the coaming. This V shape can 
 be cut out of straight stuff, the joints reinforced with a 
 block of oak behind the seam, and to which each of the 
 pieces of coaming is screwed fast from thq outside. The 
 coaming should be at least J^ of an inch in thickness, and 
 one can use his own judgment as to height. 
 
 On the plans I have shown what I consider a fairly 
 good layout of coaming and sort of cabin over the engine. 
 This cabin consists of two flaps, hinged along the side, that 
 can be lifted up, exposing the motor, or simply built as 
 
 
 FIG-19 
 
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 of propeller, etc., which you intend to install. It is really 
 these points which govern the boring of the shaft hole. 
 To determine the proper height for the engine bed, stretch 
 a chalk line very tightly from temporary braces in such 
 a way that it centers perfectly at both the inner and outer 
 end of the shaft hole. By leveling across from this chalk 
 line you can determine the height and grade for building 
 up the beds to which your engine is to be lag screwed. 
 On the outside of the boat, aft, this line will give you the 
 heights for the strut, which should be put there to support 
 the shaft, just forward of the propeller. All you need for 
 this is the angle. Cut one end of a thin pine board so 
 that it fits against the keel in such a manner that it forms 
 a right angle with this shaft line and mark across it the 
 line made by the chalk line. With this as a templet, you 
 can make a pattern and have a strut cast, or take a piece 
 of about ^-inch brass about six inches wide, bend it 
 around either a piece of iron pipe or a piece of wood, 
 about Ya of an inch greater in diameter than the shaft 
 which comes with your engine. Rivet it together, and 
 then spread the other part out in the form of two legs, 
 which can be flanged and bolted fast to the bottom plank- 
 ing; by putting a shaft through this loop so formed in this 
 sheet brass, and pouring babbitt metal around it, you can 
 babbitt such a bearing and make one that will answer all 
 the requirements as well as a cast strut would do. 
 
 The rudder is of the simplest construction. Take an oak 
 board about Ij4 inches in thickness, saw out just such a 
 rudder as you would make for any kind of a small row- 
 boat, and attach it to the stern by two screw eyes in the 
 transom, two in the rudder, and a rod dropped through 
 them, forming a hinge. Fit a wooden yoke across the 
 head of this rudder and attach tiller lines by which the 
 boat can be steered, either by hand as a rowboat would, 
 or if you want a more shippy arrangement, you can lead 
 it through screw eyes or fairleaders in the deck over brass 
 sheaves to a steering wheel which can be screwed fast to 
 the bulkhead at the after end of the engine space. 
 
 It is scarcely necessary to go into further details on this 
 boat, for all complications have been avoided, the main 
 object being to tell how to build the hull in the simplest 
 possible manner. The deck fittings and other things can 
 be arranged to suit the owner's individual taste. 
 
 15 
 
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 10 
 
A 25-Foot Cabin Cruiser 
 
 BY FREDERIC S. NOCK 
 
 FOR such readers as will be interested in building a 
 small cruising motorboat, I am going to try and de- 
 scribe how to proceed to construct a 25-foot boat, and 
 if these specifications are carefully adhered to, those who 
 build will be surprised to find what a handly little craft 
 it will make. 
 
 The engine for which the boat was designed is a two- 
 cylinder, two-stroke, rated at 6-hp. and the weight alldwed 
 for same is 350 pounds. Therefore, if you do not use one 
 of these engines you at least should bear in mind that in 
 order to get the best results, you should install an engine 
 of about the same weight and power, irrespective of 
 whether you desire a two- or a four-stroke engine. Do 
 not install a high-speed, high-powered engine if you want 
 a cruiser, and bear in mind that this craft is not designed 
 for a speed boat. Eight (8) miles an hour can be de- 
 pended upon with the outfit mentioned, and that is speed 
 enough for so small a cruiser. 
 
 It is almost a moral impossibility to cover all the de- 
 tails in the specifications even though they are much more 
 comprehensive than such as I should furnish to a practi- 
 cal builder, but I will try to explain as closely as possible 
 how to proceed 
 
 When you have laid down the lines full size, you can 
 proceed to get out the moulds. For this you will need 
 about 100 feet of hemlock, spruce or some such material. 
 Saw to shape and don't forget that the lines are to the 
 outside of the plank, therefore if you mark your moulds 
 the same as the lines, you will have to take off ^ of an 
 inch around same, as these moulds are to represent the 
 inside of the planking and the planking is to be J4 of an 
 inch in thickness. Of course you can take this amount off 
 the outside when you lay down the lines if you prefer, and 
 bv doing so. you will save yourself considerable labor. 
 
 A practical boat builder seldom uses all the moulds, but 
 wouMyjrobably use Nos. 2, 4, 8, 16, 20. and 22, and spacing 
 them 4 feet apart except the two end ones, you can pro- 
 ceed in this manner and have good results provided you 
 use good strong battens to make a fair curve and hold the 
 frames in place without bending the battens. 
 
 The lines as laid down usually show but one side of the 
 mould as both sides should be alike, therefore you will 
 find it easier to mark out one side of the mould on a piece 
 of board, fasten this to another pieee and saw the two of 
 them out at the same time ; this applies especially to the 
 case if a band or jig saw is available. Mark and cut out 
 all your moulds in this manner and then proceed to fasten 
 them together. There are many different methods in 
 vogue, but one that is about as good as any for the 
 amateur is to put the cross pawls in such a position 
 
 that the lower edge of all of them sets to the sheer line 
 on each mould. Where more than two pieces of wood are 
 used to make a mould, you can cleat them together, taking 
 care to keep the cleat well in from the edges in order not 
 to interfere with the frames, etc., if any of them should be 
 close to the mould. Cleat the lower part of the moulds 
 with a piece of spruce or some such material about 2x2 
 inches, so that vou can use this to fasten the mould to the 
 keel 
 
 If the cross pawls are set true, it is a great help in 
 setting up, as you can level same, and again I would call 
 your attention to the necessity of marking the center line 
 on each mould. I believe that in a case of this sort it is 
 also a good plan to mark on the moulds the waterline, for 
 by so doing you can easily ascertain whether the moulds 
 are all set up correctly or not before starting to put on the 
 battens. The practical builder could tell this at a glance, 
 but it is not always so with the amateur. 
 
 When you have completed your moulds, you can pro- 
 ceed to mark out the keel. For this you will need a nice 
 piece of oak. about 21 feet long. 3 inches thick and 12 
 inches wide; carefully smooth the sides and mark out on 
 same the shape, and the stations, cut to the lines and after 
 carefully trimming the keel run in a line through the cen- 
 ter of the upper side, and, with your square, mark the 
 stations across the top. Select a good piece of oak for 
 the stem, mark the shape on same and cut to the lines. It 
 is a good plan to make a thin wood template of the stem 
 as you can use this template to mark out the shape and 
 also the rabbet line. To do this, you can bore a number 
 of small holes along the line of the rabbet, and with a 
 drill or awl you can easily reproduce this on one side of 
 the piece of wood you have previously cut to shape, re- 
 verse the template and mark the other side, draw a center 
 line down the face of the stem *and a line ^ of an inch 
 on each side of same, which allows J^ of an inch for the 
 face of the stem. Trim from the rabbet line to these two 
 outer lines and then proceed to cut the rabbet, using a fid 
 (Fig. 3) to get the bevel. If you want to get the rabbet 
 on the stem absolutely correct you can do so by marking 
 on same the waterline and cutting the rabbet to the exact 
 bevel, but I do not think you would save much time by 
 doing this, for when the stem is in position and you start 
 to place the battens, if the rabbet line needs fairing in 
 places you can easily accomplish same, having the battens 
 to work to. 
 
 If the engine you decide to use is of the dimensions as 
 the one called for on the plans, you can rest assured that 
 the line of the shaft will not differ, and therefore you can 
 proceed to get out the shaft-log. For this you will need 
 
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 19 
 
two pieces of oak, 3J4 feet long, 3x3 inches, plane them 
 smooth and with your gauge mark a center line on lone 
 side of each piece, and another line ^ of an inch out on 
 either side, scribe a half circle with a radius of ^ of an 
 inch on either end, and proceed to cut this halfround piece 
 away. If you are so situated that you can obtain the use 
 of machinery, this job would be simplified by running a 
 few saw scarfs through same to the required depths ; then, 
 with a gouge, cut away the superfluous stock, finishing it 
 smooth with a round plane. In some cases the boat 
 builder will run a saw scarf through the center line of 
 both pieces, clamp them together and with a spur auger 
 of the right size, bore the hole through, but no matter how 
 much care is given, the spur is liable to run to one side or 
 the other, and not follow the saw scarf, and if this happen; 
 you will spoil your shaft-log. If you happen to have an 
 auger of the right size, it would do no harm to run it 
 through the center of the log after you have cut the two 
 pieces out to shape, for in this manner you can rest assured 
 that the hole is the correct size and round. Do not try to 
 spline this shaft-log, as there is but little stock on either 
 side for the fastenings and by putting a stop water at 
 either end and calking between them you can make the 
 seam tight. The horn timber can now be gotten out, the 
 specifications call for this to be sided 3 inches. Select a 
 nice piece of oak, mark and cut to shape, draw a center 
 line along the upper side and then proceed to get out the 
 knee for the transom. This can be an oak or hackmatack 
 knee, a natural crook is to be preferred, to be about 3 
 inches in thickness. Cut to shape but do not fit until you 
 are ready to set up the keel. 
 
 You will need another knee to connect the stem to the 
 keel, which same can be a natural crook or cut from a 
 plank, mark it out on the plank so that the grain runs 
 from point to point in order to get the greatest strength, 
 it is to be 3 inches in thickness. When you have cut it 
 to shape, cafefully fit same, taking due care to see that 
 all joints are close and when fitted to the stem and keel, 
 the stem does not lean forward or aft, but is the same 
 position as shown on the plans. Clamp the knee in posi- 
 tion, bore and bolt together with }i inch diameter gal- 
 vanized iron, sink the heads of the bolts well into the out- 
 side of the stem and keel so as to allow for covering same 
 with wooden plugs. The inside ends should be riveted 
 over galvanized iron washers, or if you prefer, you can 
 fasten the knees in position with galvanized iron screw 
 bolts; if a washer is put under the nut, you can draw the 
 pieces together in good shape. 
 
 When the stem is fastened to the keel you can proceed 
 with the shaft-log. Set this in position and bore through 
 each side about 4 inches from the forward end, and bolt 
 through keel with 5-16 inch diameter bolts, counter- 
 sinking the heads in the underside of keel and drawing 
 up with nuts on washers on the upperside of the log. 
 
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 Fig. 3 
 
 e 
 Bore and put in two more bolts of the same size about 8 
 inches from the after end of the log, although in this case 
 it would be better to use drive bolts about 12 inches in 
 length. For these you will need some 5-16 inch diameter 
 galvanized iron ; cut to length and with a hammer slightly 
 
 taper one end. Then lasten in a vise and hammer a head 
 on the oth^r end. Bore through the shaft-log with a 5-16 
 inch diameter bit, and into the keel with a J4-inch 
 diameter bit or auger. Set the horn timber in position, 
 and, after .carefully fitting same, secure it by clamps or 
 some other convenient method, and proceed to fasten it ; 
 if you start at the forward end it would be well to bore 
 
 STEM 
 PATTERN 
 
 two holes about 4 inches from the end. Bore these holes 
 through the horn timber, shaft-log and keel with a 5-16 
 inch diameter auger in such a position that they will be 
 on either side of the shaft-hole. Countersink the under- 
 side of the keel for the heads and use 5-16 inch diameter 
 bolts and nuts set up on the upper side of the horn timber ; 
 you will find that you may have to trim the wood a trifle 
 in order to get a good bearing for the washer as the top 
 of the timber is at an angle to the bolt. You can put in 
 two more bolts about 10 inches further aft, and "Btill an- 
 other two about 10 inches aft of them, and then the horn 
 timber, shaft-log and keel are well fastened together, but 
 you have not as yet fitted the stern post in position, 
 although the keel is cut for it. 
 
 Select a piece of oak that will work out 3 inches square 
 and about 15 inches in length, and cut to fit the space 
 allowed for same. When you are satisfied that it fits 
 properly you can fasten it in position with 5-16-inch drive 
 bolts. 
 
 The transom, whi' 1 the specifications state is to be of 
 oak, is ij4 'inches tl-ick. You will need two pieces -30x36 
 
 20 
 
inches, and inasmuch as it might be a difficult matter to 
 procure oak 30 inches wide, you will probably have to use 
 two narrower pieces and bolt them together, or, if you 
 prefer, you can use mahogany for the transom. There :s 
 little or no difficulty in obtaining this material 30 inches 
 wide, but it would cost a trifle more than oak. Thfr-^rfans 
 show one half the transom with all dimensions marked on 
 it. You can set this out direct on one of the pieces of 
 stock for transom if you desire, and saw it out and mark 
 the opposite side for same. Or you can saw the two 
 pieces at one time with a band saw. Trim carefully to 
 shape and get out a couple of cheek pieces of oak i inch 
 thick and about 3 inches wide ; set these almost out to the 
 edges of the transom and fasten with galvanized screws, 
 these pieces are to be trimmed to form a back rabbet to 
 fasten the ends of the planking to, and you will probably 
 have to fair them to some extent when you start to put 
 on the battens. 
 
 You can now proceed to set up the frame. Draw a 
 chalk line on the floor where you intend to set up the boat 
 and to the edge of this line set up 4 pieces of spruce 3x4 
 inches, each oiece to be one foot longer than the height 
 on the table of offsets of ^ase line to keel bottom, at sta- 
 tions 2, 8, 14, and 20. Nail a strip of wood to the sides 
 of these upright, so that the upper edge will represent the 
 base line, and if the floor is level, it will be one foot above 
 same. Set this strip of wood level, using a long spirit 
 level to ascertain that neither end is high. The forward 
 side of these posts will represent the stations Nos. 2, 8, 14, 
 and 20, and you can measure up on from the upper edge 
 of the strip representing the base line and see that the 
 dimensions correspond to the heights of keel bottom above 
 the base line on table of offsets. These uprights must be 
 well braced forward and aft and also at the sides in order 
 to keep them upright and sustain the weight of the boat. 
 It is not necessary to obtain any special size stock for 
 these braces, as most any stock from i to 2 inches thick 
 will serve the purpose if properly fastened. Set the keel 
 on the uprights and ascertain that it is in the right posi- 
 tion ; measure from the base line to the waterline on stem 
 and see that it is 2H feet above the base line as per plans. 
 Plurnb the stem and securely brace it from overhead if 
 possible. If you are sure that it is correct, you can fasten 
 some wooden cleats to each side of the uprights and also 
 fasten to the keel. 
 
 The knee and transom can be fitted and fastened, using 
 plenty of fastenings but taking due care not to get any 
 nails or screws where they will interfere with the rudder 
 port, which will have to be bored and time spent looking 
 out for this will mean a saving in the end, as nails and 
 screws are apt to spoil an auger or bit. Place your level 
 against the side of the knee and when vertical, stay the 
 transom either to the rafters or some other convenient 
 place. Then take your chalk line and stretch it from the 
 center line of the transom to the center line of the stem, 
 haul taut, and drop a plumb-bob from same (see Fig. 8). 
 If the point of the bob touches the line on the center of 
 the keel you can rest assured that the stem and stern are 
 in line, but do not be satisfied with one trial, try the 
 plumb-bob at diiYerent points and if any of them are out, 
 sight along the side of the keel and if this is not in a 
 straight line fore and aft you must brace it until it is 
 perfectly straight and the plumb-bob must intersect the 
 center line at any point. When you have it correct, you 
 can fasten the stays or braces strongly, so as to keep it 
 in position. 
 
 21 
 
"Consort," Built from Mr. Nock's Plans and Instructions 
 
 PART II. 
 
 BEFORE you begin to set up your moulds, it would be 
 advisable to finish the rabbet line, as you have only cut 
 the stem. The rabbet line is supposed to be marked on 
 the keel on either side, and inasmuch as the upper side of 
 the keel as far aft as the shaft-log represents the inside 
 of the planking, it is not a difficult matter to trim this 
 rabbet at intervals, taking the proper bevel at the different 
 stations from the lines you have laid dovvn. Then fair up 
 the places between the points you have spotted, or cut to 
 the proper shape. Where the rabbet line crosses the knee 
 and connects with the rabbet line on the stem you must 
 he very careful to get it correct. 
 
 It would be advisable to get two pieces of oak. i inch 
 thick, about 6 feet in length, to fasten to each side of the 
 shaft-log and horn timber ; they should be cut to the curve 
 of the rabbet line and the proper bevel, and securely 
 fastened. Cut out places in the lower edges of these 
 pieces to receive the heels of the frames; of course you 
 will understand that these pieces are to form a back 
 rabbet for the garboards or the plank nearest to the keel 
 and should be cut to the proper bevel of the inside of the 
 plank. 
 
 Having finished cutting the rabbet line along the keel, 
 etc., you can now proceed to set up the moulds. Starting 
 with No. 2, set this in position so that the forward side 
 of the mould intersects with station No. 2 on the knee. 
 Cut it over the knee and set it down so that the lower 
 part of the mould intersects with the back rabbet ; measure 
 up from your base line to the L. W. L. on the mould and 
 if it is 2j^ feet up, screw through the block into the knee 
 to hold the mould, plumb the face of the mould and when 
 you have leveled the cross pawl you can secure the mould 
 with stay-laths. Moulds 4, 8, and 12 can be set up in the 
 same manner with the forward sides of the moulds inter- 
 secting with stations 4, 8, and 12 on the keel, but the 
 moulds 16, 20, and 22 are to be set with the after side of 
 the moulds intersecting with their respective stations. 
 Perhaps it might be well to explain the reason for setting 
 them in this manner and I would call your attention to 
 the fact that the edges of the moulds are cut at right 
 angles to the face and the shape of curve of the boat com- 
 mences to narrow up from station 12 forward and from 
 station i6 aft; therefore these moulds are so placed that 
 the edges which the battens spring against are in a direct 
 line with the stations for which the moulds were made. 
 When all the moulds are properly stayed, it is a good plan 
 to go carefully over them and see that they are perfectly 
 plumb and the cross pawls level, and if you stretch your 
 chalk line fore and aft in a line with the L. W. L. at the 
 
 stem and stern, it should also intersect with the waterline 
 on each mould. If it does you can rest assured that your 
 moulds are set up properly. Fasten some stays from one 
 mould to another and start to bend and fasten on the bat- 
 tens. For these you will need some nice, clear pieces of 
 yellow pine or fir about i^xiJ/2 inches; if you get them 
 long enough to extend from end to end in one piece so 
 much the better, otherwise you can use shorter lengths 
 and let them lap by one another. Fasten the end of one 
 of the battens in the rabbet on stem, bend carefully 
 around the moulds and fasten to same with long thin 
 screws, putting washers under the heads of same to pre- 
 vent them pulling through the battens. Set the first 
 batten so that the lower edge touches the mark represent- 
 ing the sheer line on each mould; when you get to the 
 transom you will probably find that the bevel of the cheek 
 pieces does not allow the battens to bear the entire width, 
 and in that case it must be pared until the batten has a 
 good bearing, and the same thing applies to the other bat- 
 tens where they are fastened to the transom and stem; 
 you must also see that there is the right bevel cut on the 
 edge of the transom. It would be advisable to put about 
 six battens on a side, space them about the same distance 
 apart. If you have been careful in making and setting 
 the moulds, you will find that the battens touch each one 
 and at the same time have a nice fair curve. 
 
 The frames, or timbers, should be cut from straight 
 grained white oak; if you can procure some stock that 
 has not been dried you will find it much easier to bend 
 when it has been steamed than the seasoned stock. Under 
 no conditions should you try to use kiln dried stock; it is 
 almost an impossibility to bend it, and even if you do 
 succeed in bending it you will find that it has a natural 
 tendency to straighten instead of retaining its shape. The 
 specifications call for the frames to be i}ixiys inches, 
 spaced 9 inches center to center. You will need 30 
 frames for each side. If, however, the frames from sta- 
 tion No. 4 to the forward end of the shaft-log are in one 
 piece from sheer to sheer, it will reduce the number of 
 frames. You will need nineteen frames to run from 
 sheer to sheer, and as you are liable to break some of 
 them, it would be advisable to get out twenty-six. The 
 longest frame will be about 14 feet, but you had better 
 get 16-foot lengths; there are twenty-two short frames 
 required, and if you are using 16-foot stock you can cut 
 the pieces ia two and use for the short frames. Don't 
 forget that you may break some of these and that it is a 
 good plan to get out a number of extra frames ; even 
 though you do not break a great number they will not be 
 wasted as they can be used for the floors. 
 
 22 
 
Mark off on the keel the spacing of the frames, taking 
 care not to measure along the top of the keel but in a 
 straight line, and it is a good plan to mark the position 
 of the frames on the center and upper batten as this will 
 save considerable time when you are bending in the 
 frames. Put some of the frames in your' steam box and 
 let them stay until they are well saturated, and are soft 
 and pliable. It will probably take from 20 to 40 minutes, 
 according to the amount of steam you have, and bear in 
 mind that you do not require dry steam, it cannot be too 
 wet. Having satisfied yourself that the frames are suffi- 
 ciently well steamed you can proceed to bend the frames 
 to the battens. If you have put in some of the long 
 frarries you can start anywhere along the widest part of 
 the boat, gradually spring the frame down until it touches 
 the keel ; then, bearing your weight ,Qn same, work up- 
 wards on either side, fasten the frame to the keel with 
 galvanized iron boat nails and clamp it to the battens, tak- 
 ing due care to see that it fits closely to the battens and 
 stands perpendicular. There will be no trouble about it 
 "being perpendicular if you bring the edge to the mark on 
 the battens. There is no need for me to tell you that this 
 part of the work would be a great deal easier if you can 
 iiave someone to assist in bending and fastening the 
 clamps; it will also save you considerable climbing up and 
 •down, for the best way to bend these frames is to get 
 inside of the framework and bear your whole weight on 
 tbem. If you have only a few clamjw you will probably 
 Tieed them for the next frame, and if so you can remove 
 the clamps one at a time, and fasten the frame to the 
 "battens with a wire nail through each batten. By the 
 time you had bent in a few of the amidship frames — 
 which are the easiest to bend in — you will have grasped 
 the situation and find that there is nothing very difficult 
 about this part of the work. The frames at the forward 
 end will require a little more care as they must be cut to 
 iit the sides of the stem and as thev do not set square with 
 
 the battens, you will have to twist them so that they fit 
 close to each side of the battens. The frames aft of the 
 forward end of the shaft-log will have the heels fitted in 
 the mortises in the cheek pieces and fastened to same. 
 These frames will also have to be twisted to get the right 
 shape to make them set close to the battens with width of 
 the frame, and a large monkey wrench would be of valu- 
 able assistance in twisting the frames. When you have 
 finished framing you can put in the floors. These are to 
 be i%xiyi inches and should be about 3 feet in length. 
 Beginning at station No. 4, all the floors should be on the 
 after side of the frames until you reach station No. 14, 
 and from this point aft all floors should be forward of the 
 frames. Bend in the floors and fasten to the keel, then 
 put three fastenings through the side of floor and frame 
 on either side of the keel. For this purpose it is a good 
 plan to use a galvanized wire nail, if the fastenings are to 
 be of galvanized- iron as specified for this boat. The 
 floors aft of the shaft-log are not bent to shape, but are 
 to be cut out of iJ/^-inch oak; cut them so that they fit 
 over the upper side of the horn timber and the shaft-log and 
 shape the underside the same as the frame; fasten to the 
 horn timber and shaft-log and also through the sides of 
 the frames. It is a good plan to cut a piece out of the 
 corner of these cut floors or else bore holes through same 
 so as to allow any water that may run in aft to find its 
 way to the lowest point, and now that I have brought up 
 the subject of limburs, I will call your attention to the 
 fact that there has been no provision made for same in 
 this boat, the frames and floors are small and to cut a 
 limbur in them that would be of a suitable size would ma- 
 terially weaken both the floors and frames and I would 
 suggest that you do not cut in any limburs, but when the 
 boat is planked, take some Portland cement and pour in 
 each bay until flush with the top of the lowest frame and 
 in this manner you will have a clear passage for the 
 water and no obstructions. This is an advantage in a 
 
 
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 A Cross Braces 
 
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 Molf Section ot 
 
 FoTu/ord Broce 
 
 StWt'tOr* ' + 
 
 Engine Bed Details 
 
 23 
 
motorboat, for it enables one not only to clean it out 
 easily, but also when the craft is laid up in the Fall, it is 
 much easier to remove the surplus oil and grease that will 
 collect in the bottom of a boat of this description, no 
 matter how careful one may be. If, however, your mind 
 is set on having limburs cut in the frames, this is the time 
 to do it, before you start to put on any plank, etc. 
 
 When you have completed the frames you can proceed 
 to get out the planking. Fig. 9 shows a half section of 
 the boat at station No. 12 and you will note that I have 
 shown thirteen planks on each side from the garboard to 
 the sheerstrake. It' is not necessary to use exactly this 
 number of planks to a side; some builders prefer wider 
 planks and of course there would not be as many if they 
 were wider. However, it is better to use the narrow 
 plank. The garboard, or plank next to the keel, is usually 
 the widest and the planks narrow from that point to the 
 
 planks are put on, I am going to suggest that you start 
 to put on the sheerstrake first; select your plank and 
 plane to }i inch thickness, and before you can proceed to 
 mark the shape of the sheerstrake, you will have to find 
 out the shape of this plank, and in order to do so, it is 
 necessary to take a spiling. To do this take a piece of 
 pine or cedar about 3-16 or j4 inch thick, 6 to 7 inches 
 wide and about 26 feet in length, this is called a spiling 
 batten or staff, and can be made up of two pieces fastened 
 together if these are easier to obtain than one length. 
 Bend this naturally around the moulds below the marks 
 representing the sheerline, and with some small wire 
 brads secure it in position, taking due care that the edge 
 of the staff does not cover any of the marks representing 
 the sheerline ; take your jpencil compasses and set them to 
 such a width that the radius is slightly in excess of the 
 widest place between the edge of the staff and sheerline. 
 
 Method of Bending Frames 
 
 turn of the bilge upwards where they should all be of one 
 width with the exception of the sheerstrake, which is 
 usually made wider than the next four or five planks 
 below it. The specifications eall for yellow pine planking 
 and if you use this material, there is no reason why you 
 should not have it in lengths of about 28 feet, or long 
 enough to reach from end to end without any butts. If 
 you are unable to obtain the requisite lengths, the planks 
 can be butted, and again if you cannot procure yellow 
 pine or fir, you could use cedar, cypress or white pine. 
 Either of these materials would make good planking. 
 As it is easier to put in the engine bed before the lower 
 
 place the point of the compasses at the sheerline on each 
 mould and sweep in an arc on the staff, mark the end of 
 the staff where it intersects with the rabbet in stem, re- 
 move the staff and fasten it to the plank you intend to 
 use for one of the sheerstrakes, and with your compasses 
 draw an arc, the point of the compasses being set on one 
 side of the arc on the staff. Then put the point of the 
 compasses on the other side of the arc on staff and draw 
 another arc on the plan. This arc will cross the first 
 one drav^n, and where these two arcs intersect or cross is 
 the point you must work to when you draw the line repre- 
 senting the upper side of the sheerstrake. You must re- 
 
 24 
 
Su'iliwg Bo'Hen 
 
 Fig. II. — How Spots Are Transferred to Plank 
 
 peat this process at each place where you have drawn 
 an arc on the staff, and when you have them all marked, 
 remove the staff, select a good batten and bend -to the re- 
 quired shape so that a line drawn along the edge of same 
 will cut through each of the arcs you have drawn where 
 they intersect. Fig. lo will help to explain this a trifle 
 more clearly, and Fig. ii shows the staff fastened to the 
 plank and the arcs marked on» same and also the plank. 
 To obtain the shape of the lower edge of the sheerstrake 
 you can mark at the center the extreme width, which I 
 have figured at 5 inches, then mark the width at each end, 
 bend a good strong batten to these points until you have 
 a fair line and cut to same. Bear in mind that you need 
 two of these pieces and therefore it is advisable to saw 
 out another one for the opposite side before you begin 
 '-to fasten it to the frames. The sheerline as shown on 
 the plans represents the height to the top of the deck and 
 though this is short, it should be taken into consideration. 
 The deck plank is to be % of an inch in thickness, there- 
 fore the sheerstrake should be 7/% of an inch below the 
 sheerline marked on the moulds. Fit the forward end to 
 the rabbet on the stem and fasten it, taking due care that 
 the upper edge touches the marks ^ of an inch below 
 the sheerline; hold it in position with clamps and fasten 
 to the frames, countersinking for the nail heads so as to 
 allow of their being covered with 7-16 inch diameter wood 
 plugs. The after end must be carefully cut to fit the 
 bevel of the transom and be well fastened to the cheek 
 pieces on same. It is a good plan for the amateur to 
 mark on the edges of the moulds or frames the width of 
 the planks. Fig. 9 shows a half section at station No. 12 
 and you will note that there are thirteen planks to a side 
 including the sheerstrake and garboard; the upper 
 strakes, representing the raised sheer, I have not taken 
 into consideration as you are working from the sheerline. 
 Starting from the sheerline on the mould representing 
 station No. 12, make a mark % of an inch below same, 
 
 then another one 5 inches below that. This will repre- 
 sent the sheerstrake. Now start at the keel and mark 8 
 inches up, from this mark 7 inches upwards, and another 
 6 inches, and the remaining spaces you can divide equally 
 into nine spaces. These will represent the greatest widths 
 of the planks, and you should proceed to mark on the stem 
 the height of the upper edge of the garboard and the 
 lower edge of the sheerstrake which should be consider- 
 ably narrower at this end than at station No. 12. The 
 transom should be marked in a similar manner and then, 
 if you desire, you can mark out on each mould the widths 
 of the planks; of course the garboard and the next two 
 strakes will be wider in proportion than the others, but 
 it is a simple matter to figure this out and have a good 
 curve to all the planks. 
 
 The professional builder does not always lay out his 
 plank in this manner, and some of you may know a much 
 better method ; this article, however, is not written for the 
 practical boat builder, but for the amateur. Inasmuch as 
 you are not going to fit in the garboards at present on ac- 
 count of the engine bed, we can at least work to the width 
 laid out for the garboards and other plank and proceed to 
 get out the next plank below the sheerstrake. You can 
 take a spiling from the lower edge of the sheerstrake in a 
 similar manner to the spiling of the sheerstrake, except 
 that in this case you work from the lower edge of the 
 sheerstrake in sweeping in the arcs on the staff. Be sure 
 to make some marks on the sheerstrake and staff so that 
 when you have cut out your plank you cam bring them to 
 the same position as you had when you took the spiling. 
 Mark the widths of this plank at intervals, bend a batten 
 to it, draw a fair curve through these points and you have 
 a line reoresenting the lower edge of this plank. Cut out 
 two planks to this shape. If you take this plank and bend 
 around the moulds in order to see that it fits, you will 
 most probably find that the seam is open quite wide in 
 the center of the boat but it closes at the stem and "the 
 
 A •■ /Moulds 
 
 Fig. 10. — Shape of Spiling fpr Plank and Garboard 
 
 25 
 
or p»- 
 
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 lo f« ia dbe Ci«|iM 
 
 jhTfrs. aad liK fact dot 
 
 Meadk siAe dnrii 
 
 he 9BQf ttn cMcI iJ is 
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 ritB< 
 
 'fee 
 
 it . 
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 or tKistBd. Fa 
 
 tdhe laiUB vitti slajlalks aad aCttr yos 
 
 ttttt ag >iM i has MK 
 
 SB lew^ wtA jva cas procma to pal i& 
 
 tothc 
 of oak 
 
 «he 
 
 Cdoiittte 
 
 For tihese jfoo mM meed two 
 
 3 mclKS to tfc a iii ss, ., aknt 5 feet loae >■< 11 
 
 TW ccator ine of dK slafit aril he 4Eree^ over Ike OBtocr 
 
 iae of dK hedl. a^ as }«a have aheadlf hored tike skaft 
 
 of wood acrass d^ hale to Ae stem fast, cat a aotch 
 
 v9 he £re£djp ia dK ocaAer of dK hol^ fas- 
 of voy stra^^ §1 
 
 lead the odxr csn Ihnwigh dK smit 
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 tagjhi over dK top of smbc is d i iw . lly 
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 ~ nt comedy 23k fint ti^K^ 3paa v3 kzvc to ivse 
 
 Jk futaaid cod iHflflyoa aore stoe nat it b ^toto 
 
 ~ Iso ia fiae vidk dK cxaaer liae of kecL Tke 
 
 Ae oeator Bae of Ite skxft aad yoar 
 
 he tafaea feoto it. Fiist asoeitoia dK 
 
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 -aTfeid oto dK «staace €rato <ke 
 
 ft to dK aadcfside of ikc^hasc of 
 
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 36 
 
A i( 'B Hcmjii-ood Wed^ts. 
 
 Fig. 13 
 
 temporarily. Now take your level and bring it up so that 
 it just touches the under side of the line, see that it is 
 horizontal and make a mark on one end of this template; 
 repeat the operation at the opposite end, draw a line 
 through the point, and you have the line of the center of 
 the shaft marked on same. 
 
 You can now proceed to get out the two bearers, add- 
 ing to the size marked on the template the thickness of 
 the frames, or better still, a quarter of an inch in excess 
 of same, to allow for trimming, or, if you prefer, you can 
 get out a template to fit exactly over the frames and 
 floors and mark the shape of these bearers from same. 
 It is simply a matter of choice which method you use. If 
 you cut the underside of the bearers to the shape of the 
 template, set in position, mark both sides with the com- 
 passes in order to get the height of the frames on the 
 inside and outside, then mark the frames and floors, re- 
 move the bearer, cut to shape, and see that it fits properly ; 
 repeat this operation on the piece of stock for the other 
 bearer, set in position, clamp it so as to keep it from 
 moving and ascertain that it fits properly and is in line 
 both fore and aft and also in a vertical position. If there 
 is any part of these bearers that extend below the under 
 side of the frames, you can easily remove the superfluous 
 stock when you have the bearers fastened in, before you 
 start to plank. The cross logs are 2^ inches thick, and 
 for these you will need one piece of oak 6 feet long and 
 I foot wide, and another piece 5 feet long and about 8 
 inches wide; set these pieces on the keel and the places 
 indicated on the plans, or to suit the base of your engine 
 if it is a dififerent make or style, fasten them temporarily 
 and mark out the shape of the underside of same on the 
 forward and after sides; if you do this properly yoH can 
 cut to the correct bevel the first time, and they will fit 
 close to the inside of the plank where this part of the boat 
 is planked. Cut the forward pieces to a depth of 5 inches 
 to allow the fore and aft bearers to fit into same for that 
 depth, fasten them securely to the keel, and then put in 
 the fore and aft beai-ers, cutting them over the cross logs, 
 securely bolt to same, and fasten up through the under 
 side of the frames into the bearers. If the under side of 
 the flange of the engine bed is below the center line of the 
 shaft a certain distance, the bearers will have to be cut 
 away that amount in order to have the shaft in line, and 
 if the under side of the flange is above the center line of 
 the shaft, the bearers will have to be raised; this should 
 be ascertained before the upper sides of the bearers are 
 finished. 
 
 One MALr SccTiow AT Station N» \t 
 
 Fig. 9 
 
*- ''* _* . 
 
 Another View of "Consort" 
 
 PART III (Conclusion) 
 
 The keelson can now be gotten out and fastened in posi- 
 tion. For this you will require a piece of oak, or yellow 
 pine, 2x4 inches, 12 feet in length. Trim the forward 
 end so that it fits the scarf in the stem, and bend to the 
 frames. If any of the frames at the forward end have a 
 tendency to keep the keelson from bearing tight on the 
 frames and floors directly over the keel, you will have to 
 trim the keelson and when you are satisfied that it fits 
 properly, proceed to fasten it, using through fastenings 
 at the forward end and at each alternate floor. 
 
 The bilge clamps can be fitted and fastened to the frames 
 before the planking is fitted, and it would be as well to do 
 this part next. The specifications call for the bilge 
 clamps to be of yellow pine i^ x 4 inches amidships, 
 tapered to i>4 x 3J4 inches at the ends. This taper 
 should be about 7 feet in length. Select some straight 
 grained piece of stock and have it milled to the re- 
 quired dimensions, and finish with a hand smooth. Mark 
 on the center frames the location of the bilge or clamp 
 on either side, also the stem and stern, bend the bilge 
 clamp down in the center and fasten with a screw clamp 
 and then work the ends to the required position, or as a 
 good bearing on the frames, bore and fasten to the frames, 
 putting one fastening through each frame at the upper 
 and lower edges of the clamp. These fastenings should 
 be either riveted or clinched Over the frames. Having 
 fastened in the two bilge clamps, you can continue your 
 planking and I would suggest getting out the garboards 
 first. You will proceed in a manner somewhat similar to 
 getting out the sheerstrake, but owing to the fact that this 
 is more difficult, I will explain it so that you can proceed 
 without any trouble. 
 
 Take a piece of pine or cedar about the same dimen- 
 sions as your spiling batten or staff, but don't use that one 
 as you will need it for the balance of the planking; tack 
 this over the frames close to the rabbet in the keel, take 
 your compasses, and setting them to a radius of about one- 
 quarter of an inch mbre than the widest place between 
 the rabbet and the edge of the staff, strike in a number 
 of arcs at intervals of about one foot apart until you get 
 to the short turn at the stem, where the marks should be 
 quite close in order to get the shape more accurately. 
 Make some marks on the keel and batten in order to en- 
 able you to get the batten back in the same position again. 
 Fig. 10 shows the staff in position with marks showing 
 the spiling, and if these marks are transferred to the piece 
 of plank to be used for the garboards in the same manner 
 as suggested for the sheerstrake, there will be no difficulty 
 in making them fit, but it may save you some lumber as 
 well as considerable labor if you first cut the spiling bat- 
 
 ten to the mark you have made, pare and trim until it fits 
 the rabbet perfectly, and then it is no trouble to mark 
 around same with a pencil, and you have the shape of the 
 lower edge of one of the garboards. The shape of the 
 other edge is obtained in the same manner as the lower 
 edge of the sheerstrake, mark the greatest width, the 
 width at the forward and after ends, and a couple of in- 
 tervening places if you so desire, bend a batten to same, 
 strike a fair curve and cut to shape. 
 
 You will have to exercise considerable care in fitting 
 the lower edge to the rabbet, chalk the inside of the rabbet, 
 and when you have clamped the garboard in position, if 
 there are any places where it needs trimming to make a 
 good fit, don't slight it, but spend time enough to have it 
 fit all along the rabbet. Mark on a board a duplicate of 
 the plank, cut and fit as carefully as the first one and, 
 when they are ready, steam them well and start to fasten 
 one of them, beginning at the stem. Drive the plank tight 
 into the rabbet, bore a hole Ji or 7/16 inch diameter, to 
 take the wood plug to cover the head of the fastening. 
 This should not be over J4 inch deep; then bore a hole a 
 trifle smaller than the nail through the planking into the 
 stem, and fasten with galvanized boat nails. The fasten- 
 ings should be about ij4 inches apart where the garboard 
 connects with the stem and in the keel they should be 
 about 2/'i inches apart. There should be three fastenings 
 in the width of the plank at each frame and floor, two of 
 the fastenings to be through the frame and one through 
 the floor, unless you make the after end very narrow, and 
 in that case you would not need more than two fastenings 
 at each frame and floor. 
 
 When you have finished fastening the garboards, you 
 can proceed to get out the next plank; cut to shape and 
 fasten to the frames, etc. Before you continue to plank 
 any further, I must call your attention to the planks which 
 are to be used around the turn of the bilge. These planks 
 should be cut out of stock that is thick enough to allow 
 of the inside being coped or planed hollow to fit close to 
 the frames. When you have removed sufficient of the 
 inside of the plank to admit of its fitting closely to the 
 frames, set your gfauge to ^ inch and run a score along 
 the edges of the plank, then plane to this line, but not for 
 the entire width of the plank, as you can easily plane this 
 when you finish the outside of the planking. 
 
 You can now cut out and fasten in position the next 
 five strakes, and when you have finished with them yott 
 will be ready for the shutter, for such is the name given 
 to the last plank to be fitted. It is necessary to take a 
 spiling on both sides for this plank, and be sure to get it 
 large enough. Having satisfied yourself that it is the 
 required shape, fit the forward end to the rabbet in stem 
 
 28 
 
and drive it in place, fasten to the stem and continue to 
 drive it in till it fits close to the frames and fasten to 
 same as fast as you drive it in place, for in this manner 
 you will prevent it from springing out when driving. The 
 
 How Chain Clamp Is Used 
 
 cutting of the after end of the plank to fit the rabbet in 
 the transom must be done before the fastenings are put 
 in the last few frames; finish fastening in frames and 
 transom and fit the shutter on the opposite side. A well- 
 fitting shutter tends to tighten up" all the planking, and if 
 you have kept the widths of the planks about equal, it is 
 hard to distinguish the shutter from the other planks. 
 
 The planking of the raised sheer can now be gotten out 
 and fastened in position, and as I have already explained 
 how to obtain the shape of the planks, there is no need 
 for me to explain the operation as there are but three 
 planks to be gotten out for either side of the raised sheer. 
 I have figured that all the planking you will use will be 
 full length, but for the benefit of those who are unable to 
 procure the long lengths or prefer the shorter planks, I 
 would 'state that the method of planking would be the 
 same, the only difference is that some of the planks would 
 be in t.wo or more pieces. All that is necessary is to make 
 the butts come between the frames and fasten them se- 
 curely. Fig. i6 shows the usual method of fastening a 
 butt. Tbp butt block should be of oak about i inch thick 
 and of sutficient width to lap over the edge of the plank 
 on either side J^ of an inch. The forward and after ends 
 of these blocks should be chamfered on the side nearest 
 to the inside of the plank so as to allow any water, that 
 might leak in to run through, instead of collecting on top 
 of the block. 
 
 Fit all blocks tight between the frames, and if properly 
 ■fastened, the plank is stronger at this point than elsewhere. 
 If you have butts in the planking, bear in mind the neces- 
 sity for distributing same. Do not make one butt come 
 
 directly over the top of another, but break all joints by 
 placing at least three planks between, if the butt is between 
 the same frames. 
 
 When you have finished planking the boat, take a jack 
 plane and roughly plane the outside, then the boat is ready 
 lor calking. It is much b^^ter to have this done by a man 
 who makes a business of it, as there is a great deal more 
 in calking a boat than merely driving in cotton. If you 
 desire to try your hand at this, you should procure some 
 good spun cotton. You will also need some calking irons 
 and a mallet — one of these irons will be needed for open- 
 ing the seams and the other for driving in the cotton. Look 
 carefully over the seam you intend to calk, and if you de- 
 cide that it is open enough to drive, in the cotton, select a 
 piece and start it in with the iron, using the calking mallet 
 to strike the iron. Do not stretch out the cotton and drive 
 it in, but bring it back a trifle, then drive; keep on doing 
 this — it makes a lap and thus makes a much thicker bunch 
 to drive in. Set it down hard and keep it about J4 of an 
 inch below the surface. Experience will help you more 
 than any explanation I can give you, and you will find as 
 you progress just how much cotton to put in the seams, 
 and how hard to drive it. If you want to find out just how 
 easy, or how difficult, it is to calk a boat, just watch some 
 of the men calking a small yacht or vessel, then go back 
 and try it. When you have the hull calked, the seams 
 should be painted with a thick lead paint; a long narrow 
 brush with short bristles, known as a seaming brush, is the 
 best thing to use to run the paint in the seams. This paint- 
 ing of the seams makes them hold the putty and also form 
 a ridge which prevents the cotton from working out, as it 
 would have a tendency to do when there is much jarring 
 on the boat such as would be occasioned by riveting in the 
 deck clamps, etc. 
 
 The deck clamps and raised deck clamps can now be 
 gotten out and fastened in position. The clamp is to be 
 of yellow pine, ij4 x 4 inches, the upper and lower edges 
 to be chamfered from the forward end to the bulkhead 
 at the after end of the cabin. Set the upper edge of^this 
 clamp the same height as shown on the construction'plan 
 and fasten to the frames. It is a good plan to fasten 
 through the sheerstrake, frame and clamp, at each frame, 
 petting these through fastenings alternately at the upper 
 and lower edges. The raised deck clamp is to be of yellow 
 pine 1)4 X 3>4 inches. Chamfer the lower edge and fasten 
 
 in position. Take care to have the upper edge of the clamp 
 at the correct height for the entire length, and when you 
 have" put in a few fastenings it is advisable to ascertain 
 that the upper edges are true, and the same height on 
 
 29 
 
 ^ 
 
PROPOSED CABIN PLAN FOR THE NOCK 25 FT. CABIN CRUISER 
 
 80 
 
both sides of the hull, and if so, you can finish fastening 
 same, adopting the same method of through fastening as 
 suggested for the clamp at the normal sheer. 
 
 If you intend to finish the exterior of the hull before 
 doing any work on the interior, you can proceed to get 
 out the two knees for the stern; these are to be cut from 
 oak plank i^ inches in thickness. Fit a piece of oak 
 i%xi^yi inches across the inside of the transom at such a 
 height as to catch the ends of the deck plank, and then 
 fasten the knees in position, securing same to the clamp, 
 sheerstrake and transom. 
 
 You will note that there are but three deck beams shown 
 on the plan; these are to be of oak, sided ij4 inches, 
 moulded ij4 inches, and cut with a crown of i^ inches 
 in 5 feet. Mortise the ends of the two forward frames 
 into the clamp and fasten to same. The after beam is 
 to be halved into the knees and fastened. Between the 
 two after beams you can fasten a piece of oak 8 inches 
 wide and i^i inches thick to receive the lower end of the 
 towing post or bitt, and then proceed to plank the deck. 
 You will need some nice, clear white pine for this plank, 
 and unless you can obtain the pine already cut with the 
 edge of the grain on the flat side of the plank it will be 
 best to purchase 2-inch plank and have it sawed and 
 planed to the required thickness. The edges should be 
 planed so as to have a bevel of 1-16 inch on each edge, 
 and when these planks are placed edge to edge it will 
 show a seam of about % inch iti width. Draw a line 
 through the center of the beams, and after cutting the end 
 of one of the pieces of plank to fit the transom, bring 
 the edge of the plank to the line and fasten. Add planks 
 on either side until you have the entire deck covered, tak- 
 ing due care to draw them close together. Calk the seams, 
 and pay them with thick lead paint. The filling of the 
 seams with white lead putty and planing the deck can bet- 
 ter be finished when you have the boat nearer completion. 
 
 Now start at the opposite end and fit in at the stem 
 an oak breast hook or knee, fasten to the clamps, sheer- 
 strake and stem. The plans show seventeen beams for 
 the raised deck; these should be of oak, sided Ij4 inches, 
 moulded i^ inches. They can be either cut with a crown 
 of S inches in 7 feet or steam bent to that shape. The 
 lower corners can be chamfered or rounded, and the 
 beams finished smooth. The next thing is to make a 
 strong back to set these beams on, and for this you can 
 take a piece of board about J-i inch thick and about 8 
 to 12 inches wide; set this so that the upper edge is the 
 height of the under side of the beams, fasten both ends 
 securely and proceed to cut the ends of the beams into the 
 clamp, fasten to same and to the heads of frames. Cut 
 out the covering boards, which are to be % inch thick 
 and 3 inches wide, spring around the edge of the sheer 
 and fasten to the beams and sheerstrake. Mark a center 
 line on the beams and proceed to lay the plank, which is 
 to be of cypress % inch thick, 3 inches wide. Fasten 
 them from above into the beams and also toenail, as this 
 will tend to draw the planks tight and make them close on 
 the under side. Plane the upper side smooth and then fit 
 in the grub beam, which is to be of oak 2x6 inches, the 
 upper edge of which is to be rabbeted to receive the stav- 
 ing at the after end of the house. This beam should be 
 fastened very securely, as it will prevent the hull from 
 spreading. The beams for the cockpit deck can be gotten 
 out; these are to be of oak, sided lyi inches, moulded 
 iJ4 inches, spaced 18 inches or fastened to each alternate 
 frame. It is a good plan to nail a strip of yellow pine or 
 oak about 1x2 inches to the frames at such a height that 
 the ends of the beams will rest on same, and the beams 
 should be fastened to this stfip as well as to the frames. 
 Set stanchions under the centers of the beams to make 
 them more rigid and to help support the cockpit deck. 
 Lay the cockpit deck plank in strips of pine the same 
 width and thickness as for the deck at the after end of 
 the boat. If you intend to finish this deck in natural 
 
 wood varnished, you will have to calk the seams and fill 
 them with white lead putty or marine glue, if you prefer 
 that material. Provided you intend covering the cock- 
 pit deck with canvas, the plank can be of either pine or 
 cypress; tongued and grooved stock is better for this 
 purpose than the square edged material if it is not to be 
 calked. When you have finished laying the deck you can 
 proceed to cut out the rabbeted pieces of oak. The curve 
 of the staving is so slight that this strip can be worked 
 out of straight stock and sprung to shape. Twenty feet 
 in length will make enough for the two sides and across 
 
 fH 
 
 o 
 
 _3^ 
 
 © 
 
 [I] 
 
 •site 
 
 -IT 
 <0 
 
 H 
 
 ♦1" 
 
 ■8 Slot 
 
 D 
 
 -H 
 
 
 Detail Drawing of Rudder 
 
 the front of the seat. Take your spirit level and set it 
 against the inside of the clamp, ascertain that it is phimb, 
 then make a mark on the cockpit deck plank ; continue 
 doing this at intervals on both sides until you have a 
 sufficient number of points to strike a line through with 
 a batten and make a curve that corresponds exactly to 
 the inside of the clamp. The line thus marked shows the 
 outside of the staving, and as the pieces of oak you have 
 rabbeted to receive the planking are 2 inches wide, you 
 will have to set the outside of this piece of oak i]/i inches 
 closer to the frames, as the staving is % inch thick, and 
 you want to set the staving perpendicular. If the deck 
 is covered with canvas, simply lay the oak pieces in thick 
 
 31 
 
white lead and fasten closely to make it watertight, but 
 if you intend to have the deck bright, it would be ad- 
 visable to set the oak pieces on a strip of calking cotton 
 as well as using white lead. When you have set the'se 
 oak pieces you can proceed to set up the cockpit staving, 
 which is to be of cypress J-i inch thick, 2 inches wide, 
 tongued and grooved, and the edges bevelled on the in- 
 side or face. Cut the lower ends so that they fit the 
 oak pieces, set in white lead and fasten to same, and also 
 fasten to the clamp. Leave the upper ends of these 
 pieces of staving longer than you really require, as you 
 can cut them off to a fair line when you have finished the 
 staving. The staving at the after end of the cabin being of 
 the same material can also be set in position. The lower 
 ends are to, set into a rabbet on the grub beam, and the 
 upper ends are to be fitted to the under side of the raised 
 deck plank, where it projects over the beam, and are to 
 be fastened to the raised deck beam. A filler piece of 
 spruce of some such material i inch thick and 2^ inches 
 wide can be fitted in between the upper edge of the stav- 
 ing and the inside of the planking. The top of same is 
 to be the same height as the under side of the cap, and 
 when you have fastened in these pieces securely you can 
 proceed to get out the cap. The specifications- call for 
 the cap to be of oak 1% inches thick, 5 inches wide; this 
 will allow for yi an inch overlap on the outside of the 
 planking and afeo the same amount on the staving. Round 
 these edges and proceed to fasten in position. You will 
 most probably find that you cannot bend this piece of oak 
 to the proper shape without steaming it, and therefore it 
 would be advisable to steam it in the first place. Put in 
 plenty of fastenings, the filler piece and the edges of 
 the planking affording good places to fasten to. The heads 
 of the fastenings should be counter sunk and covered with 
 wood plugs, as should all the heads of the large fasten- 
 ings in any part that is to be finished bright. 
 
 The coaming for the cockpit hatch over the engine is to 
 be of oak; work this out to shape as per plans, allowing 
 for a waterway between the forward end and the grub 
 beam, and fasten to the deck and beams. Rabbet a piece 
 of oak 1J/2X2 inches to fit the upper edge of the coaming; 
 this piece is to be used for the frame of the hatch. Halve 
 the corners together and proceed to cover with %x2-inch 
 white pine strips as you did with the cockpit deck; if you 
 desire to finish bright, calk and fill the seams and put a 
 small oak ribbon around the outside to form a finish and 
 cover the wood ends. If covered with canvas this ribbon 
 should cover the fastenings. 
 
 The seat at the after end of the cockpit is not com- 
 pleted, and you can finish same before proceeding with 
 the cabin. The specifications call for the top of this seat 
 and the lazy back to be of mahogany, but it is simply a 
 matter of choice what you use ; mahogany stands the 
 weather and warps but little, but I have seen some very 
 fine looking seats and backboards made of cypress. Al- 
 low for part of the top of this seat to open, as there is 
 valuable space under it that can be used for storage, and 
 you might have to get under the after deck at some time 
 or another to renew the tiller rope, etc. Set in the lead 
 scuppers at the after corners of the cockpit, and it is 
 practically completed. These scuppers should be about 
 1% inches inside diameter, the flange on the upper side 
 should be set flush with the deck and the lower end of 
 scuppers flush with planking. It will be necessary to cut 
 a rabbet in plank to receive the flange. The fastenings 
 in the lead scuppers should be of copper. 
 
 The towpost and forward bitts can be gotten out and 
 fitted. These are to be of oak or locust 4x4 inches and 
 12 inches long. The part that fits the deck is to be trimmed 
 to'3j5x3j^ inches; a hole is to be cut through same, and 
 they arc to be driven in position and secured on the 
 under side with two oak or locust wedges. The towpost 
 can be set up, but the forward bitt cannot be fastened 
 in until you have covered the raised deck with canvas, 
 
 which you can now proceed to do. The canvas should be 
 lo-ounce material, 8 feet in width and 14 feet long. This 
 must be well stretched and fastened closely around the 
 edges with copper tacks. The usual method of laying a 
 canvas deck of this description is to cover the upper side 
 of the plank with a thick paint, stretch and fasten the 
 canvas, and then dampen the canvas with a sponge and 
 apply a coat of paint. The claim is that the moisture 
 tightens the canvas and the coat of paint prevents it from 
 relaxing. Owing to the diversity of opinions upon this 
 subject, I am going to state that I either set the canvas 
 in thick white lead paint and -yvhen stretched apply a 
 good coat of oil paint, using no water, or else I cover 
 the plank with Jeffrey's marine glue, and when the can- 
 vas has been stretched it is made to adhere to same by 
 being ironed with hot flat irons. Men who are well versed 
 in the handling of canvas or duck tell me that the oil 
 (linseed) destroys the cotton, and they ought to know. 
 The edges of the canvas, where fastened, should be cov- 
 ered with a ij4-inch half-round moulding. 
 
 Now that you have the deck finished you can remove 
 the piece of wood you used for the strong back and pro- 
 ceed with the interior. 
 
 Set the beams for the floor and lay the planking. There 
 should be three strips thr6ugh the center of the floor 
 which will not be fastened to the beams but cut up in suit- 
 able lengths and cleated together on the under side. These 
 you can remove at any time to clean out the bilge'. 
 
 The blocks for the lights are to be of cypress, lyi inches 
 in thickness ; the sizes vary from io>^ to 12 inches square, 
 according to the diameter of the glasses. The diameter 
 of glass in the clear is 8 inches for the two after lights 
 on either side and 7 inches for the forward ones, if you 
 intend using fixed lights. If you have decided to use 
 composition open ports they should be smaller; purchase 
 those with the round frames, as they do not have to be 
 cut into the planking, and present a much better appear- 
 ance than the hexagonal frame light. If you can obtain the 
 use of a lathe or get the blocks turned, you will save con- 
 siderable work, and while they are in the lathe you can 
 cut a rabbet ^4 inch deep on the face to receive the 
 ceiling. Mark on the outside of the plank the position 
 of the different lights and saw out the circle, then fit the 
 blocks from the inside, cut to the shape of the planking 
 and use plenty of screws or nails to secure them to the 
 planking. 
 
 The specifications call for the ceiling to be of cypress- 
 ^ix2 inches, tongued and grooved, edges bevelled. Start 
 the first strip close to the under side of the raised deck 
 clamp, fit around the rabbet in the blocks and fasten to 
 same and to the frames. After you have fitted four strakes 
 you will find that the next strake will have to be cut at the 
 forward end for a certain distance, as it will bear against 
 the upper side of the clamp, and the next two strips will 
 be shorter in length for the same reason. If you fit 
 them carefully you will find that it looks well. The 
 proper way to ceil this space would be to take a spiling 
 and shape each piece so that there would be the same 
 number of pieces at one end as at the other, but so that 
 they would decrease in width as they neared the stem. 
 There would be little or no advantage in ceiling a boat 
 of this description in such a manner unless you were par- 
 ticular, but that is the proper way to put in a ceiling. 
 Work in the ceiling from the under side of the clamp to 
 the upper edge of the bilge clamp and, with the exception 
 of the toilet room, it will cover the inside of the frames. 
 If you want to make the interior look well you can ceil 
 from the under side of the bilge clamp in the toilet room 
 to the floor. 
 
 The companionway slide, runs, door frame, etc., can now 
 be gotten out. They do not need any explanation, as the 
 plans show the section of the hatch, etc. The specifica- 
 tions call for them to be of mahogany, but if you prefer 
 some other material, well and good — use it; but don't 
 
 32 
 
use any wood that is apt to warp out of shape when 
 exposed to the elements or you will have a leaky com- 
 panion way slide. The doors, to look well, should be 
 panelled and made of ii^-inch stock with panels at least 
 Yz of an inch thick. 
 
 The rubstreaks can be of oak or teak, 2 inches wide. 
 If shaped as shown, it presents a better appearance than 
 if it were half round. Fasten well through the planking 
 into the frames and take care to have a fair curve, as 
 the apipearance of such a boat can easily be -spoiled when 
 the rubstreaks are set in position if they are not in a nice. 
 
 the size of the rudder stock and it will make a good 
 stuffing-box for such a rudder. I don't wish to convey 
 the impression that a stuffing-box made in this manner is 
 as good as having a proper one made, but, it is something 
 that can be purchased most anywhere, and therefore would 
 appeal to the amateur. The port should be carefully 
 threaded into the knee and horn timber, and if you cover 
 the thread with white lead and have it fit tight into the 
 wood it will not leak. Fig. 6 shows, the dimensions of 
 the rudder, and a simple way to make this is to buy a 
 piece of hard rolled Tobin bronze % inch thick and cut 
 
 * 
 
 ITT^ 
 
 ■■'■*'■ 
 
 LOCKER 
 
 Another Cabin Arrangement for the Nock 25 Foot Cabin Cruiser 
 
 fair line, and there is really no excuse for them being 
 otherwise, as you have your sheer line to work to. 
 
 When you have arrived at this point you have prac- 
 tically completed the hull. Fit a piece of ^ inch half- 
 round brass to the stem, to protect it. and bore for th; 
 rudder port if you have not already done so. For the 
 rudder port you will need a piece of i inch brass steam 
 pipe 18 inches in length. Have a locknut thread cut in 
 the lower end 5 inches in length, at the upper end you 
 will require a thread 2 inches in length. For the stuffing- 
 box you can purchase a standard i-inch brass cap and 
 also a small locknut of the same size. Bore the cap to 
 
 it to the required shape. For the stock you will need a 
 piece of Tobin bronze i inch diameter, 3 feet 8 inches in 
 length. Have a machinist mill a slot in this stock to 
 receive the blade ; square the head above the stuffing-box 
 to receive the quadrant and turn the lower end down to 
 }i inch diameter for a distance of Ij4 inches to form 
 a pintle for the shoe to hold the lower end of rudder 
 stock. You can either have the machinist rivet the blade 
 in place or do this work yourself, as it is not difficult. A 
 rudder made in this manner is well suited for so small a 
 craft. The shoe you can bend up out of a piece of brass 
 or bronze, but it is better to make a pattern and have this 
 
 33 
 
cast. The quadrant is a standard article with d radius of 
 12 inches and can be purchased from any well-known 
 dealer in boat hardware. For the steering wheel you 
 can use either a drum steerer or one of the auto steerers 
 if you prefer to haVe a horizontal wheel; in either case 
 you will need a tiller rope about ^ inch diameter, and 
 this can be led either between the staving in the cock- 
 pit and the frames or else under the beams of the cock- 
 pit deck. Wherever this wire rope, if you use wire, makes 
 a sharp turn, it should run over a wheel with a diameter 
 of not less than 2j^ inches. 
 
 The interior can now be finished, and as I have shown 
 two cabin plans, you can please yourself which you use, 
 or perhaps you may have an idea of a cabin arrangement 
 which would meet your requirements much better. Un- 
 der any circumstances it is not worth while my explain- 
 ing how to set up staving, bulkheads, seats, etc., for if 
 you have finished your boat up to this point you will 
 find that such work as this is of no trouble whatever. If 
 you require any great amount of panel work, it would be 
 cheaper to have this made where they have machinery, 
 but I have purposely made the interior plain, thereby 
 making it easier to construct. 
 
 A word about the engine: if you intend to install it, 
 take just as much care in making up the joints on the 
 piping, etc., as you would in making the joints in the hull, 
 for it is of the utmost importance, and no matter how 
 long it takes, if done properlv, you will feel well repaid 
 for your trouble. Use a seamless, drawn bronze or copper 
 pipe for the gasolene supply, as this material does not de- 
 teriorate like brass pipe or crystallize like block tin pipe. 
 The proper methods of installing engines have been 
 thoroughly explained in Motor Boat before in detail, 
 therefore it would be useless for me to go into the mat- 
 ter. The gasoFene tanks figured for this boat are cyl- 
 indrical in form, lo inches diameter and 48 inches in 
 length. They are to be situated under the cockpit deck, 
 well out on either side of the engine. A small water 
 tank can be fitted under the after end of the berths in 
 the cabin if desired, and a pump could be set up at the 
 
 sink to supply the water for cooking and washing, and, 
 if one required it, a small folding lavatory could be fitted 
 in the toilet room. 
 
 The specifications mention the principal fittings, all of 
 which can be purchased from any reliable dealer in boat 
 hardware. 
 
 The finishing of the boat is quite important, the top 
 sides and under body should be planed smooth and fair, 
 then sandpapered and primed. Before the second coat is 
 applied the first coat should be well rubbed down with 
 fine sandpaper, and the same treatment to be applied every 
 time before you apply a coat of paint. The under body 
 should be treated in a similar manner, only in this case 
 you should apply either copper or some anti-fouling paint. 
 The designed ivater line,- Or the line shown on the plans 
 as the L. W. L. is supposed to represent the line of the 
 water when the boat is afloat, and it is a good plan to 
 mark a waterline on a boat of this size i^ to 2 inches 
 above this line and paint up to this point with the same 
 paint you use for the bottom, as it keeps the sides clean 
 and adds to the appearance of the boat. This line should 
 be marked on while the boat is in the stocks and scribed 
 in with an awl, as it makes it easier to cut to such a line 
 when painting. 
 
 All the bright work, such as rubstreaks, cockpit staving, 
 companionway, etc., should be treated. to one coat of 
 filler, rubbed down and then have three coats of spar 
 composition applied, each coat being rubbed down before 
 the next is laid on. The canvas should receive one coat 
 of canvas filler and two coats of deck paint. The in- 
 terior bright work should have one coat of filler and 
 two coats of a first-class interior varnish. 
 
 When you have completed the boat she can be removed 
 from the stocks and launched, and there is no need for 
 any explanation how to proceed to launch this craft. 
 
 Without doubt there are many minor things I have not 
 mentioned that will have to be done, but I have gone into 
 the matter in such a manner as I believe will make it 
 plain to those who think of building a boat of this sort 
 and have some fair knowledge of the use of tools. 
 
 Specifications for Construction of a 25-foot Cabin Cruiser 
 
 BY FREDERIC S. NOCK, EAST GREENWICH, R. I. 
 
 Dimensions 
 
 Length, overall 25 feet o inches 
 
 Length, waterline 23 feet 4 inches 
 
 Breadth, extreme 7 feet o inches 
 
 Breadth, at waterline 6 feet 5 inches 
 
 Draught, to Rabbet l foot 4 inches 
 
 Draught, extreme 2 feet I V2 inches 
 
 Material and Workmanship 
 
 In carrying out these specifications, there are to be used 
 only the best materials and workmanship. Proper care to be 
 given to the details of construction, fastenings, etc. All wood 
 shall be sound, clear and free from all defects, all pieces to 
 be cut fair with the grain, and all knees, etc., to be natural 
 crooks, all fastenings not otherwise specified to be of gal- 
 vanized iron. 
 
 Keel 
 
 To be of native white oak, sided 3 inches, moulded as per 
 plans and to be in One length, mill dressed to a uniform thick- 
 ness and finished smooth. 
 
 Stem 
 
 To be of white oak, sided 3 inches, moulded as per plans, 
 to be connected to the keel with an oak knee sided 3 inches, 
 to be properly fitted- and fastened with ^-inch diameter bolts 
 clinched over washers, heads to be countersunk and covered 
 with wood plugs. 
 
 Shaft-Log 
 
 To be of white oak, sided^*3 inches, built up of two pieces, 
 bored for shaft and to be securely fastened to the keel with 
 5-16-inch diameter bolts. 
 
 Horn Timber 
 To be of white oak, sided 3 inches, shaped as per plans, to 
 be securely fastened through shaft-log and keel with 5-16-inch . 
 diameter bolts. 
 
 Stern Post 
 To be of white oak, sided 3 inches, shaped as per plans, to 
 be carefully fitted and well fastened to the keel, etc. 
 Transom 
 To be of oak, 1 14 -inch thick, to be connected fo the horn 
 timber with an oak knee or hackmatack knee sided 2}^ inches 
 and fastened with J^-inch diameter bolts. Cheek pieces of 
 oak I inch thick are to be securely fastened to the inside edge 
 of the transom to form a back rabbet and fasten the planking 
 to. 
 
 Frames 
 To be of white oak, i^xi^ inches, spaced 9 inches center 
 to center, frames wherever possible are to extend from gun- 
 wale to gunwale in oiie piece, and to be securely fastened to 
 the keel, frames aft of forward end of shaft-log are to be 
 mortised into a cheek piece of oak 1 inch thick which same 
 is to be well fastened to the keel and shaft-log and the lower 
 edge cut to form a back rabbet for the garboard. 
 
 Floors 
 To be of white oak, ij^xi^ inches, to be securely fastened 
 to the keel and through the sides of th{ frames, floors aft of 
 forward end of shaft-log to be sawn -to shape, carefully 
 fastened to the keel and through the frames. 
 Bilge Clamps 
 To be of yellow pine 154x4 '"ches amidship, tapered at 
 
 34 
 
ends to l]/2X3'/2 inches, length of taper 7 feet, to be securely 
 fastened through frames. 
 
 Deck Clamps 
 To be of yellow pine i}4x4 inches, upper and lower edges 
 to be chamferred from forward end for a distance of 14 feet, 
 to be securely fastened through frames and at each athwart- 
 ship frame to have one fastening through clamp, frame and 
 strake, heads of fastenings to be sunk in strake and covered 
 with wood plugs. 
 
 Raised Deck Clamp 
 To be of yellow pine 15^x3;^ inches, lower edge bevelled, 
 to be well fastened to the frames and at each alternate frame 
 to have one fastening through cjamp, frame and sheerstrake. 
 PlankiNg 
 To be of yellow pine in long lengths, to finish J4-inch 
 thick, where butts occur same to be reinforced with oak 
 blocking and to be securely fastened, heads of fastenings to 
 be covered with wood plugs. All fastenings to be of gal- 
 vanized iron chisel point nails clinched on the inside of the 
 fromes. Seams to be tight on the inside, and planed with a 
 suitable bevel for calking, seams to be calked with yacht cot- 
 ton, payed with white lead and finished flush with white lead 
 putty, exterior to be carefully planed smooth and fair, and 
 sandpapered before being painted, inside of plank to be coped 
 to fit the frames wherever necessary. 
 Keelson 
 To be of oak or yellow pine, as desired, 2x4 inches, to be 
 scarfed and fitted to knee at stem, and to be well fastened 
 through floors and into keel. 
 
 Engine Bed 
 To be of oak, constructed to meet the requirements of the 
 engine. Fore and aft bearers to be sided 3 inches, carefully 
 fitted over frames and securely fastened to same, athwartship 
 bearers to be sided 254 inches, to be carefuUy fitted to the 
 plank and securely fastened to the keel and fore and aft 
 bearers. 
 
 Deck Beams 
 To be of oak, sided i!4 inches, moulded i^ inches, spaced 
 as per plans, to be cut with a crown oi lYz mches in five feet, 
 ends to be mortised into deck clamp and well fastened. 
 Raised Deck Beams 
 To be of oak, sided i54 inches, moulded ij4 inches, spaced 
 9 inches, crown of beams S inches in seven feet, and to be 
 either sawn to shape or steam bent as desired. Ends of 
 beams to be cut into clamp and securely fastened to same and 
 heads of frames. 
 
 Raised Deck Covering Boards 
 To be of oak, J^-inch thick, 3 inches in width, sprung to 
 shape and securely fastened to the beams, clamps and sheer- 
 strake. 
 
 Raised Deck Plank 
 To be of cypress %-inch thick, 3 inches wide, tongued and 
 grooved and edges bevelled on the underside, to be well 
 fastened to the beams, the top planed smooth and fair and 
 covered with lo-ounce canvas properly stretched and bedded 
 in white lead, edges to be fastened with copper tacks and 
 covered with i54-'nch half round oak moulding. 
 Deck Plank 
 To be of white pine ^X2 inches, to be well fastened to the 
 beams, heads of fastenings covered with wood plugs, seams 
 I calked, payed with white lead and finished flush with white 
 lead putty. 
 
 Cockpit Deck Beams 
 To be of oak, sided xYi inches, moulded 1^4 inches, spaced 
 18 inches center to center, ends of beams to be fastened to the 
 frames and supported on stanchions in center. 
 Cockpit Deck Plank 
 To be of white pine ^x2 inches, to be well fastened to the 
 beams, heads of fastenings covered with wood plugs, seams 
 calked with yacht cotton, payed with_ white lead and finished 
 flush with white lead putty, or if desired, deck to be covered 
 with lo-ounce canvas properly stretched and bedded in white 
 lead. 
 
 Grub Beam 
 To be of oak, 2x6 inches, upper edge to be rabbeted to re- 
 ceive the- %-inch staving at after end of house, ends to be 
 well fastened to the .frames. 
 
 Cockpit Hatch and Coaming 
 Coaming' to be of oak 1V2 inches thick, cut with a rabbet 
 on the upper edge for hatch as per plans, after end of coam- 
 ing to be securely fastened to the beam, forward end to be 
 cut with a waterway as per plans and to be securely fastened 
 
 to the grub beam, hatch frame to be of oak cut with a rabbet 
 to fit the coaming, and covered with white pine ^ x 2 inches, 
 seams calked as per deck or covered with canvas as desired, 
 if canvas covered there is to be an oak nosing around same 
 to cover the fastenings. 
 
 Cockpit Staving 
 To be of oak or cypress, ^x2 inches, tongued and grooved, 
 edges bevelled, to be well fasfened to the clamp and lower 
 ends set into a rabbeted piece o'f oak as per plans and securely 
 fastened, forward end of cockpit seat and after end of house 
 to be staved up in the same, material, a filler piece of spruce 
 or some suitable material is to be worked to shape and fitted 
 between the upper ends of staving and strake and securely 
 fastened, and to this is to be fastened the upper ends of the 
 staving. 
 
 Cap 
 To be of oak, i]4, inches thick, 5 inches in width, edges 
 rounded, to be fitted over top of staving and upper strake and 
 to be well fastened, heads of fastenings to be covered with 
 wood plugs. 
 
 Cockpit Seat and Lazy Back 
 To be of mahogany %-inch thick, top of seat to be arranged 
 to lift up, lazy back to be removable. 
 
 Cabin Doors, Frame, Companionway, Hun and Slide 
 To be constructed as per plans of mahogany. 
 
 Forward Bitt and Towpost 
 To be of oak or locust 4x4 i,nches, to be 12 inches in length, 
 6 inches above the deck, and the part that passes through 
 deck is to have a slot mortised through same and to be 
 wedged up K) the oak blocks with oak or locust wedges, there 
 are to be two rivets in each bitt below the opening for wedges. 
 Rubstreaks 
 To be of oak, 2 iiiches wide, and about ^-inch thick, shaped 
 as per plans, to be well fastened to the plank and frames. 
 Blocks for Portlights 
 To be of cypress, 1Y2 inches thick, shaped to fit the inside 
 of the. planking and to be securely fastened to same, face to 
 be cut with a rabbet J^-inch deep to receive the ceiling. 
 Ceiling 
 To be of cypress, fSx2 inches, tongued and grooved, edges 
 bevelled, to be well fastened to the frames and to extend from 
 the underside of the raised deck clamp to the top of transoms, 
 etc. 
 
 Cabin Floor Beams 
 To be of oak, sided 1% inches, moulded i54 inches, spaced 
 18 inches, ends to be well fastened to frames and supported . 
 in center where necessary. 
 
 Cabin Floor Plank 
 
 To be of yellow pine ^ of an inch thick, laid in strips 4 
 inches wide, the three center strips are to be cleated and cut 
 up in short lengths to make suitable traps for access to the 
 bilge, the balance of the plank to be well fastened to the 
 beams. 
 
 Forward Bulkhead 
 
 To be of cvoress staving, ^x3 inches, tongued and grooved, 
 edges bevelled, door to be of the same material to be well 
 cleated to prevent warping. 
 
 Center Bulkheads ^ ' 
 
 To be of cypress staving, ^x3 inches, tongued and'grooved, 
 edges bevelled. 
 
 Transom Fronts 
 
 To be staved up with JS^x3 inch cypress, mopboard 4 inches 
 wide of cypress, and facing strip of either cypress or oak 3 
 inches wide. 
 
 Transom Tops 
 
 To be of cypress 5^-inch thick, to be supported on beams, 
 and suitable traps to be cut in same to admit of using space 
 under berths for storage. 
 
 Galley, Etc. 
 
 Sides of lockers, front of stove locker, ice-box, etc., to be 
 built up of ^x3 inch cypress staving, locker doors of same ma- 
 terial, ice-box top, shelves, etc., to be of ^-inch cypress, ice- 
 box to be sheathed with 54-inch spruce and lined with zinc, 
 stove space to be lined with zinc. An enameled iron sink 
 12x16 inches is to let into the top of the ice-box and fitted 
 with a lead discharge pipe to drain overboard. Lockers on 
 either side to hf fitted with shelves, etc., to meet the require- 
 ments of the owner. 
 
 Companionway Steps 
 
 To be of oak or cypress, shaped as per plans and fitted with 
 chocks for feet, also hooks and eyes for upper end, steps are 
 to be removable to admit of starting engine. 
 
 35 
 
Fittings, Etc. 
 
 To comprise: — One small yacht closet properly set and 
 plumbed, one 12x16 inch enameled iron sink properly plumbed, 
 one Khotal or Primus two burner galvanized iron frame, two 
 round frame open port lights 6 inches diameter for toilet 
 room, four 8-inch round frame fixed lights and two 7-inch 
 ditto for galley and cabin. All interior hardware, such as 
 catches, hinges, bolts, etc., to be of brass or bronze. Brass 
 or bronze stem band, bronze rudder, bronze shoe, brass rud- 
 der port and stuffing-box, galvanized irorr quadrant, gal- 
 vanized steel tiller rope, galvanized iron wheel leads for tiller 
 rope, brass and wood steering wheel, one pair of polished 
 brass bow chocks, one pair polished brass quarter chocks, 
 brass padlock and hasp, etc. Scuppers in cockpit deck to be 
 of lead pipe Ij4-inch diameter. 
 
 Motor, Etc. 
 
 To be a double cylinder 2 stroke engine, 4 inch bore, 4j4 
 
 inch stroke^ weight complete not to exceed 350 pounds. All 
 accessories for eflgine, such as piping, fittings, gasolene tanks 
 of 20 gallons' capacity each, shaft, propeller, stuffing-box, 
 wiring, coil, magneto, etc., to be furnished complete. 
 
 Painting, Finishing, Etc. 
 
 Entire interior of hull to receive one coat of priming paint 
 before being ceiled, exterior of hull to be finished smooth, 
 and carefully sandpapered and given one coat of priming 
 paint and three coats of pure white lead paint to tiic Vvater- 
 line, underbody to receive two coats of copper or Anti-Foul- 
 ing paint. All exterior bright work to be treated to one coat 
 of filler and three coats of Spar Composition. House deck 
 and all parts covered with <anvas are to be treated to one 
 coat of canvas filler and two coats of U. S. Deck paint. In- 
 terior bright work to be treated to one coat of, filler and two 
 coats of Cabinoleum or LX.L. varnish. 
 
 36 
 
OUTBOARD PROFILE AND DECK PLAK 
 
 How to Build a Single Step Hydroplane 
 
 By George F. Crouch 
 
 THE racing results of the season of the past year have 
 shown clearly that the hydroplane type of boat has 
 come to stay. Every important race — referring, of 
 course, to the speed boat classes — was won by some type of 
 "hydro." Weather conditions had much less effect on 
 their speed than we had been led to expect ; and, taken 
 as a whole, I believe that they were better performers in 
 rough weather than the displacement boats of equal length 
 and less speed. 
 
 Riding in a good "hydro" is a joy which can be found 
 in no other sport. The little boats are so "alive," they 
 respond so quickly, turn in almost their own length and 
 flutter over the surface of the water in a delightful way. 
 A displacement boat seems dead' after one has become 
 accustomed to the hydro. One misses the "pat-pat-pat" 
 of the hydro as it glides over the ripples and one misses its 
 stiffness. The displacement racer seems to heel down on 
 her beam ends as if she were never coming back while 
 the hydro keeps moving along on an even keel. 
 
 The progress of the last 
 year in hydroplane design 
 is a surprise to all who 
 have closely followed the 
 course of development. At 
 first it was thought that 
 the hydroplane must be 
 niarveloHsly light and 
 every' effort was made to 
 cut down weight; hulls 
 were pared to the limit, 
 rriotors of the lightest pos- 
 sible types were chosen, 
 and in some cases this 
 weight reduction was car- 
 
 GENERAL DIMENSIONS OF HYDROPLANE 
 
 Length, overall 19 feet 4 inches 
 
 Beam, extreme (at planksheer, out- 
 side Yi round) 4 
 
 Beam, extreme (at chine) 4 
 
 Depth of hull (forward) 2 
 
 " " (amidship) 2 
 
 " " (aft) 2 
 
 Draft of hull (at rest) 
 
 Draft (at rest, with 18-inch wheel) 2 
 
 ried to a point where light men were chosen for the 
 crew. No doubt this was the correct thing to do with 
 the hulls used, but the latest models show that fairly 
 heavy construction and a medium weight racing motor 
 can be used with almost equally good results as far 
 as speed is concerned, and much better results when 
 endurance and reliability are considered. 
 
 The little boat, which is the subject of this article, 
 is of this lat-est medium weight type. The hull is not 
 extremely light but the construction is such that it is 
 unusually stiff and rig'd. As may be noticed, the cross 
 floors,' the keel and the two fore and aft stringers form 
 a strong truss even without the planking and the fore and 
 aft edge stringers. 
 
 The hull is of the single step type, the step being formed 
 by putting a metal plane on the hull after it has been 
 completely planked. It is not necessary to explain the 
 manifold advantages of an applied metal plane as any 
 one interested in hydroplanes knows them. With re- 
 gard to the hull construc- 
 tion it is not an easy 
 matter to show a boat 
 which will be easily built 
 and yet possess all the 
 strength, rigidity and 
 lightness that the boat 
 turned out by the profes- 
 sional builder will show. 
 The general scheme which 
 I have used is that of 
 having no bent or steamed 
 frames whatsoever. The 
 moulds, instead of being 
 made of rough material. 
 
 8J4 
 
 11. 
 
 5 
 
 37 
 
are to be of selected spruce, nicely finished and put to- 
 gether as shown on the drawmgs of the molds or frames. 
 These molds stay m the hull and take the place of the 
 ordinary system of framin? so care must be used in 
 getting them out and m finishmg them. In fact, through- 
 out the whole construction anything put on the work 
 stays there in the completed hull. There are no molds to 
 rip out after the boat is planked, no ribbands to be used 
 m "fairing up" and then taken off again. 
 
 Although the construction is fairly simple, it is a much 
 more difficult boat to build than the Water-Bug, the plans 
 and building instructions of which were published in 
 Motor Boat for January 10 and 25, 1911, and I, there- 
 fore recommend that boat for those who have never had 
 any boat-building experience rather than for them to at- 
 tempt this new one The troubles which the beginner 
 would find in building to this new design are riot so much 
 in the hull itself — although the planking of concave "veed" 
 bottom means work — as in the motor and drive installa- 
 tion I have counted on using a gear drive to the pro- 
 peller shaft as this gives a good shaft angle and allows the 
 
 IV 
 
 motor to be placed well aft. This motor position is of 
 utmost importance in a boat designed to carry a fairly 
 heavy motor. Since motors differ so widely in power, 
 size and weight, I cannot give definite measurements for 
 the driving gear and motor beds, so the builder must 
 use his ingenuity and experience in following out in 
 detail what I can only indicate in a general way 
 
 The motors which may be used in this hull range in 
 power from 40-hp. to 120-hp. I would not advise using 
 much less than 40-hp. and the weight of such a motor 
 should be not over 600 pounds. The speed to be ex- 
 pected with such an equipment is 28 to 30 miles an 
 hour, while with a 120-hp. motor weighing about 1,000 
 pounds the speed should be about 40 miles an hour. Any 
 motor between these two should give proportionate re- 
 sults. Of course you would not use a 40-hp motor weigh- 
 ing 1,000 pounds for the weight should be in proportion 
 to the power If a motor too heavy for the power is 
 used, the boat will not "get up" but will plough along 
 at canal boat speed The motors should be of fairly high 
 speed capable of turning somewhere between 900 and 1,500 
 r p.m., and the driving gear can be proportioned to suit 
 the motor chosen so that the propeller will turn 1,500 to 
 1,600 r.p.m. 
 
 I will not stop to tell you how to choose a place to 
 build the boat nor what tools you will need, as I assume 
 that you have some knowledge of boat building and know 
 that small boats are always built under cover, that a 
 hammer is used to drive nails, and so on. 
 
 The first step toward the actual construction of the 
 boat is to get out the^keel, stem, transom and the knees for 
 connecting them together. The plan of the keel and the 
 keel sections gives full information as to size and form 
 of the keel. If possible, the keel should be in one length 
 and the best material to use is white oak, although yellow 
 pine might be used as a substitute in case it is impossible 
 to secure oak. Between molds No. 3 and No. 7 the 
 keel has considerable bend in it, and it will be neces- 
 
 38 
 
39 
 
sary to take the stiffness out of it by steaming in a 
 long steam box or by pouring boiling water upon it until 
 the required bend can be given to it. If you cannot se- 
 cure a piece of oak long enough to make the keel in one 
 piece, two pieces may be used and the joint between 
 them stiffened by an oak butt strap about 2 feet long, 
 thoroughly riveted to each part of the keel. 
 
 The stern is a piece of white oak shaped as shown on 
 the detail plan. The rabbet should be roughly cut to 
 form, as should that of the keel, leaving the finishing 
 touches to be given after the frames have been set up and 
 the boat is ready for planking. The knee joining the 
 stem to the keel is sided 1^ inches, the same as the stem 
 and may be made of hackmatack or even of straight 
 grained oak, in which the oak should, of course, run 
 diagonally between the stem and the keel. Note the 
 stopwater where the keel joins the stern. 
 
 The transom should be made ready next. It is of ^- 
 inch mahogany or oak shaped as shown in the transom 
 detail. It is too deep to be made in one piece, so the 
 separate parts must be joined together and then stiffened 
 by vertical pieces of oak as shown. Do not cut the 
 round at the top of the transom down to the line, but 
 leave that until the deck is on. 
 
 In getting out the molds or frames, which is the next 
 operation, you will find it a good plan to make full sized 
 drawings of these molds on heavy paper or on a clean 
 board before you start in. These full sized drawings 
 will allow you to compare the shape of the pieces you 
 are making with the required shape and to check the 
 completed mold after you have riveted it together. This 
 drawing should be made for both sides of the mold 
 from the dimensions given on the mold or frame de- 
 tails. These dimensions on this drawing are given to 
 the inside of the plaftking. 
 
 The molds themselves are of spruce, the pieces up the 
 
 sides being 3 inches wide and % of an inch thick, the 
 bottom cross floors are 1 inch thick in way of the 
 motor and gear drive, and are J4 of an inch at the 
 ends of the boat. The pieces should be cut to shape 
 and then riveted together as shown, using corner pieces 
 of oak yi inch thick. The molds which have deck beams 
 may have these cut and fitted at the same time as tlie 
 other parts of the molds. The molds on which beams 
 are not required must be held across the top by a tem- 
 porary cross piece in order to keep them from spreading 
 or squeezing together. Do not cut any notches in the 
 molds for the fore and aft ribbands, that covers up^the 
 seams between the planks until after the frame is set 
 up, but the notches to take the keel, the chine and the 
 clamp should be cut as shown on the. drawings. When set- 
 ling up the molds be careful, to get them spaced just 
 as shown on the plans, or else you will find that there 
 will be trouble in getting the proper bevel on the molds 
 after the plank edge battens have been run in. 
 
 After the various parts have been prepared as de- 
 scribed, they should be "set up." I am not going into 
 any great detail with regard to "setting up" the molds 
 as the drawings show clearly the relation of the parts 
 to each other. The boat may be built upside down or 
 right side up equally well. Some builders' will prefer 
 the first method and others the second. Whichever you 
 use, be sure that all parts are securely fastened and that 
 the molds are all parallel and square across the center 
 line. If you set the molds in an inverted position, which 
 is probably the easier method for the amateur, the keel 
 should be kneed to the transom as shown, and fit into 
 the notches cut in the molds to receive it, and should 
 then be bolted to the knee at the stern. Make sure that 
 the bend in the keel does not force any of the molds 
 out of position. The chine piece of 1 inch by 1 inch 
 yellow pine or spruce should then be run fore and aft 
 
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 in the notches at the corners of the molds and should 
 be connected to the tfansom by knees and to each side 
 of the keel at the fore end by oak blocks as shown in 
 the sketch. The clamp is next run in by the same method, 
 the size and material being the same as for the chine. 
 
 If the notches for the clamp, the chine and the keel 
 have been cut square to the edges of the molds you 
 will notice that the clamp, chine and keel will not fit 
 evenly into these notches but will bear on one edge of 
 the molds as shown in the sketch ; particularly on the 
 molds in the fore part of the boat. The notches must 
 be trimmed down to the line shown in the sketcJi so 
 that the clamp, chine and keel bear evenly on the molds 
 and are then fastened in place by long brass screws or 
 by long copper rivets if you so desire. The screws for 
 fastening the chine and clamp should be about 2 inches 
 long and those for the keel about 4 inches. The clamps 
 on each side of the boat should be connected to each 
 other and to the stern by a "breast hook," and should 
 be kneed to the transom. The fore end of the chine is 
 connected to the keel at the fore end by a triangular 
 piece of oak which is shown in detail on the drawing of 
 
 DETAIL OF MOLDS 
 
 the fore erd of the keel. These pieces should be fastened 
 to the sides of the keel by long rivets or by long brass 
 screws. At the transom the chine is fastened by knees 
 similar to ttiose used to secure the clamp 
 
 The edges of the molds have been cut off square 
 to the side of the molds, and if you take a long batten 
 and bend it along the molds at the sides or the bottom, 
 you will find that the batten touches only one edge of 
 the mold and that the 'molds must be trimmed at an 
 angle or level before a long batten will bear evenly 
 on all the molds anywhere on the surface/ which is 
 to be planked. This iDeveling is the next operation and 
 is done most easily by using a spoke shave cutting down to 
 the proper angle by trial with a batten or long thin 
 straight piece of wood. One of the pieces of spruce J4 
 inch by 1 inch, which you will use later to run under the 
 edges of the planks, will do very nicely for this work. 
 After the molds have been beveled this batten should 
 bend smoothly anywhere over the molds and should 
 touch the full width of the mold edge. 
 
 It will be noticed that where the chine is run in 
 the notches that the bottom of the chine does not ex- 
 actly carry out the line of the mold on the two for- 
 ward frames, but should do so on the other molds. The 
 bottom of the chine should be planed to carry out the 
 form given by the molds, and, of course, the outside 
 of the chine should be flush with the sides of the molds. 
 
 The material for the battens, which are run fore and 
 aft to cover the seams of the planking should next be 
 prepared. For this you will need 16 pieces, each 20 feet 
 long, of clear, straight-grained spruce 1 inch wide and 
 Yi, inch thick. As may be seen on the midship section, 
 the bottom planking consists of five planks on each side 
 of the keel and the side planking of five planks above 
 the chine. On the bottom, therefore, four of these bat- 
 tens are required on each side of the keel and these 
 should be spaced so that they divide the bottom at 
 frame No. 4 into 5 equal parts. I believe you will find 
 it a simpler job to run these bottom battens about parallel 
 to the center line of the keel, as shown in the sketch. The 
 batterns should be held in the desired position by wire 
 nails through them into the molds, and after marks have 
 been made where the edges of the battens cross the 
 molds they should be taken off and notches cut to 
 receive the battens. Care should be taken to"' have the 
 inside edges of the battens bear snugly against the bot- 
 
 42 
 
SKETCH SHOWING HOW BATTENS TO TAKE EDGES OF FLANH ABE ETTN ALONG BOTTOM OF BOAT 
 
 torn of the notches, and to have the battens fair and 
 smooth for the whole length. 
 
 Where the bottom battens meet the chine they should 
 be fastened to it by a couple of screws or rivets, as 
 shown in the detail sketch. At the stern these battens 
 are let into the frame which is fastened to the fore 
 side of the transom and fastened to it by a screw through 
 the end of the batten. 
 
 The battens for the sides should be run in and notched 
 into the molds in exactly the same fashion ; they should 
 be spaced to divide the side into five planks of about 
 equal width, and should be fair and smooth throughout 
 their length and should be flush with the molds, con- 
 nect the pairs on the opposite sides of the boat where 
 they come together at the stern by a breast hook and let 
 them into the frame on the transom just as you did the 
 bottom battens. 
 
 These battens, both along the bottom and the sides, 
 should be fastened to the molds by 2-inch brass screws 
 with the heads well countersunk into the battens. 
 
 When this is finished you will have a good idea of the 
 form of the boat and will doubtless find it different from 
 anything you have seen before. She is flat forward and 
 flat aft with a fairly sharp section right amidships. The 
 flat sections at the ends are so designed to give her a 
 big lifting power. When running at full speed she really 
 breaks the water with the sharp V-ed section of her 
 forward plane, and this sharp section will make her 
 easier and faster in rough water than she would be with 
 a flat plane. 
 
 After trimming up the rabbet in the keel and stern, 
 which may be done by laying a J|-inch thick strip along 
 the battens and fitting it into the rabbet on the keel 
 and stern, the boat is ready for planking. The material 
 of the planking as called for on the midship section, is 
 ^ inch mahogany, but clear white cedar or white pine 
 could be used equally well. Mahogany is more ex- 
 pensive but it is also much stronger and will take a bet- 
 ter finish than the other woods. It is also somewhat 
 heavier but the difference in weight is much more ap- 
 parent when the wood is dry than it is after the boat has 
 been in the water for some time. 
 
 Start planking the bottom first and fit the garboards 
 into the rabbet in the keel and have the other edge come 
 on the center of the first batten. In order to do this 
 you will have to take a spiling, using a thin board clamped 
 or lightly nailed in place and marking off the points 
 on it after the fashion which has been explained again 
 and again in Motor Boat. Owing to the curvature of the 
 hollow V-ed sections you will doubtless find it necessary 
 to make the garboard and the next plank somewhat 
 thicker and then work this hollow into the planks with a 
 plane. The planks should be fastened to the keels and 
 to the battens with copper nails riveted over burrs and 
 fastened to the mold and stern by screws. Set the heads of 
 the rivets and screws flush with the outside of the plank 
 as the plank is too light to allow any countersinking and 
 plugging without weakening the fastening unduly. 
 
 The fore end of the garboard should be carried on out 
 a little beyond the outside of the chine, and at the after 
 end the garboard should butt against the flat of the tran- 
 som. The same is true of all' the other bottom planks. 
 After the garboard has been fitted, and fastened in place, 
 the next plank should be cut to the proper shape, and so 
 on, each plank being cut from a spiling taken similarly to 
 
 DETAILS OF KEEL, STEM, CHINE AND KNEES, 
 SHOWING THEIH CONNECTION AT BOW 
 
 43 
 
Section iV-s 8 
 
 ^edionN^dl 
 
 Section N^? 
 
 Section N^ I 
 
 -1* 
 Section N^6 
 
 Section N^S 
 
 Secfion N^O 
 
 KEEL SEOTIOirS 
 
 ?ulfdfeT;e^??h?IiS°af thf /"" ' T' ""'^ ^^^ ^^^ 
 up against the flat ai2 \ ^°'^ ^"''' ^"'^ ^'^o^ld butt 
 
 D ank h J 1. "^"^ ° P^'"^ 'h'^kly that part of the 
 
 S'^or a Je^v thi„?.Tr' '^' edge batten with wh^e 
 
 SraiTtt^ hf f^^^^ be^iUrbout tt^ 
 
 the'^^t^K/'the'jiatLT^ "^'' " '^'°" ^^^'^'' "'^^ 
 
 oui^fje'edee ofiCrSf J'''rf°'^-P'l'^'y P^^""^^-^' ^""1 the 
 ou s de line n/ttt Pv"*" ""^'l'' '? '^"^^ and fair with the 
 tVnHJrJ : ^^ ''^'"^' 3^ the side planks are to be ex- 
 
 irlmsmJl^t^l '" P"l°"' ?«ingthe planks to shape 
 
 stated IhnviTi, 7?"- ^^'"^^-"^ 1^°"°™ plank, as 
 s^?af ?h:- boTiXri^ei^l tc%td ^L^ie^^^ f/ 
 "IfrihThl.T'^ ^^ the'cEi^e^dgeTatteS a^n'd da^p! 
 =n^! 'h^h"' has been planked, smooth up the endre 
 surface, first going over all rivet heads with a file to 7et 
 them flush wuh the wood, using emery cloth to brS 
 
 facT'^Thls 'smooth'"' "°°^ '"/"^^^' ^° a°smooth'sur' 
 as much of T"^. "P 'S°^ ^^^ """°^t importance, 
 surface fraction T/''^"'^" °K? hydroplane is*^ due to 
 sunace friction. After smoothing up, mve the hull j. 
 good coat of wood filler, allow if to dvTard and then 
 sandpaper again Then give the bottom a thorough S 
 of varmsh or bottom paint, whichever you desfre I 
 would be wise to use at least two, or better three coas 
 of varnish or of bottom paint, but since this prelfminarv 
 coat IS given merely to allow us to put on the brass ' 
 plane and since the parts of the hull that are not cov 
 ered by the plane can be finished and painted "a ter It 
 woud be a ted:ous and perhaps unnecessary delay to wa 
 for the drying of these successive coats 
 
 You are now ready to put on the brass plane. This is 
 made of hard sheet brass, about one-sixteen h of an 
 inch thick The total length of the plane is 4 feet 5 
 
 Ztl- ^^^ P""*''^" °\ '^^ P'^"^ 's ^hown on the in 
 board profile, extending from the fore side of frame No ' 
 6 to the after side of frame No. 4. The appearance of the 
 step formed by the plane is shown in'^a sketch As 
 may be seen, oak wedges, 2 inches deep at the step are 
 spaced about 5/. inches apart. The bottoms of^these 
 wedges are straight Imes, and taper out to nothing at 
 the fore side of frame No. 6. The wede-e at the k^^i T= 
 made the full width of the bottom of the'^Lel, for itti 
 not be possible to get one sheet of brass of the width re- 
 quired. The two pieces of which the plane must be com- 
 posed come together down the middle line of this middle 
 wedge and must be very thoroughly secured to this wedge 
 with brass screws, spaced not over an inch apart The 
 wedges are fastened to the floors of frames Nos 4 and 5 
 by long brass screws, put in from the outside, and be- 
 tween the frame screws are put down from the inside of 
 the plank into the wedges. After the wedges are all on 
 fair up the surface defined by the wedges by bending a 
 thin strip of wood over them, and noting whether it 
 lies smoothly over all the strips. Plane up the bottoms 
 of the wedges until you can do this. The brass plates are 
 next secured in pace. At the fore edge they are screwed 
 through the plank into the floor on frame No. 6 using 
 lyi-mch brass screws spaced as shown in the sketch 
 
 44 
 
Ult^'fleff- 
 
 
 MIDSHIP SECTION 
 
 Do not let the fore edge of the plane into the plank, 
 as this would cause weakness at this point. Simply file 
 it down at a bevel; it will make very little resistance, 
 as at extreme high speeds the boat will practically run 
 on the plane itself and not on the forward part of the 
 planking. The planes must be fastened to each of the 
 wedges by brass screws, spaced about three inches apart 
 along the line of the wedge. All screwheads should, of 
 course be flush. Particular care must be taken to have 
 the fastening at the forward edge of the plane very 
 carefully done, for if it were possible for the wat-er to 
 force its way under this plane, it would soon rip it off. 
 The after part of the plane at the step is left entirely 
 open. When at rest, water may flow into the -space be- 
 tween the outside of the planking and the upper side of 
 the plane, but as soon as the boat is under way, it will 
 drain out. If you wish to make a very fancy job, set 
 the screw heads a little bit below the level of the brass, 
 and then put a drop of solder over the heads. Next file 
 this solder down flush, but there is no great need of doing 
 this, if the slots in the screw heads are all placed in a 
 fore and aft line, and the solder would be a great hin- 
 drance should you wish to remove the plane to get at 
 the hull underneath. The plane should be finished by 
 being polished by emery, either a fine emery cloth ■ or 
 emery flour. 
 
 You are now ready to tuin the hull over and put on 
 the deck. The beams are shown on the molds, which 
 give the curvature as part of a circle having a certain 
 radius. These circular arcs can be easily drawn in by 
 taking a long strip of wood, driving a wire nail into one 
 end of it, measuring off the required radius from this 
 nail, and drilling a small hole through which you may 
 put the point of a pencil, then use this just as you would 
 a compass to draw the arc. The top of the clamp and 
 the top of the upper side plank should be cut to carry 
 out the curve shown by the beams. The general scheme 
 of deck construction is exactly that of the planking, but 
 the material is somewhat lighter, and is of the size shown 
 on the midship section. 
 
 The length of cockpit shown will do very nicely for a 
 40 or 50-h.p. motor, but, of course, if you intend to install 
 a large motor, you will have to carry the cockpit one 
 frame farther forward. This is something that you can 
 readily determine for yourself, and depends on the motor 
 chosen. Put in the spruce stringer to which the cockpit 
 coaming is to be fastened, making it 1 inch by Wi inches, 
 and running it in the notches inside of the upright parts 
 of the frames. Run this stringer only between the beams 
 at fore and after ends of the cockpit. Screw this stringer 
 to each mold, and between each mold and the consecutive 
 one put in two short blocks, filling the space between the 
 clamp and this stringer. Then using a long one-eighth- 
 inch rivet, make a thorough fastening at these points be- 
 tween the stringer and the clamp. At the fore end of the 
 cockpit, pine cornerpieces about 2 inches thick 
 should be cut out, to take the curve of the 
 (kM-Kf^ cockpit. If you are experienced, you could of 
 • ^' ' 'f course change the fore end of the cockpit to the 
 more fashionable flared V type of coaming. 
 Fair up the upper edge of the cockpit stringer to 
 the lines indicated by the beam in the clamp, and then 
 arrange edge battens of spruce 1 inch wide and half an 
 inch thick, to eo under the edges of the deck plank, as 
 shown on am-.dship section. This deck is shown in fairl> 
 wide pieces, only one-fourth of an inch thick, and shoulc 
 be easily applied if the battens are spaced about as showr 
 on the amidship sections, and are run fore and aft, practi 
 cally parallel to the center line of. the boat. Notches foi 
 
 n 
 
 
 n 
 
 HALF SECTION, FOBWARD 
 FACE OF TEANSOM 
 
 SECTION AT AFT END OF STEP LOOKING FOEWAHD 
 
 45 
 
T^ 
 
 z. 
 
 * 
 
 %t$r':^ 
 
 y^ " ^/r^SS 
 
 FASIENINe AT FOBE EDGE OF 
 PLANE 
 
 SKETCH SHOWING 
 HOW NOTCHES 
 IN MOLDS ARE 
 TRIMMED TO - 
 TAKE C«INE AND 
 CLAMP 
 
 SKETCH SHOWING CONNECTION OF 
 
 SEAM BATTEN TO CHINE OR 
 
 CLAMP 
 
 the battens should be cut after the method uSed for the 
 edge battens of the plank. The deck plank should be 
 fastened with screws and rivets similar to the method used 
 on the planking. Carry the planking to the outside of the 
 side plank. Then trim it off smoothly and fairly with the 
 side, covering the joipt with a 1-inch haff round of 
 mahogany. A deck built after this fashion is light, 
 strong and tight, but is not- as handsome as the canvas 
 deck, or the deck laid in narrew pieces'. 
 
 The coaming is of oak or mahogany, J^ of an inch 
 th'ck. If prine or cedar is used for p'lank -and deck, oak 
 might be used for the coaming, but it w6uld, of course, 
 be impossible to use oak on a mahogany planked boat. 
 The coaming should be 434 inches above the deck at the 
 fore end, 3J^ inches at the aft 'end. The detail of- fitting 
 the coaming is extremely simple, and space prohibits 
 going into it in this article. 
 
 Slatted floors, about y% of an inch thick, are shown on 
 the plan. It is advisable to make these floors so that 
 they may be removed in sections, as in this way you will 
 be able to get at the bottom of the boat without ripping 
 up the floor. The steering wheel of the simple drum 
 type is shown placed on a thwart, an arrangement which 
 gave unusually good satisfaction in Water Bug and is 
 reproduced here. If the motor is exceptionally long, it 
 niay perhaps be necessary to dispense with this thwart 
 and use a vertical post with a horizontal steering wheel 
 
 In getting in the shaft line, fhe approximate position 
 of the shaft hole is readily seen from the drawing. Bore 
 a comparatively small hole at about the position shown, 
 putting on a small btock on the keel to start the hole 
 through the shaft at the bevel. Then from a point at the 
 proper distance below the transom, as indicated on the 
 drawing, pass a wire through this hole to the point 
 shown on the mold as indicated, stretching the wire very 
 tight. Then cut out around this hole, until it is large 
 enough to clear the propeller shaft that you intend to 
 use. The shaft line shown on the plans will take an 
 18-inch or 19-inch propeller. If you intend to use only 
 a 16-inch propeller, it is advisable to decrease the shaft 
 line from the bottom of the boat at the transom by about 
 an inch. Use your common sense in making these allow- 
 ances, as it is impossible to design a hydroplane to carry 
 any old size of motor, and have everything work out 
 to certain fixed dimensions. The motor bed is formed 
 by fore and aft spruce stringers, set on the floor inside 
 of two 3-inch by li^-Jnch spruce stringers; the lighter 
 stringers run the full length of the boat, and are fastened 
 
 . ^ce^e/Zcj-Ji^iA 
 
 32. 
 
 :T/rot//a/er 
 
 ya/ber /?. 
 
 'ar/ber rvr? 
 
 b^^-^^^ l it 
 
 o,^ -^'/^/Z'. 
 
 /=i.^^//e/ ATev^ 
 
 ] 
 
 METHOD OF SECURING PROPELLER TO SHAFT 
 
 to the floors by long rivets running clear through the 
 stringers and through the floors. The heavier bed 
 stringers are notched over the floors and are also riveted 
 to them, but extend only the length required by tTie motor 
 and reverse gear. 
 
 The transmission gear to drive the propeller shaft is a 
 thing concerning which it is almost impossible*- to give 
 definite detailed dimensions, unless the motor is kno\yn, 
 its power known, in order to estimate the stresses which 
 the gear must withstand. The gear should be made by 
 an experienced machinist of the very highest class, one ' 
 accustomed to high grade automobile construction will 
 know about what is required, as this transmission is 
 similar in general principle and in thg degree of skill 
 required in its manufacture to that used on cars. The 
 case should be of aluminum, about one-fourth of an 
 inch thick, for a 50-hp. motor and about 5/16 of an inch 
 thick for a 100-hp. motor. Lugs should be cast at the 
 sides to carry the gear on a foundation built to receive it. 
 This foundation, although it need not be extremely long, 
 should be very substantial, is all the thrust of the pro- 
 peller comes upon it, and besides that it is under con- 
 siderable twist, due to the propeller and motor torque. 
 The casing should have both, the front and back all in 
 one casting, as a much more accurate machine job can 
 be obtained, than when one of the faces is made as a 
 cover plate and bolted up against the rest of the casting. 
 If made as Suggested, a cover plate at the top serves to 
 introduce the gears, through which the shafts are slipped 
 afterward. The drawing- shows clearly the type of trans- 
 mission gear, advised. It is, of course, of the ball-bearing 
 type, using annular ball-bearings of liberal size. The 
 propeller shaft is fitted with a ball-thrust bearing for 
 both reverse and ahead motion. In the, gear shown, tjie 
 upper gear on the motor shaft has 37 t-eeth of six pitch ; 
 the lower gear has 36 teeth of 6 pitch. This geat is suit- 
 able for about a 60-hp. motor. The gears have IJ^-inch 
 face, and the sbaCts are about 13/16 inches in diameter. 
 The gears are held on the shafts by parallel feather 
 keys. The casing is of aluminum, Yn, of an inch thick. 
 It should be nOted that a filling plug for oil is placed at 
 the top of the casing, a drain plug at the bottom, and an 
 oil level plug at the side. For the larger powers it would 
 be advisable to use gears of 5 pitch instead of 6 pitch, and 
 always make the number of teeth on the two gears so 
 that they are numbers that are prime to each other. If 
 you do this, then every tooth on one gear will eventually 
 come into every space, in turn, on the other gear, so 
 that wear will be evenly distributed. The gears wear 
 in and run more quietly after having been in use for a 
 time, than they do when new. If the gears have a num- 
 ber of teeth, such that they are divisible by the same 
 factor, for instance, 48 teeth on one and 32 teeth on 
 the other, both being divisible by 16, this distribution of 
 wear' is not accomplished ; the gears wear unevenly, and 
 become noisy. The gear material, the- shafts and in fact 
 every part of this transmission must be of the very highest 
 quality. Special alloy steel should be used for the gear 
 blanks, and after being accurately cut, they should be 
 hardened. In designing the case . for the gears, be sure 
 to leave ample clearance all around the gears, in order 
 
 46 
 
to prevent your transmission from actiiig as a gear 
 pump. 
 
 A universal joint is shown between the motor and the 
 gear. This should be of ample size and is quite safe 
 in this position, as it takes no thrust and is .run at a 
 comparatively small angle. Of course it could be elimi- 
 nated, provided bevel gears at the proper angle were 
 used in the transmission instead of spur gears, but bevel 
 gears are mucTi more expensive, are much more difficult 
 to fit properly, and are apt to run noisily. Then, in ad- 
 dition, the universal joint provides for a certain amount 
 of flexibility between the motor and transmission, which 
 is very useful in hydroplane construction. 
 
 The strut and rudder present no unusual features, ex- 
 cept that the rudder is hung at the bottom of the strut 
 and at the top of the transom. The sizes are indicated 
 it the joints. The strut is bolted through the back of 
 the transom, one bolt at the back of the large palm going 
 through the knee between the transom ■and keel. The 
 bottom of the palm is wide, and has two bolts, the centers 
 of which are about six inches apart, and go through the 
 transom into an oak chock about 10 iiiches long and 2 
 in.ches deep by 2^4 inches in a fore and aft direction. 
 These bolts should be about ^ of an. inch in diameter, 
 and should be of bronze. The nuts should be at the out- 
 side, so that the strut may be removed, without crawling 
 
 in under the deck. Sketches sho;y how the propeller 
 wheel may be applied to the shaft, either using a straight 
 bore through the propeller, with a small shoulder at the 
 fore end of the hub, and securing the wheel by a key 
 and taper pin, or by using a tapered bore and nuts at the 
 fore and aft ends of the propeller hub. The straight 
 shaft and taper pin is much simpler, but it is much 
 more difficult to remove a propeller than when the tapered 
 bore and nuts are used. The water intake should be 
 carried near the garboard", a little forward of the step, 
 going down through the brass plane. An alternative 
 arrangement would be to have the water intake project 
 just a little below the plane coming down throtigh the 
 hull, just aft of the step. 
 
 For those who desire to work out their own construc- 
 tion, using perhaps a lighter, simpler scheme, the line 
 drawing and offset table are given. If a big, heavy motor 
 is to be used, the arrangement will work out better if the 
 motor is placed aft and the crew forward of the motor, 
 an arrangement which possesses many advantages; but 
 in working out such an arrangement, it is necessary to 
 know the definite motor weight, and should -any of the 
 readers desire to use this arrangement, I shall be glad 
 to advise them where the center of the motor weight 
 should be placed if they will furnish the necessary data 
 regarding the motor sizes and actual motor weight. 
 
 /y/7/r<r c/rs£- or /ri'^'^/yvv^ 
 
 
 .fthi,. gTa - -r^^- -^- - -^TJP 
 
 J<-r^*« ^4^ifUfA yf-^y^^-^ 
 
 TRANSMISSION OEAB AMB CASINO FOS 6U-HP.H0T0B AT 1500 S.P.H. 
 
 47 
 
How To Build "Sunfish 
 
 99 
 
 By C. G. Davis 
 
 WE have told how to build short, big-bodied motor- 
 boats where all styJe has been eliminated in order 
 to give the biggest, roomiest boats for their size 
 with no regard particularly for any set style, but now 
 in SunAsh we are going to give instructions for building 
 a good-looking day craiser. By day cruiser we mean a 
 boat that has deck room enough to enable one to move 
 about, a big cockpit, a cabin top at a convenient height 
 to sit upon and enjoy the breeze, and yet with cabin space 
 enough for two or even three to sleep if they want to go 
 cruising. But she is not like a raised deck cruiser — a 
 house inside 
 
 With such a boat as Sunfish one can run up to a float 
 ahd she is not so high-sided that you will need a side 
 ladder to get ashore; you can easily jump or step from 
 Sunfish onto an ordinary float. Such a boat does not 
 chase all over the creek at her moorings, but will ride 
 head-on at anchor, and though some may call her a bit 
 old-fashioned, if she suits the purpose better than a raised 
 decked boat why not have her so. Both bow and stern 
 lines can be handled easily en such a boat. 
 
 Her model is just a clean, easy lined hull — nothmg ex- 
 traordinary, no startling features to attract attention, but 
 a good sensible hull, plain and useful, yet of rather grace- 
 ful proportions. On a length of 32 feet overall she is 
 29 feet 10 inches long on the waterline, 8 feet beam, 
 dnd draws 2 feet i inch of water. She has about 2 feet 
 freeboard at the lowest point, about the middle of her 
 cockpit; 2 feet 7 inches at the center of her stern, and 
 with the spray boards on her forward deck is 4 feet 3 
 inches above the water at the stem. She will float a total 
 weight of 5,400 pounds at the waterline as drawn, her 
 center of buoyancy there being just 6 inches aft of mold 
 No. 5, or i6 feet 6 inches from the edge of the stem. She 
 will swing a 20-inch propeller, and with a 10 to 15-hp. 
 motor she will make a good 8 or 9 miles an hour. She 
 will prove an easy boat to steer on a straight course, and 
 yet will be prompt to answer her helm in turning. 
 
 Nobody builds a boat nowadays as they used to. Lum- 
 ber can now be ordered at the lumber yard or saw mill 
 in the sizes desired, and you don't have to hew and chop 
 them out by hand, so the tools needed are mostly just a 
 carpenter's outfft. I dofi't mean by that just a hammer 
 and a saw, but such a kit as every carpenter is supposed 
 to have. Such tools as the oldtime broad "axe and whip 
 saw are not required. 
 
 You can order a stick for the keel and get it already 
 dressed — as they term planed lumber — to the size desired, 
 but let me warn you right now, if you do order it dressed 
 be sure to mark it down in big letters that you want the 
 keel to be 3 inches by 4 inches after it is dressed. Other- 
 wise you will get a stick that was 3 by 4 in the rough, and 
 it will be 2% by 3^ when you get it. The stick for this 
 
 boat's keel must be 28 feet long and good for every inch, 
 not a 28-foot pjece with a foot of the end bad. 
 
 For the stem you want either an oak or a hackmatack 
 knee, square or a trifle out square in its crook, 3 inches 
 thick, without any skewgee or twist to it, with one arm 
 5 feet long, the other 3 feet, and thick enough in the 
 throat to allow your stem being cut from it. It is safer 
 to wait until you have drawn out the shape of your stem 
 and made a J^-inch wooden pattern of it. By trying this 
 pattern on the knee as you are selecting it, you can see 
 if it is large enough or not. 
 
 There is one thmg particularly needed m building any 
 boat and that is a clear head. Stop and think out your 
 work and don't believe the time spent in planning and 
 laying out the work carefully is lost. It's all simple 
 enough if you don't try to go too fast and get all con- 
 fused. In laying out the stem, as an example, the outline 
 of it is simple enough, but to tell how to bevel it ofif looks 
 puzzling to the novice at first. Look at the plan showing 
 the waterline's shape. As each waterline ends forward 
 at the stem it comes in at a different angle. If you have 
 laid the boat's lines down full size on the floor vou can, 
 with a bevel square, set that instrument or tool to that 
 bevel and cut the stem until it fits. Each waterline from 
 the deck down gets sharper and sharper. By spacing off 
 these waterlines on your wood you can cut at each until 
 you have it beveled to just what the lines call for. Don't 
 bring the edge of the stem to a feather edge, but have it 
 about ^ of an inch wide to take a metal stem band. 
 
 The rabbet for the ends of the planking can be cut the 
 same way by the use of the bevel or by taking a little 
 piece of yi-'mch pine board about a foot long and 3 inches 
 wide and cutting a notch so half of one edge is ^ inch 
 wider than the other half. This J^-inch projection rep- 
 resents the thickness of the planking. Chisel out the rab- 
 bet until this template fits on the face of the stern and 
 the notched part fits snug in the rabbet. Another way is 
 to wait until the molds are all set up and then bend a 
 batten around them and cut the rabbet so the end of -this 
 batten fits true in the rabbet. The only objection to this 
 is that it is more difficult to work in that position, standing 
 upright, than it is wh«-e you can lay the stem flat on a 
 floor or over a pair on wooden horses and sit on it and 
 chisel cut the rabbet. 
 
 The after deadwood can be made either in one piece or 
 built up of smaller ones. _ If cut from one piece, which is 
 more desirable, it takes a piece of 4-inch wood 18 inches 
 wide and 6 feet 8 inches long. If built up of several pieces 
 the upper part can be made from a 4 foot piece of 4-inch 
 by 6-inch oak, and the shaft log from a 2-foot piece of 
 4-inch by 6-inch oak, and the deadwood below it from a 
 4-foot piece of 4-inch by 6-inch oak. The three must be 
 jointed to a perfect seam where they meet and bolted to- 
 
 49 
 
I 
 
 Q 
 •O 
 
 K 
 
 O 
 
 H 
 O 
 O 
 tx. 
 
 Oi 
 lO 
 
 lU 
 
 Z 
 
 S 
 
 -r 
 
 T 
 
 1 
 
 50 
 
gether with rods of j4-inch diameter galvanized iron or 
 
 copper. You can buy this rod iron in 12 to 14-foot lengths 
 and also the clinch rings that go over the ends where you 
 rivet them up, hut be sure to get wrought-iron clinch 
 rings and not the brittle cast-iron ones. 
 
 In some localities it may be difficult to obtain a knee 
 large enough to cut th6 stem from it. If so, it can be 
 built up in two pieces justas the after deadwood, using a 
 straight piece of oak 5 feet long, a foot wide and 3 inches 
 thick for the stem proper and back of it a small knee 
 about 2 feet long oil its arms, as showii in the acCbnipany- 
 ing sketches. 
 
 ' It is to be supposed that a man who undertakes to build 
 Sunfish has had some experience in the use of wood-work- 
 ing tools, and that he will know enough to be able to 
 bore a bolt hole without choking his auger and in joint- 
 ing up the deadwoods will square up the edges always 
 from the face side so that when the various pieces come to 
 be bolted together they will set true and level one on top 
 of the other and not be canted or staggered out of the 
 vertical. Such A, B, C principles a man is presumed to 
 know when he tackles the building of this boat. The 
 short sternpost is fitted dovetail to the after end of the 
 shaft log so that the lag screws that are to hold the stern 
 bearing will have crossgrained wood to hold to instead 
 of end grain. 
 
 The bore of the shaft hole is so short that there should 
 be no difficulty experienced in getting it through a solid 
 log and so do away with the seam along the line of the 
 shaft that would be there if the log were made up of two 
 
 pieces with the shaft hole gouged half out of each. That 
 is the way they are often built where there is a long 
 deadwood to go through- and in attempting to bore which 
 the auger will often run off to one side or the other. Here 
 the hole is only 22 inches long in the wood, a very .easy 
 job to bore. 
 
 As you work out each piece, scratch center marks and 
 be sure that you set these marks all, true when, after 
 painting the two faces that come together, you rivet the 
 stem and deadwood to the keel. Countersink , the bolt- 
 heads on the underside of the keel far enough to get a 
 wooden plug dipped in white lead over them and so leave 
 a flush, smooth job on the outside. 
 
 With the keel, stem and deadwood all together we have 
 the backbone of the boat ready to set up and as the fair- 
 ness of the boat depends on her being held rigidly to the 
 desired shape while in the course of construction, be care- 
 ful to get the shores, or short posts of wood that are 
 to hold her keel, true to the measurements given above 
 the floor — and don't trust to the floor's being true ;. stretch 
 a chalk line very tight and measure up again to see that 
 all is right before you set the keel up on them. 
 
 Set all the shores to a chalk line snapped down -on the 
 board floor if you are building her in a shed; if out in 
 the weather, first where each shore is to come shovel 
 away the loose top soil and sink a "deadman" just as a 
 railroad tie is begged in the ground, tamp it down solid 
 and then set your shores up on these. It is a great handi- 
 cap to have to build out of doors. In a shed or shop you 
 can run the braces to hold the head of the' stem plumb 
 
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 up out of the way to the rafters overhead, which you can't 
 do on the ground. It prevents a lot of stumbling and 
 dodging around the shores. Give the keel >a coat of l«ad 
 colored paint to preserve it where it is securely braced up 
 plumb and true. 
 
 Then get out your molds and as these are only temporary 
 a cheap grade of pine about an inch, or better yet, an 
 inch and a quarter thick can be used. To shape all 
 these by hand with a drawknife and saw is a tedious 
 operation ; if tliere is any place where you can get access 
 to a band sa\y for an hour or so you could easily saw 
 out the various pieces and put them together at home. 
 Where you have to join two pieces together butt one against 
 the other and then nail or screw with iron screws a cleat 
 across the two to hojd them. Keep all cleats and braces 
 on the same side. Let the top end of each mold extend 
 up four to six inches above the true sheer line so that you 
 can run a batten up above this line and can leave it 
 there until after you have the topstrake on to keep her 
 deck edge fair and true. It is not necessary to bevel the 
 molds ; you do that- by setting each of the molds forward 
 of the center, 4, 3, 2 and i, so the smooth side of the 
 mold faces aft and is just flush with the mold marks on 
 the keel,- and the after ones 6, 7 and 8,. the reverse way; 
 by this the smooth edge represents the true shape re- 
 quired and when you put the battens on chisel away and 
 bevel the mold's edge until it fits flat against the mold. 
 
 Be very careful to set each mold exactly to its mark and 
 to set it and brace it perfectly plumb. If the under side 
 of the cross-spall — the wooden brace across the top of 
 the mold — be planed up true before it is fastened to the 
 mold it will be found of great assistance in setting the 
 mold level. You can hold a spirit level up under this 
 edge and tap the mold to one side or another until the 
 bubble sights true in the center of the level, and the 
 plumb bob, hanging from the center marks on the cross- 
 spall, is plumb over the center scratch line along the 
 top of the keel. 
 
 Keep all the braces you can up overhead so that they 
 will not interfere with your working around the boat, and 
 cross them X shaped, as they go up to the rafters; by 
 this arrangement you can get a more rigid brace than if 
 they simply go straight up from the head of the mold. 
 The whole business could swing like a parallel ruler that 
 way, but the X brace is firm. 
 
 Before you can run the ribbands around you need the 
 transom, the shape of the face of which is given along 
 with the mold shapes. Do not cut it out to this shape 
 however, as, due to the bevels, it' needs to be an inch -and 
 a quarter wider on the bottom edge but no larger across 
 the top where it bevels under from the line, and around 
 the edge it may even take more. With sufficient wood 
 left outside the line you can, after bending the curvature 
 in the face of the transom, clamp-screw it to the small 
 knee and by bending battens around the molds cut and 
 fit it accurately.-' All these bevels could, be laid out on 
 the floor in the full-sized drawing, but it goes into aMot 
 of projection and drawing, too difficult to attempt to ex- 
 plain here. Motorboat Handbooks, volumes i and 2, will 
 Tielpi the amateur over a number of difficulties, as there 
 pre spftial articles in these books on laying down a set 
 of lines, how to project a transom, an explanation of the 
 meaning- of a Table of Offsets, an article on how to cut 
 the rabbet Une, etc. 
 
 The transom is shpwn drawn to the outside of the 
 planking. If you are going: to let the plank fit flat against 
 the edge of it you will have to take off the thickness of 
 the plank from the shape shown, but as that does not 
 look very neat on a job of this kind, due to the curve 
 in the face of the transom, it would be better to bevel the 
 front edge of the transom so that the plank ends make a 
 seam right around the corner and are fastened to oak 
 backing pieces screwed fast to the inside of the transom 
 around the edee? 
 
 53 
 
^ktii A'CS 
 
 ^h& Anee if stem 
 /s made, from a 
 9traii)ht stick 
 
 t L ifie 
 
 3'-o- 
 
 Uppey jJ^efch j/iouis c/eaa^oi/ood/ a// cu/' oott of 
 one piece o^ oak Lowsr 5kstc/i jhows 
 hoou // may loe bo<i/t up o/' jei/era I 
 stmat/er pieces £Jo/tea/ fac^ether 
 
 This particular job is one of the hardest in thfe whole 
 construction of Sunfish. Anyone who can figure out this 
 transom and make a neat job need have no fear of any 
 Other part of the worlt. Apply the bevels as you take 
 them, is the keynote. 
 
 The curve to the transom should be bent in it first. 
 Steam the boards well in a steam box and then clamp 
 them over a mold built for that purpose with about an 
 inch more curve than you want; it will always straighten 
 back a little, so put more curve in than you need. 
 
 Another way to build this transom is to bend about a 
 Yn or %-inch transom and level the edges so that the 
 plank ends go right past, flat-footed on its edges, then trim 
 off these projecting plank ends to receive a J/2-inch oak 
 or mahogany facing-piece and bend and fit in this tran- 
 som, fastening it with screws, plugged, to the inner rough 
 transom. Be careful to set the transom up perfectly level 
 when you bolt or rivet it to the knee that holds it to the 
 deadwood. 
 
 When this is shored securely, and it is usually held by 
 two stout timbers spread out like a pair of legs to the 
 floor to hold it up and forward at the same time, you are 
 ready to bend around the ribbands. 
 
 First run the sheer ribband — about a 2-inch square strip 
 of clear spruce — in one length if you can get it ; if not, 
 join two pieces together by nailing a piece outside and 
 lapping over the two ends where they. butt. Don't at- 
 fempt to scarph and rivet the two pieces of a batten to- 
 gether Sometimes another batten is bent outside of the 
 first at the deck edge, as that is a very important part of 
 the boat to keep absolutely fair and true. At intervals 
 of about 6 inches run other ribbands fore and aft from 
 bow to stern. They will, of csurse, be close together at 
 
 the ends and once in a while the ends can be left out by 
 using a shorter batten amidships. 
 
 Where there is a short curve in the frames, put the 
 battens closely together, and where they are flatter spread 
 the battens. Use square-headed coach or lag screws, turn- 
 ing them in with a monkey wrench after first drilling a 
 hole so they will not split the wood and put a flat-iron 
 washer under the head of each one so that you can pull 
 the ribbands up wood to wood without having the bolt- 
 head bury itself in the ribband. 
 
 She will begin to look very much like a boat when you 
 get her this far along, and by standing off a way you 
 can see just what her shape is going to look like. If, in 
 putting on the ribbands, the molds do not seem to be fair, 
 don't go and cut one mold to let the ribband in so it will 
 touch the next, until you have carefully looked along the 
 batten and tried your measurements. It may be all that 
 is needed is to plane down the ribband a little, reduce it 
 in size, or taper one end, and it may then bend in and 
 still show a fair, easy curve. 
 
 No designer would think of trying to bend all the curves 
 that make up a set of lines for a boat with one kind of a 
 batten. They have many differently proportioned battens, 
 some like your ribbands, all one size throughout their 
 length; some larger in the middle than they are at each 
 end; some large at one end and gradually diminishing 
 all the way to the other end. So graduate your battens, 
 if they are too stubborn, and don't blame the designer. 
 
 In the next number we shall start in and frame up the 
 hull and proceed to plank her. 
 
 54 
 
How To Build "Sunfish" 
 
 By C. G. Davis 
 Part II 
 
 WE knocked off work last issue with the molds and 
 ribbands all in place ready for framing up Sunfish. 
 Before you proceed to frame her, see that all the 
 seams that cross the rabbet hue are fitted with what are 
 called "stop-waters." With a half inch bitt bore so that 
 it cuts half*out of each side of the seam and drive in a 
 white pme dowel so that any water attempting to flow up 
 this seam and cause a leak will swell up this pine dowel 
 and prevent the water from going through 
 
 You need steam and a steam box to bend the frames, of 
 which there are forty pairs, each frame being about 7 feet 
 long and 1J/2 by Ij4 mches. though there is an advantage 
 in having them square, say V/z inches, in that as you grab 
 the hot frame from the sleam box you can bend it on either 
 of the four faces, whichever shows the most likely way to 
 stand the strain. I have specified them deeper than they 
 are wide for this reason The grain of the frame should 
 be bent so that the plank fastenings go through the layers 
 of wood and not through between the layers of the grain 
 wedging apart, as it were, the layers of wood. If they are 
 sawed out so that ih^ grain would be across when cut on 
 the narrow face you could never make a mistake in get- 
 ting the grain right whichever one of the two narrow faces 
 you bent against the ribbands 
 
 Many people like to bend the frames "on the flat'' be- 
 cause they are easier to bend that way but for the good of 
 the boat they should be bent on edge, as that is the way 
 they have to resist the strains 
 
 An odd pair of gloves will be found very useful in^ hand- 
 ling the hot frames You need a number of 6 or 8-inch 
 screw clamps and some one to hand you the frames from 
 the steam-box Put the heel or lower end of the frame 
 on the keel, your knee in the middle of the frame, and 
 bend it just as if you were bending a bow to string it — 
 bend it gently but steadily into place, and if you have a 
 helper, which would be advisable, let him start to clamp 
 the frame to the lower ribbands as you bend it down 
 against them and follow on up to the turn of the bilge. 
 If the frames are not steamed enough they will break, and 
 if they are of poor quality they'll break anyway Rock elm 
 makes a line frame as it bends with very little breakage 
 and is strong besides. 
 
 Space off along on the keel and ribbands where the 
 frames are to go and mark with chalk so when you are 
 working fast with a hot framfe you can see just where each 
 should go to have them evenly spaced. Hold the heads of 
 the frames well in to give the round, tumble-home curve at 
 the deck. They are liable to straighten back, anyway, as 
 they cool off 
 
 When they have cooled you can nail them to the rib- 
 bands and remove the screw clamp to use elsewhere. Put 
 the nails in slanting through the edge of the ribband into 
 
 the face of the frame. Don't nail through the side of the 
 frame from the inside of the boat into the ribband, for 
 you will scar the sides of the frames. 
 
 By bending frames in hot this way you twist them with 
 a monkey wrench so they lay flat ready to receive the 
 planking without beveling them. 
 
 The heels of the frames should be cut so that they butt 
 flat together at the center of the keel and have a slice taken 
 off the under corner so that instead of the square corner 
 of the frame touching the top of the keel they will fit flat 
 on top of it out to the edge where the rabbet is beveled 
 off to receive the edge of the garboard. 
 
 Drill a hole down through the frame and drive a 2-inch 
 galvanized boat nail through into the keel at the heel ot 
 each frame. Then take some lyS^-mzh oak boards 4 inches 
 wide. Lay them on edge over the top of the keel and mark 
 out the shape by running a pencil along the outside of the 
 frames, marking this angle on the board. Then saw out 
 this shape, or, clamping the board in a vise, rip it off with 
 a draw knife and true it up with a plane. Fit the floors for- 
 ward of amidships forward of the frames, and those aft 
 aft of the frames. You can then bevel this floor off so 
 that it gives an additional surface to which to nail the 
 planking. 
 
 Rivet each floor to its frame with three round wire cop- 
 per nails riveted over burrs on each side. Keep the 
 upper edges of all these floors in a true line so that the 
 keelson will not require much cutting and fitting when 
 you run it fore and aft over them. 
 
 Away up in the ends where the frames make a sharp 'V, 
 use wider boards to cut the floors out of and shape them 
 down on the top or take an oak knee, slabbed up into 
 i^-inch thickness, and get floors with a natural crook to 
 them. 
 
 The keelson, a 3-inch square yellow pine stick. 24 feet 
 long, is theji bent down on top of these cross floors and 
 held securely in place exactly over the keel until you bore 
 holes with a long 3^-inch auger bitt through keelson, floor 
 and about 3 inches into the keel. Measure the exact lengths 
 with a sliver of wood and cut corresponding lengths of 
 ^-inch galvanized iron rod for drift bolts. Tap a slight 
 head on one end by clamping it in a vise and using a ball 
 pene hammer — a machinist's riveting hammer — to spread 
 the metal. Then put a galvanized riveting ring over the 
 end of it and drive the bolt home. One of these at each 
 floor will hold her backbone solid as a rock, and if the keel- 
 son ends lap onto the deadwoods forward and aft and are 
 bolted fast there the whole forms a very rigid truss. 
 
 The molds have to be removed to get in this keelson and 
 the other long fore-and-aft stringers, but as you knock 
 them out after unscrewing the fastenings into the battens 
 put up temoorary braces to the ceiling to replace those that 
 
 55 
 
56 
 
s> 
 
 §\ 
 
 l\ 
 
 held the molds, and nail cross braces to hold the frame 
 apart to its proper width at each mold space. 
 
 Measure carefully just where the top edge of the 6 x iJ/$- 
 inch yellow pine clamp is to come, which is the thickness 
 of the deck %-inch and the depth of the frame i>4-inch 
 below the deck edge ; 2% inches in all. This clamp is the 
 binder that holds the top ends of all the frames true into 
 line. Although it is 6 inches deep in the middle, it should 
 be tapered to about 4 inches in depth at the ends, and if 
 you have a power planer handy, its thickness might be 
 reduced to i]4 or lyi inch at the ends to help it bend, for 
 it makes a pretty stubborn piece to handle. Steam it well 
 before you try to bend it in place and you can then edge 
 set it up or down, as you will find you have to, due to the 
 tumble-home of the topsides, which point the ends down. 
 It takes two pieces 32 feet long to get out these clamps, or 
 one piece of 4 x 6-inch stuff ripped in two. 
 
 There are two brlge clamps oh each side of 3 x 6-inch 
 yellow pine, and though they may be a foot or so shorter, 
 it would pay to order them all the same length, 32 feet, as 
 the saw-mill would probably have to rip them all out of one 
 big piece of yellow pine to get the length. 
 
 Use ^-inch galvanized carriage bolts to pull the clamp 
 and bilge stringers snug to the frames at every other frame 
 and then, when you bend the shelf in against the clamp, 
 put a through bolt at every other frame clean through the 
 whole lot, frame, clamp and shelf. This will give a stiff, 
 rigid^ deck edge that will resist any bangs she may get 
 alongside a dock. 
 
 Cut the forward ends of these clamps and stringers so 
 that they butt flat up against the stern and transom. 
 
 Frame .the deck before you start in to plank her up and 
 it will be easier to work. The deck beams. are all cut round- 
 ing with a "crown" or curve of 5 inches in 7 feet. Saw 
 the deck beams out. Don't bend them. Bent ones have a 
 way of flattening down again and there are not very many 
 of them. Cut a wide thin board so that it forms a "she"' 
 pattern of this curve, and by trying this pattern at inter- 
 vals along her deck you can make sure of getting all the 
 short beams along the cabin space set true to the,curve. 
 
 The deck beams are ^ x i>4-inch with an esAra heavy 
 ono at the forward end of the cabin and at the after end 
 of ti.c cockpit where the deck ends. These beams should 
 be about ij^ by 2 or 2j4 inches. Nail each of these deck 
 beams fast to the clamp with a long, galvanized iron wire 
 nail and under the inboard ends of them run a piece of 
 spruce 3 inches deep by 2 inches thick fore and aft and 
 nail them fast to it. 
 
 Go carefully over the frames with a batten before you 
 start to plank and see that all the frames are true. Shave 
 off a little here and there wherever a frame presents a hard 
 edge, and when you are sure the frame is all true, start 
 and plank her up. 
 
 It will take about 500 square feet of J^-inch cedar boards 
 to do this. Buy "dressed" — as planed-up lumber is called — 
 and insist on good, clear lumber. You can't expect to get 
 cedar without knots, but shun all sap, which is the bluish 
 cast found near the edges inside the bark. Knots are solid 
 but the sap turns to a soft punk that is apt t^ produce 
 leaks. All small knots that show a black ring around them 
 should be reamed out after the boat is planked and wooden 
 plugs dipped in shellac driven in and sawed off flush. 
 
 There is no royal road to planking up a boat. I have 
 had many people ask me if they can't make one pattern, 
 and get a mill to saw them all out for them, th'at will plank 
 up the whole boat. You cannot do this. Every plank re- 
 quires a different shape, though the one pattern will, of 
 course, do for both sides. 
 
 Take a "spiling," as boat builders call it, for the top 
 strake. For this you want some very thin planks — about 
 six in all — 14 to 16 feet long, say 6 to 8 inches wide, and 
 about ^-inch thick. Tack this spiling board lightly to the 
 frame as nearly as it will.,go without being forced side- 
 
 57 
 
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 68 
 
ways and into tke place where the topstrake is to fit. If it 
 touches the sheer line at about mold number three it will 
 be several inches too low at the ends. This board will give 
 you the curve as far as amidships, aft tack another one the 
 same way, and where the two lap amidships tack thein to- 
 gether. Then, get a pair of carpenter's dividers. Set them 
 to span the greatest space between the sheer line and this 
 spiling board — screw the dividers so as to hold the'ir legs 
 apart — and from the sheer line at about every other frame 
 prick off on this spiling board this distance; then by care- 
 fullv removing these boards and laying them out flat on 
 the plank, you are going to cut the topstrake out, if you 
 can prick this distance back onto it and get the curve to 
 cut the top edge so that when bent around the-frames it 
 will fit true along the sheer line. The lower edge of this 
 plank is then marked out by bending a long thin batten so 
 
 Have the plank squeezed up good and hard to the 
 frames with screw clamps, putting a chip under the foot of 
 it so that it will not bruise the surface of the plank and 
 rivet the plank on. Where the clamps will not permit riv- 
 eting use flat-head brass screws "fj4 or 2 inch, No. 10. 
 Scrape a little coarse brown washing soap onto the threads 
 and the screws will turn in easier. Or if you can't affotd 
 screws use galvanized iron boat nails. 
 
 Use your spiling board again to find the shape of the top 
 edge of the next two boards and in this way put on about 
 three strakes of top planking. 
 
 As the top plank is a sort of binder, many prefer to make 
 that board of quartered oak or of yellow pine. Yellow pine 
 is good and you easily can get that kind of wood in lengths- 
 long enough to make it all in one piece. 
 
 Then spile. in the same manner for the shape., of >the gar- 
 
 >ec 
 
 T/ot, cy/ y^o/^ A/°' <^- 
 
 -Z'*l" Maho<fanY 
 ' Vi'ook Ccamlnf 
 
 /Oak Omrttr /feani/ 
 
 ~l'/\oak 
 Ha// Ifouid 
 
 Pine tlamf^ 
 P/anh'/tf 
 
 '■VtcaiJin^ 
 
 "S'ta. 'yel pine 
 
 ^3n ye.f./><o<. kcdaon 
 ■i%-oak-f=n>ars 
 
 ■^3%^" oak k<cl 
 
 that it makes a fair curve, leaving the plank about 4 inches 
 wide amidships and tapered to about 2^ inches forward 
 and 2 inches aft. 
 
 In putting this top strake on, have two braces. In one 
 have a bitt to bore for the wooden plug, about a ^-inch 
 auger bitt if your s^^-inch copper wire nail heads will go 
 into that sized hole without tearing the wood; if not use 
 a 7/16 inch, or *ven a J^-inch bitt. 'lii. the other brace 
 have a gimlet bitt — a breast drill with a small bitt works 
 faster and easier and is more generally used by boat build- 
 ers — some shops having an electric drill that goes through 
 the wood as if it were cheese, and is a great time-saver. 
 Follow through with this smaller bitt, boring a hole into 
 which the copper nail squeezes tightly 
 
 board where it fits along the keel. Cut your thin spiling 
 boards so that they fit roiighly to the shape at the ends and 
 get out the garboards. They, too, should be of oak or yel- 
 low pine, but insteaid of being wider in the middle than at 
 the ends, they are just the reverse. The idea is to fill up 
 the surface with the top strakes and the garboards so that 
 the remaining space to plank up will be more like a barrel 
 and take boards -more of an even shape and size. If you 
 cannot do this with the garbQard alone, put one or two 
 more strakes above it, the first and second broad strakes 
 as they are called, making them, about 6 incites wide and 
 tapered so that the rest of the space can be divided equally 
 both at middle and ends. 
 
 To keep the intermediate 'planks of uniform size and to 
 
 59 
 
give-fair planking lines, get out the rest of the planks by 
 using a "planking scale." This is nothing but a thin slat 
 of wood, thin enough to bend easily, around the frames so 
 scaled off that you can measure how wide each plank must 
 be at any frame to fill up the space between the top-strakes 
 and broad strake already on. Say it is 48 inches at the 
 
 nearest frame to amidships and we want the plank 4 inches 
 wide. It will therefore take twelve such planks to fill that 
 space. Bend the batten with one end against the edge of 
 the broad strake around the frame and mark where the 
 edge of the last upper strake comes. Mark that "4." 
 
 Then do the same at Mold No. i. There twelve planks 
 would make each one only 3 inches wide. Bend the batten 
 here and mark it "3." Divide the distance between 3 and 
 4 on the batten or plank scale into eight equal parts to rep- 
 resent eighths of an inch. By bending this planking scale 
 at any frame this will show you how wide the plank should 
 be at that frame. 
 
 You cannot expect to have the planks all in one length 
 from end to end but will find that you have to make them 
 of two pieces. Make the joint, or "butt" as it is technically 
 termed, midway between the frames and rivet the ends to 
 an oak butt block about an inch thick and wider than the 
 plank so that its edges hook behind the plank above and 
 ■ below it. The last plank, called the "shutter," must be 
 spiled for on both edges and must be fitted very carefully. 
 
 Plugs can be purchased to fill the holes over the nail- 
 heads- after you have riveted up the copper nails that hold 
 the planks on. Dip each • plug into either glue or thick 
 white lead paint and tap them lightly into the holes, snip- 
 ping them off flush with the plank with a big chisel, only 
 learn to snip them so that the grain of the plug doesn't go 
 in and make a hole. 
 
 With a plane jack down the seams a little and then with 
 a roll of spun wicking, a calking iron and a mallet, calk 
 each seam. Drive the cotton in so that it is at least an 
 eighth of an inch back from the edge and smear it with a 
 hiixture of thin white lead applied with a seam-brush— a 
 sirfgle row oi bristles set in a wooden handle. 
 
 The planksheers can be bent after steaming well around 
 stout cleats nailed to the floor and fitted when cold, or they 
 can be sawed out in sections and scarphed together. 
 
 To make the mold to bend it, simply drop a plumb line 
 down from the deck edge at intervals and nail the cleats to 
 these spots. This way saves a lot of unnecessary measure- 
 ments. Before the planksheer is fastened down toe-nail in 
 a row of blocks between the beams half under the plank- 
 sheer and half projecting to land the ends of the deck on. 
 
 Plug fasten planksheer, using galvanized iron wire nails. 
 The deck is laid in strips of white pine 3 inches wide 
 and J^-inch thick. Do not try to make it absolutely tight, 
 at the joints, but run a thin shaving off the upper half of 
 one edge to leave an open seam on top while the bottom is 
 jammed tightly together. Then calk these seams and 
 "pay" them with white lead paint, the same as the planking 
 was treated. 
 
 Where the tiller rope sheaves are to be, fit an oak block 
 under the deck between the beams and the same forward 
 where the hatch and the mooring post come. 
 
 If you can get your motor, now is the time to build the 
 bed for it and line it up through the shaft hole, fitting on 
 the stern bearing outside and the inside stuffing box. Cut 
 saddles to hold the gasolene tanks securely in the bottom 
 of the boat. Pipe your exhaust out through the stern and 
 then lay the cabin and cockpit floor beams and floors. 
 
 The cabin floor boards can be 6 inches or so in width, but 
 lay the cockpit floor in 4-inch strips just as the deck 'was 
 put down. 
 
 ■ Square up the inner edge of the deck around both cabin 
 and cockpit, and around on the cockpit floor directly under 
 this edge fit a rabbeted white pine sill piece to set the lower 
 ends of the tongue and groove chamfered staving into. 
 Let the upper ends stick up high enough above the deck 
 to form the shape of coaming shown in the plans. 
 
 The cabin sides, ij^ inches thick, are landed flat on the 
 deck after smoothing off and putting them where if is to 
 set. If you cannot get one wide board, build it up in three 
 strips with upright ribs inside to hold them rigid. Drift 
 bolt the cabin through from underneath. 
 
 The cabin beams are J^xiJ^-inch with a crown of 6 
 inches in 6 feet notched into the cabin sides and nailed. 
 Over them is laid a ^-inch wooden deck, and after this is 
 given a coat of paint, a thin piece of canvas is stretched 
 tightly over it and tacked over the edges with copper or 
 galvanized tacks, which are all hidden under an oak half- 
 round molding. 
 
 The after bulkhead is staved up and down in the same 
 stock as the cockpit staving. The outer thickness of the 
 cockpit coaming is then fitted up against the after end of 
 the cabin sides, its after end shaped down in a curve to the 
 deck, and an oak cap rail fitted .over the two. 
 
 After the deck. is all planed, sandpapered and varnished, 
 one coat, fit the low thumb rail, around the' edge of it, plug 
 fastening it with galvanized boat nails to the planksheer, 
 and put on the oak half round moldings at the deck edge. 
 Sandpaper the hull outside, putty all the seams and holes, 
 and give it a prime coat of paint. When this dries scratch 
 in the waterlijie or paint line if you want her to show a' 
 boot-top, and give another coat of white paint above water 
 and copper paint below. 
 
 The stem band 'you can make out of a strip of narrow 
 half-round brass, the skeg, rudder and quadrant can be 
 bought, and a rudder port made by screwing a stout piece 
 of brass pipe, just large enough to take the ij^-inch diam- 
 eter bronze rudder stock into the hole through the over- 
 hang and sawing it off flush with the deck, or about ^-inch 
 above it. 
 
 The flagpole sockets, windows in the house and stern 
 seat are fittings that anyone who has gone thus far will 
 need no instructions for. There is the steering wheel and 
 sheaves, hatch in the cabin top and cabin doors to finish, 
 and the interior we leave for every man to fit up as his 
 fancy dictates. By extending the transoms forward 3 feet 
 under the deck, there is transom accommodations for two 
 people to sleep to port and one on the starboard side wel' 
 clear of the-companionway. 
 
 Editor's Note. — Detailed Instructions for Planking, Calking, Paint- 
 ing, Laying Canvas on the Cabin Top, Building a Motor Bed, etc., will 
 be found in Motobhoat Handbook, Volumes I and II. Readers who 
 wish to build SunAsh will find the Handbook a practical aid in the 
 work. Those who do not own copies of the Handbooks, may obtain 
 them by sending a dollar and a half, which is the price for both vol- 
 umes, postpaid. 
 
 60 
 
HOW ■' MOLLYHAWK " WILL APPEAR AFLOAT 
 
 How to Build "Mollyhawk" 
 
 Part I 
 
 By C. G. Davis 
 
 A MOLLYHAWK is not a bird of beauty, therefore 
 the name is appropriate in this case, but beauty is 
 not always the most desirable element in a boat, and 
 if our Molly hati'k shows the staying qualities, the sea- 
 worthiness and lasting qualities of that homely sea fowl 
 so familiar to deep water sailors as to be part of their 
 everyday life, she'll be as good a boat as any man who 
 loves the life on the water will care to own. 
 
 She is a boat that will go through stormy weather as 
 a motorboat should go, easily and dry, not floundering 
 about in the surface water This desirable quality has 
 been obtained by making her more of a boat, a deeper 
 boat and a heavier constructed boat, than the ordinary 
 28-foot craft. 
 
 She looks, in profile, somewhat like a small edition of 
 a steamship — her stern will stand the slopping of seas 
 without the jar felt ini flat-sterned boats, and her bow is 
 high enough to take care of any comber she may be put 
 to. Her deckhouses look a little peculiar, due to the 
 long, narrow skylight, which, while it looks odd in a 
 side view, does not show up at all badly in the real boat, 
 and its advantages are twofold. It gives full headroom 
 in a boat that would otherwise be all out of proportion, 
 if the cabin itself were carried up that high, and in Sum- 
 mertime makes a nice cool cabin by the ventilation pos- 
 sible with such a cabin construction. In the flat paper 
 plan you see the full height, but in the _ real boat the 
 perspective sets it back, and it appears considerably lower 
 Mollyhawk is 28 feet long, has 8 feet beam, and draws 
 2 feet 6 inches of water, with a good, heavy displacement, 
 9,920 pounds. This heavy displacement is intentional, 
 as a study of the lines will show. She is big below water, 
 and it will require some concrete ballast to bring her 
 down to her designed waterline. as the weight of her 
 hull engine and fittings will hardly equal 9,920 pounds; 
 more likely they will be about 7,000 pounds, leaving about 
 2,900 pounds of ballast. 
 
 If you have been out in a light displacement boat in 
 heavy weather, you know how they throw you about, 
 and, when I say heavy weather, I don't mean a Summer 
 thunder squall on an inland lake, where it's all spray 
 and no sea. but take the fleet of boats that go out down 
 
 New York's lower bay, or the style of boats that navigate 
 out of 'Frisco Harbor, and go out into the ocean fishing, 
 and the conditions such boats have to contend with are 
 what this boat is designed for. Another condition she is 
 adapted for is where a man wants a boat to take long 
 cruises and live for months aboard his boat. He can live 
 on such a boat as this in comfort, and be able to walk 
 when he gets ashore without having to get the kinks out 
 of his legs, or feeling the ground heave and pitch under 
 him. 
 
 Don't ■ start to build Mollyhawk unless you have first 
 tried your hand at some smaller craft. Not but' what you 
 might succeed — that is a matter of individual ability — 
 but what I mean is that Mollyhawk is not a primer, it's 
 one step higher, is a second-grade reader so to speak, 
 a little more difficult and much more of a boat. 
 
 I have laid out all the work, and the plans herewith 
 published show how the work is to be done, but it's 
 up to you to open your tool chest, go see the lumber 
 dealer, and prepare to use your muscles. You who want 
 to keep your waistband girth down can leave off your 
 dumb-bell exercises and your walks ; the contortions you 
 will go through in building a boat are the best kind of 
 exercises to keep a man healthy and strong. 
 
 Build her under cover, if you can, inside a barn or 
 shed. If this is not available, and I never was so lucky 
 myself, do as I did, set up some posts and from these run 
 rafters up against the side of your house, and roof over 
 and board in with novelty siding. 
 
 The first step in the real work of construction con- 
 sists in getting out the molds. These molds are wooden 
 patterns, as it were, that show the boat's shape at the 
 various stations marked in our plans, i, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 
 and 8. No 8 could be dispensed with, but, on account of 
 the boat being rounded up so quickly at the stern, I have 
 shown it. and it will pay you to go to the trouble to make 
 it, you being an amateur. These molds are thrown away 
 when the boat is completed, and for that reason are gen- 
 erally made of some very cheap wood about one inch 
 thick. Their shapes can be laid out from the meas- 
 urements given at six-inch intervals in our plans on 
 Plate 2. When these are all ready, lay them aside 
 
 61 
 
as 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 62 
 
63 
 
and start on the oak keel and the backbone of the 
 boat. The various members which constitute the back- 
 bone are all shown and identified in Plate 3. Nearly all the 
 members here shown are to be of oak. Sometimes the 
 knees, such as the transom knee, stem knee, etc., are 
 made of hackmatack. Either wood will do, but by all 
 means make your keel, shaft log and fore foot of good, 
 sound, clear white oak. The keel is the first and largest 
 stick in the boat. It is, as shown in Plate ^, 22 feet lyi 
 inches long, 4 inches thick and 6 inches deep. Don't make 
 the mistake so often made by amateurs of ordermg a 4x6 
 of your lumber dealer, and then, when he asks if you 
 want it rough or dressed lumber, tell him- you want the 
 
 BODY PLAN of 'MOLLYHAWK' 
 
 flOUI^S are dmwri lo ifts/t^c of plank 
 
 wood dressed, for, if you do, you will probably get about a 
 3^-inch stick for your keel, and, while this at first 
 thought might not seem to make any difference, you will 
 find it, as well as the rabbet line, has ail been figured 
 out for a 4-inch stick of wood, and this would all be 
 changed with the thinner size. There is very litfle cut- 
 ting to be done on the keel in this particular kind of a 
 boat. The general run of boats that are built nowadays 
 use a flat plank for a keel and bend it up aft, so that 
 It comes right up to the transom, but this is no light run- 
 about. We want weight, strength and rigidity in this 
 boat, and for that reason have gone back to the regular 
 old ship style of construction The deadwood and shaft- 
 log shou'd next be cut to the various shapes shown in 
 the plans, and, by being made in two pieces, the shaft- 
 hole can be planed or gouged half cut of each, instead of 
 being bored with an auger, or, if you prefer, the dead- 
 wood can be in one piece and bored, but ninety-nine out 
 of a hundred amateurs would find great difficulty in get- 
 ting an auger large enough to bore a two-inch hole. The 
 stern timber has more shaping to it than any other piece 
 of wood in the boat, and, if the amateur could make a 
 wooden pattern of this and have it sawed out at the saw 
 mill where he ordered his lumber, it would save him con- 
 siderable cutting. If not, he will have to line it up and 
 saw and chop. 
 
 The forward end of the keel i^ built iu,p with a four- 
 inch fore foot, which takes a stick of timber 6 feet 3 
 inches long and 9 inches wide, a stem which is 6 feet 
 6 inches long, 4 inches thick and 9 inches wide. These 
 are all shaped and held together by the four-inch hack- 
 matack knee to which each is riveted. The bolting to- 
 gether of this deadwood is generally a sticker for the 
 atn.ateur, but if he will provide himself with two or three 
 
 half-inch galvanized iron rods — they generally come in 
 standard lengths of about 12 to 14 feet— about four pounds 
 of half-inch rivet rings, and a long ship auger, also half- 
 inch, he will find the problem to be greatly simplified. 
 Carefully set the various pieces of wood one on top of 
 the other, tacking them lightly with wire nails, then bore 
 the various holes where you want bolts; with a hack saw 
 cut the iron rods into the proper lengths for bolts to go 
 through these holes. Then clamp these bolts^ in a vise, 
 and with a riveting hammer head up, as it is called; 
 that is, burr over one end so it makes a head on the end 
 of the iron. Slip one of the rivet rings over this, and 
 drive It through the hole from underneath, where you 
 should previously have bored a hole in about one inch, 
 large enough to take the riveting ring, and, if you can- 
 not get an auger large enough, cut it out with a gouge. 
 This IS to countersink the rings so that they will show 
 flush with the wood or so a wooden plug can be put in 
 to fill the hole. A bit of tallow rubbed on the iron bolt 
 before you start to drive it will save a good many blows 
 of your top maul, as the light sledge hammers are called, 
 when you come to drive these bolts through the auger 
 holes. They should be just long enough to stick up about 
 a half inch above the inside edge of the wood. Then, 
 with somebody holding a heavy sledge hammer or other 
 heavy weight against the bolt on the under side, slip a 
 rivet ring over the bolt and proceed to head up the inner 
 end It is rather difficult to tell an amateur just when 
 he has headed the bolt up tight enough. An experienced 
 man could tell by the sound of the blow on the bolt. The 
 only wav I can explain to you to tell when it is suf- 
 ficiently drawn up is to tell you to keep tapping the bolt 
 and burring it over until the rivet ring begins to sink into 
 the wood. The deadwood bolts need not necessarily go 
 clear through They can simply be driven through the 
 keel and into this deadwood, a distance of about 6 inches, 
 forming what are called blind bolts. If all these bolts 
 were put in exactly parallel to each other, ycTli can read- 
 ily see that it would be an easy matter for the wood to 
 draw away again, but, on the other hand, if the bolts are 
 at different angles, staggered, as boat-builders call it, 
 the wood is firmly locked and cannot get away 
 
 Before you put the various pieces of wood together, 
 paint their surfaces with a good thick coat of white lead 
 paint, any color will do. Shipyards always have a great 
 many screw clamps of various lengths, and it would be 
 well for you to provide yourself with them, as you find 
 you need them for this job, as, for instance, in pulling 
 these deadwoods together you will find screw clamps a 
 very great help Of course, an ingenious mechanic can 
 overcome it by making a dog, that is, cut a notch in a 
 piece of oak a little larger than the span of the wood to 
 be bolted together, and wedging them together by insert- 
 ing a wooden wedge between the upper part of this dog 
 and the top of the deadwood. and driving the wedge in 
 solid, but dogs will have to be put on each side of the 
 deadwood to prevent tipping to one side This will 
 saueeze the wood together about as tight as it could be 
 drawn with a screw clamp, and you are then ready to 
 rivet. 
 
 This backbone is generally laid on its side while being 
 bolted together, and, while it is still in this position, it 
 is a good time 10 cut your rabbet. Either lay it out flat 
 on the floor, being careful not to strain any of the joints, 
 or, better yet. lay it over wooden horses, which always 
 come in handy around a boat shop, and which it will 
 pay you to take the time to make before you start. This 
 raises your work off the ground at a convenient height, 
 and keeps you from almost breaking your back by try- 
 ing to sit on the ground and hammer But if you're 
 going to cut your rabbet af this stage of the game you 
 will have to be very particular about getting just the 
 proper be\ek at which to apply a little sample of your 
 
 64 
 
t'-r/x 
 
 Ylt* .^ ' jjMi,_9 'iu^'cu^paj/i,' .* 
 
 
 
 '. r 
 
 
 
 .' '.rinr 
 
 I 
 
 - ^ 
 
 I 
 
 § 
 
 ' :, ' ■> ' ..1,'^ 
 
 65 
 
flanking when you cut the notch formmg the rabbet, and 
 would hardly advise doing so unless you want to go to 
 the trouble of laying down all the boat's lines just as a 
 regular boat-builder does. If you do this, you know ex- 
 actly the;> bevel at which each waterline intersects the 
 stem forward and the deadwood aft, and this gives you 
 the bevel at which to apply your pieces of planking. But 
 following the manner in which we are building this boat 
 you had better leave this rabbet line until after the molds 
 are in shape, when you will be sure of making no mis- 
 take, as you can bend battens around these molds and 
 then cut your rabbet line so the end of the batten makes 
 a perfect fit. 
 
 It would be well to give the keel a coat of lead colored 
 paint, to prevent the wood drying and checking or crack- 
 ing, as the keel will probably be set up several weeks or 
 months before it is closed in with planking, and all this 
 time the wood is exposed to the action of the suri and 
 wind. Set the keel up so its lower edge is about two 
 feet off -the ground, or eighteen inches at least. If you 
 get it any closer to the ground than this, you will experi- 
 ence great difficulty in putting on the lower planking. 
 The angle at which the keel is to be set up is shown in 
 Plate No. 2. It is slightly higher at the forward end 
 than it is aft. If you are building this boat in a shed, 
 where you can shore the fore and aft ends of this dead- 
 wood to the rafters overhead, ypu will find it will be 
 much easier to work around your boat than if .the shores 
 have to be braced up from the floor or ground upon which 
 you are working. You will always be stumbling over 
 ■ them, and'^when you come to set the molds up at the 
 various distances also shown on Plate No. 3, shore them 
 overhead for the same reason, if it is possible. If you 
 have to shore them to the ground, dig down far enough 
 so that you will be sure the ground you shore them to 
 will not shift, as the least shifting out of line of these 
 molds will throw everything unfair, and cause you a 
 great deal of annoyance after. Brace them in a fore 
 and aft direction as well as sideways, for you have to 
 put considerable strain on these molds when you bend 
 your ribbands, and later when you bend the frames over 
 the ribbands. 
 
 Another point to be remembered in setting up your 
 molds is to put them so the after face of the forward 
 molds and the forward face of the after molds come 
 just at the mold station marked on the keel. The rea- 
 son for this is the bevelling away from the amidships 
 towards each end. The shape you want ft the shape of 
 the face that is even with the mark on your keel. They 
 are the working faces, and. when you run the ribbands, 
 bevel of? the molds 50 the ribbands will fit fl'ush with this 
 edge. The transom will have to be made, as it would be 
 foolish to make a temporary mold of the shape of the 
 transom, and then to have to make a new one, the real 
 
 transom itself, later Get it out to the shape shown out 
 of ij4-inch oak which has previously been steamed and 
 bent so it has four inches round to its face. This tran- 
 som can hardly be gotten out of one piece of oak, as it 
 is over two feet wide. It would be more desirable if you 
 could do so, if you cannot, bend the pieces of oak over 
 the mold which gives them the four-inch bend, and then 
 dowel their edges together with wooden dowels; mark 
 the shape of the face as shown, but, when you cut it out, 
 do not cut within two inches of the lower edge. The 
 reason for this you will soon see when you bolt this 
 transom fast to the little hackmatack knee, which holds 
 it to the stern timber. If yw do cut it away you will 
 then see, owing to the bevel at which the ribbands go 
 around the No. 8 mold, you will have to cut away still 
 more on the transom to make the ribbands fit flat against 
 it. By having previously left this wood standing, you can 
 now do your cutting so the ribbands will finish fair with 
 the desired edge. 
 
 While you are putting up the molds, let the lumber 
 yard be getting out for you sixteen strips of yellow pine, 
 2x2, about 30 to 32 feet long, in one piece if possible. 
 If not, they will have to be spliCed out of shorter ■ stufif. 
 You will find that most of these you can bend around, 
 starting at the rabbet on the stem, following the sheerline 
 for the npper one' around the molds to the transom. 
 There may be a few, however, where the two-inch stringer 
 will be too stubborn to bend around the quick curve at 
 the stern; if so, plane them down, until they can be bent 
 around, but don't make them too easy; they want to be 
 just as stiff as they can possibly be put around, because 
 they have to hold the frames when you come to steam 
 bend them and make them take the proper bend, and, 
 if these battens are not very stiff, the frames, when you 
 come to bend them, will pull the battens out of line, and 
 make an unfair surface to your boat's side. It vyill re- 
 quire aboctt six of these battens on each side of your boat, 
 and, at the turn of the bilge from amidships aft, you may 
 even have to ptit in another ribband, so as to make the 
 frames take a true bend, and not straighten out from 
 ribband to ribband when you come to bend them. Fasten 
 these ribbands at each mold with a good stout lag screw, 
 say 4 inches by %, inch, turned in good and;strong with 
 a monkey wrench. You can form a very good idea of 
 the shape of your boat by this time, as her shape will be 
 very clearly outlined by all these fore and aft ribbands. 
 Most amateurs feel very much elated when they arrive at 
 this point, but all this is superstructure, and is all to be 
 torn away as the real boat progresses, which is the case 
 from this point oh, for you are now ready to begin' and 
 bend in the real timbers of the boat. 
 
 The frames are to be i^ inches square, spaced ten 
 inches apart, so, while you are waiting for the clear, sound 
 white oak to come from the mill, for it will pay you to 
 
 P!ate.3. 
 
 /l^ww ^/tie various pieces that, ulien allare Mted fofether, form the backbone of //>e boats frame 'onet the location for the tvnoas mou/t/e. 
 
 66 
 
order all this from the lumber yard, cut up and dressed 
 to lyi inches in 8 to 12-foot lengths, take a thin batten 
 of pine, about a quarter of an inch thick and inch or inch 
 and a half wide, space off ten-inch intervals along your 
 keel, and from these bend the batten up around the in- 
 side of the ribbands, and mark with pencil this location. 
 When you come to bend in the hot timbers, you can bend 
 them right along these pencil marks. This will insure 
 the frames being evenly spaced, and not all standing 
 zigzag. Of course, you can straighten the timbers up 
 after they are cold, but along in the ends it will save 
 a whole lot of trouble, on account of the excessive bevels 
 there if you don't have to shift them. To soften your 
 timbers so as to make them pliable enough to bend in 
 around the ribbands, you will have to build a steam box. 
 This subject is one which has been fully explained before 
 in' Motor Boat, and along with many other subjects that 
 will enlighten one in building this boat may be obtained 
 by getting copies of Motorboat Handbook, Vols. I and II. 
 It takes generally about half an hour to properly soften the 
 frames. Cut the heel of the timber roughly, so that it 
 fits flat against the keel as you bend it in. Two can work 
 to far better advantage than one at this job. A ij^-inch 
 timber, even when saturated with steam, is a pretty stub- 
 born piece of wood to bend, anc^ a day's work at this will 
 tire any man. Let one man get inside the boat to work, 
 the other handing him the hot timbers from the steam 
 box, then, as he bears down with his feet to crimp the 
 frame down into its place against the battens, pulling the 
 head of the frame inboard at the same time, his friend on 
 fhe- ontside can follow along, starting at. the keel and 
 clamp the frames to each one of the ribbands in suc- 
 
 cession. These clamps should not be removed tor five or 
 ten minutes. At the end of that time, after nailing them 
 off with -about two-inch wire nails, driven diagonally 
 through the ribbands into the frames, these clamps may all 
 be removed and used farther along on the hull. Very 
 little difficulty will be experienced in bending the frames 
 from the bow clear back to about section No. 5. From 
 there back you have to be a little more careful on account 
 of the reverse bend in the heels of the frames, and the 
 bend at the bilge becoming more sudden. There is a 
 way of easing this part of the operation, and that is to 
 split the fran^e down as far as where the quick bend 
 comes. This allows the inner half to slide on the outer 
 half, and yet, when the plank fastenings are put through, 
 they rivet the two securely together again. Personally 
 I would not recommend this kind of constpuction. 
 
 After the frames are all in, sawed oak floors of two- 
 inch oak are fitted alongside the heels of each pair of 
 frames, riveted to them, and securely bolted to the keel 
 with about ij4-inch iron. The shapes of these are very 
 easily determined by laying 'a thin pine board across the 
 top of the keel -and against the frames where the floor 
 is to fit, and marking the shape of the outer side of these 
 frames with lead pencil on this board. With a few cuts 
 of a draw knife you can cut this thin pine pattern and 
 use that as a templet to mark out the shape of the desired 
 floor. If you could only build a boat as easily as you 
 can tell how to do it, we could build about one a day, 
 but when the amateur tackles this job of fitting in two- 
 inch oak floors, unless he has a band saw handy to help 
 him, he will do very well if he fits in from four to six of 
 these floors alone in a day. 
 
 07 
 
How to Build "Mollyhawk" 
 
 Part II 
 
 By C. G. Davis 
 
 WHEN the heels of the frames are all secured by the 
 2-inch oak floors to the keel and deadwood, get 
 out the fore and aft clamps from 2 by 4 inch 
 yellow pine stock. There are eight of these in all, the 
 upper two beihg short ones. Be very particular in putting 
 ■in the main deck clamp, as the deck line wi.l show unfair 
 if this is not done, and no one wants a boat with a wavy, 
 snake-like sheer. No matter how carefully a man may 
 design the boat or how accurately measurements may be 
 taken, it is always up to the man who builds the boat to see 
 that the lines run fair and true, and this can only be done 
 by sighting along the side of the boat standing at one end ; 
 while another man, with a hammer, taps the clamp up or 
 down to take the kinks out of it. It is all a question of ac- 
 curacy of a man's e3'e in being able to spot these uneven- 
 esses. 
 
 The two lower clamps are the same size as the upper 
 ones, if you want to you can reduce them in width and 
 thickness toward each end. This is generally done by the 
 careful professional builder, but nine out of ten amateurs, 
 not having machinery at hand, seldom go to the trouble 
 of planing down these two-by-fours. 
 
 Diagonals Numbers i and 2 in the body plan of Molly- 
 hawk show about the position for these two lower clamps. 
 If run in about this line they will practically lie flat pn the 
 face of the timber or will be so nearly so that they can 
 easily be, screwed down with screw-clamps, and will not 
 require previous shaping. All these clamps are to be 
 bolted to their frames with 4-inch by 5-16 inch carriage 
 bolts. The head of the bolt should be let in flush with the 
 face of the frame and a washer put under the nut on the 
 inside. This washer will permit your turning the nut up 
 good and hard, drawing frame and clamp tightly together. 
 Do not put all the bolts along in the center of the clamp 
 but stagger them so that one will be near one edge, the 
 next near the other and so on, alternating them. In the 
 end you may have to favor one side more than the other 
 to pull the twist out of the clamp. 
 
 Before these clamps can be put in it will be necessary 
 to remove the niolds, but be sure and tie the boat up from 
 side to side with some good stout stay laths before you do 
 so. Otherwise the hull may sprawl, as boatbuilders term 
 spreading. 
 
 At this stage of the game most amateurs are in a great 
 haste to start the planking of their boat. They want to see 
 it grow, but they will get ahead far faster if they will leave 
 the planking alone until they have the entire deck frame 
 complete. They will find it much easier to do this part 
 of the work. Everything is so much more accessible and 
 there is a better light to work by than will be the case 
 when the hull is all shut in. 
 
 As we have designed this boat there are no very long 
 deck beams, the longest being the three across the stern. All 
 the others are short on account of the midship skylight, 
 .but- it would be well to get out three or four long ones, 
 long enough to go across the entire boat, to hold the super- 
 structure in shape while you are fitting the shorter beams, 
 and then -saw them off later. 
 
 As all these deck beams are exposed when the boat is 
 completed, see that they are nicely smoothed up and, if you 
 want a still fancier job, champher the lower edges before 
 you put them in. Fit the deck beams in alongside of the 
 head of the frames and fasten their outer ends to the 
 clamp ON which they rest with 3'/^-inch heavy galvanized 
 iron nails, with the heads sunk in so that when you come to 
 
 plane and dress off their tops so the deck lies perfectly 
 true on them you will not be striking the plane on a nail- 
 head. All these main deck beams should be marked out 
 from a pine templet made with a crown or curve of 3^ 
 inches in 8 feet. Do not, above all things, try to lay a flat 
 deck as many amateurs attempt to do. There is nothing 
 shipshape or "boaty" in a flat deck and there is a very 
 good reason why it should be crowned.. That reason is, to 
 make it shed water. 
 
 There are about four corners that should be reinforced 
 by fitting and bolting in oak or hackmatack hanging knees 
 about Ij4 to i^ inches thick. This means eight knees. 
 They should be located one each side where the forward 
 beam of the after deck comes, one each side of the 
 after end of the main cabin, one each side of the after 
 raised deck and one fastened at each end of the deck beam 
 that goes clear across alongside the forward end of the 
 cabin. Rivet these to the beams with at least two J^-inch 
 bolts to each arm of the knee. These may save a whole lot 
 of straining when your boat takes a side bump against 
 a dock and they are well worth the time it takes to put 
 them in. For'the same reason large knees are fitted in the 
 corners where the transom joins the side planking and a 
 breast hook is put up in the bow. 
 
 As you cannot lay any more beams until you have laid 
 the two little pieces of side deck and put up the cabin sides 
 which carry those beams, they can be left and the more 
 interesting work of planking up the hull taken up. 
 
 Planking up a boat may seem simple and to some it 
 turns out to be such a job, but if one has never considered 
 this subject carefully and examined other boats so that 
 he has a fair idea of the way in which it is done, he will 
 find himself working into all kinds of difficulties. Old sub- 
 scribers to Motor Boat will have some understanding of 
 this subject from the practical articles printed. Those 
 who have not read these articles will be able to secure 
 them all in compact form in the Motorboat Handbook. 
 Not only is the subject of planking explained therein, 
 but the bending of frames, deck construction and many 
 other valuable articles both on boat construction and the 
 u^e and the care of the boat after she is built.' 
 
 Briefly stated, the process of planking may be compared 
 to the construction of a barrel. As the barrel staves are 
 made wide in the middle and narrow at the ends, so is the 
 yacht planking w!der amidships. Just how wide each 
 plank shall be you have to determine by bending a thin 
 Ijatten around one of the midship frames and dividing it 
 up into such widths as your stock of planking will permit. 
 For instance, if most of your cedar planking which the 
 lumber yard has delivered to you will only allow you to 
 get out a plank five inches wide in the middle without 
 leaving bark on the edge, do not lay your boat for six 
 inch plankihg. This distance, measured on the batten jn 
 inches, divided by five,, will show you how many planks 
 your boat will require. How wide these planks will be 
 forward or aft at any other frame can be determined the 
 same way, by dividing the length along the frame to be 
 planked into the number of planks that are being put on 
 amidships, which would probably give you something like 
 2^- or 3 inches. 
 
 The top strake, or "sheer strake" as it is called, and two 
 or three more below it and then the garboard or plank 
 which goes next to the keel are generally fitted in first and 
 then the space between is divided up as previously de- 
 scribed. To find the shape of the garboard requires what 
 
 68 
 
H 
 
 i-l 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 < 
 i-l 
 
 n 
 
 o 
 < 
 
f;<s 
 
 is called "spiling." In other words, it r€quires the spoil- 
 ing of one plank which is generally a thin pine or cedar 
 board about ^ of an inch thick. This thin board is used 
 as a pattern cut roughly by eye so as -to fit along the keel, 
 and then, with a pair of compasses, set so as to span the 
 greatest interval between the edge of the rabbet and the 
 edge of this pattern, proceed to prick off a line of spots 
 along the pattern, keeping one point of the compasses at 
 the edge of the rabbet. I5y laying this pattern out flat on 
 the one inch cedar board from .which you are going to 
 cut your garboard, and pricking these distances back you 
 can readily see that you get a line of spots the same 
 shape as the rabbet against which the edge of this plank 
 must fit. This "spiling" process is repeated for almost 
 every plank. The only ones that will not require it are 
 the few on the flat of the side of the boat just under 
 the "sheer strake." 
 
 You will hard'y be able to get these planks all out of 
 one length. Not many boats nowadays are built that way, 
 but where you do have to use two, make the seam where 
 the two ends meet come midway between two frames and 
 then rivet their ends to an oak block fitted snugly between 
 the frames about half an inch wider on each side than 
 the planking, so that the plank above atid below will lap 
 half an inch over this butt block. Common sense alone 
 will tell any man not to make all these butts in his plank- 
 ing come in a line in one spot between the. same two 
 frames, but to shift the butts as far apart as possible, using 
 the long length of a plank forward in one case and aft in 
 the next, so that at least two planks come between butts 
 made in the same frame space. 
 
 There are few places in this boat where the round of the 
 side is so pronounced as to require hollowing and rounding 
 the inside and outside of a plank so as to make it fit against 
 the frame. Aft, on the quick round on the counter, and in 
 the few planks that end in the hollow of the after frames 
 this may be necessary. Never rivet a plank fast to the 
 frame until its inner edge makes a perfect joint on the 
 face of the frame. I know what you will be tempted to do. 
 I have seen it done time and again, but those who did it 
 always regretted doing so. That is to chisel off the face 
 of the frame into a series of flats so that a flat plank will 
 fit where it should be rounded. The result is the boat 
 shows a series of ridges or if enough is planed off to 
 make the plank show a smooth rounded surface the plank 
 will be reduced to only about ^ or ^2 inch in thickness, 
 and as this' is just where the fastening goes it is where 
 the plank should have its full strength. 
 
 To fasten the planking to the frames use 25^-inch cop- 
 per nails rivetted over copper burrs, and to make a good 
 job first bore a hole so the heads of the nails will sink in 
 or be counter siink about half an inch. These holes, after 
 the nails are rivetted up, are to be filled with cedar or white, 
 pine plugs dipped in white lead and tapped in over the 
 nail heads, so that when the planking is finally smoothed 
 off all will show a clean wooden surface and she will not 
 look like a spotted pig, as she will if the nail heads are 
 left flush. This is only done in very light rowboats or 
 racing boats where the thickness of planking will not 
 permit of countersinking; there the nail heads are 
 smoothed off with a file, but MoUyhawk is not a racing 
 shell. 
 
 Along the garboard seams, in the ends of the planks 
 and such places as under a clamp where it is impossible to 
 rivet up a copper nail use 2j4-inch galvanized iron boat 
 nails, but bore for them just the same. Do not try to 
 clout them in with a hammer for if you do you may spoil 
 a plank that has taken you considerable time to shape, 
 due to the nail buckling over in the hard oak and splitting 
 the plank. 
 
 When all the planking is on, calk each seam carefully 
 with boat cotton spun out and rolled to suit the size of the 
 seam and paint each seam with a thin white lead paint. 
 
 70 
 
This will stick the cotton in and hold it while you proceed 
 with the rest of the work and makes the putty stick when 
 you come to putty and paint the outside. 
 
 Before laying the deck, while the hull is all open, is a 
 good time to put in your engine bed, line up and connect 
 your shaft and install the motor. Make a templet for your 
 gasolene tank and until that arrives fit in all the necessary 
 floor beams both for cockpit and cabin floors. All can be 
 fastened down with the exception of the forward cockpit 
 floor beams. These will have to be left until the tank is 
 in, so build a platform and sides to securely brace this 
 ts^nk in its proper place. 
 
 The floor beams for cockpit floor and cabin floor need 
 not be dressed stock; that is, they can be left unplaned as 
 they are entirely out of sight, the cabin floor, of course, 
 being laid absolately level ; but the forward and after cock- 
 pit floors which are exposed to the weather would, be 
 better off for a slight crown so the water will drain- to 
 either side where lead pipe scuppers are to be fitted down 
 and out through the outer planking so the rainwater will 
 run overboard. 
 
 The main cabin floor can be made of wide stock, that is, 
 boards 6 or 8 inches wide, nailed down wJth the exception 
 of a loose trap down the center. These will permit get- 
 ting into the bilge of the boat if occasion should require 
 your cleaning out the lirnbers, or to clean out the bottom 
 when you lay her up. The two cockpit floors should be 
 only 2 to 4 inch strips, the narrower they are the more 
 yachty is the appearance. These decks should be caulked, 
 payed and puttied and a rabbeted oak sill set in white lead 
 and nailed down forming a sort of frame to receive the 
 lower end of the cockpit staving. It takes a little extra 
 work to get this rabbeted sill out and most amateurs, in- 
 stead of doing so. will be tempted simply to nail a cleat on 
 deck and then nail staving against this cleat; but the latter 
 is very apt to leak, vvhile the former insures an absolutely 
 watertight job, and if j'ou have ever Iain in a bunk and 
 felt the cold drip from a leaky deck you will know what 
 this means. Take time and do it right now. You can- 
 not change it later without a great deal of trouble and ex- 
 pense. 
 
 The laying of the side decks is slightly dififerent. An 
 oak edge-piece (sailors call it the "covering board") about 
 4 inches wide, the same thickness as .the deck, which 
 should be about one inch thick, is to be fitted so its outer 
 
 edge is even with the outside of the planking. From 
 there in the deck is laid in narrow strips. The forward 
 and after ends of this decking are nailed to oak cleats 
 fastened to the side of the after end of the house and the 
 forward end of the after deck. 
 
 From the end of the raised deck the main cabin is made 
 of two built-up sides consisting of a top and bottom rail 
 with vertical stiles mortised and tennoned into them, form- 
 ing the windows as shown in the plans. These sides are 
 fastened to the deck by rods of five-sixteenths iron go- 
 ing through the lower rail thr.ough the deck and the 
 end of the oak deck beams. By making these sides of 
 I -inch stock you will have wood enough to dovetail the 
 ends of the short cabin beams into them. Here, also, it 
 is customary to run one or two beams clear across from 
 side to side to held the sides accurately in position until 
 all the others are in place, the deck laid and the sides of 
 the skylight erected. Then, when the boat is secured 
 by the skylight beams 'going across, these can be sawed 
 out and their ends, as well as all the other beams, 
 covered by a 3-inch by J^-inch finishing strip or, if you 
 do not object to the ends of the beams showing, you can 
 round ofif the ends of the beams with a chisel and let 
 them show._ ' 
 
 The construction of the cabin skylight is just the same 
 as the cabin sides, although, of course, it is longer. The 
 beams are dovetailed into the sides just as the cabin- 
 house beams were, the deck laid in strips of white pine 
 about 4 inches wide by %-inch thick and the whole cov- 
 ered with canvas, just as the main deck was when it was 
 laid, the canvas being held at the edges by a row of cop- 
 per tacks and the ragged edge of the canvas covered by 
 a half-round oak molding. 
 
 You have probably seen boats whose cabin-houses were 
 defaced by dirty black stains running down from under 
 this molding. If you will shellac the inside of the half- 
 round molding before you put it on you will not have 
 this difficulty. 
 
 The after end of the cabin, the forward and after 
 cockpits, are to be built of ^-ihch tongued and grooved 
 cypress staving about 2J/2 inches wide bradded to the sill- 
 pieces and edge of the deck. Do not drive your brad^ 
 straight in. Put them in on a slant and they will pull 
 the staving and hold it much tighter. Punch the nail- 
 heads in and finish the holes with a bit of putty. 
 
 k 
 
 71 
 
How to Build "Mollyhawk" 
 
 Part III 
 By C. G. Davis 
 
 ANYONE capable of building Mollyhawk's hull knows 
 enough to lay a quarter-inch tongue and groove cabin 
 floor, and to build the seats and bulkheads either of 
 one wide board set on edge or by fir§t building a spruce 
 frame and staving up the front with- cypress or yellow 
 pine tongue and groove staving, in narrow widths. 
 Boards two to three inches wide with their edges cham- 
 phered so that when they come together they make a 
 "V" shape seam is just as good and far cheaper to build 
 than a transopi front all formed of panels or other forms 
 of expensive joiner work. All such ginger bfead work, 
 while it rriakes, a boat look a little more stylish is no bet- 
 ter than a plain pine board painted or a tongue and groove 
 staving as we have suggested, and you can refinish the 
 latter with one half the trouble and expense of a fancy 
 paneled transom. " The advantage of the "V" seam formed 
 by the champhered edge is that it hides any slight un- 
 evenesses in the thickness of the seam vvhere the two 
 boards come together, which is not the cas'e where the 
 boards are square edged and, especially, if it is painted 
 white. But as to just how you finish the interior of your 
 boat, whether you use expensive joiner work or the plain 
 cheap kind does not in any way affect the serviceability of 
 Mollyhamk. It is a matter of personal taste and entirely 
 up to you to say just how much money you care. to spend 
 on it. You can use cypress at about 5 cents 'a foot or 
 use bird's eye maple or Circassian walnut at about 30 
 cents a foot. The same- thing applies to the hardware 
 below decks. Some owners will use the ordinary lac- 
 quered' iron door-knobs and locks and drawer-pulls. 
 Others will use glass ones, and others solid brasis ones, 
 the latter are far preferable, but when you buy them 
 make sure that you are getting solid brass and not iron 
 •simply dipped in brass, as much of the boat hardware 
 now sold is made. You will find, in a couple of years, 
 the rust will strike thfocigh and your boat hardware will 
 be anything but a thing of beauty. Especially is this true 
 of the deck fittings, such as flagpole sockets, chocks and 
 other deck plates, although my choice for such fittings 
 would be galvanized iron in preference to brass. They 
 are just as strong, if anything, stronger than brass, will 
 not look so shoddy as brass does when it becomes tarn- 
 ished, and if for any reason the galvanizing does get 
 nicked you can retouch it with a bit of aluminum paint 
 and make it look as if it had just come from the Store. 
 Let me call your attention to one apj^arently insignificant 
 point about fastening on your deck plates and that is to 
 see that- the screw heads fit perfectly into the ccm,nter- 
 
 sink bored in the chock or deck plate, whatever the fittmg 
 may be. Sometimes a hole for the screw is bored vertical, 
 while the face of the deck plate is slightly beveling. The 
 result is that one sharp corner of this screw-head sticks 
 out like a knife, and will cut you when you polish the 
 brass, and on which strings of cotton waste generally; 
 cling, looking anything but pretty. Use a metal countei'' 
 sink in your brace and bitt and ream out the holes until 
 the screw heads just fit flush with the surface of. the 
 metal. Do not leave the heads standing up, and, on the 
 other hand, do not let them sink an eighth of an inch or 
 so below the surface of the metal. In that case you should 
 use a screw with a larger head to fill up the hole, for 
 such holes form puddles for the dirty brass polish or 
 water. 
 
 There is one little point in the construction of Molly- 
 hazvk that I wish to draw your attention to particularly, 
 and that js the knee on the after quarter, just above the 
 half round moulding. This is called a quarter badge, and 
 it is just such little fittings as this that set off your boat 
 and add- to her shippy appearance. Do not try to make- 
 this out of half-rinch wood and plaster it on, for it will 
 not stand. It is not like putting interior trim in a house, 
 but get it out of one thick oak or, hackmatack knee, as 
 shown in the accompanying sketch, in which you will see 
 that the knee itself is about two inches larger than what 
 shows on the outside. By making the knee about two 
 and a half inches thick you can cut a rabbitt in it and 
 fasten the. ends of the planking to it, leaving the little 
 quarter badge extending out about a quarter of an inch 
 beyond the planking and yet it will be solid enough not 
 to curl or crack in the weather.. While we are talking 
 about knees just consider the. two little sketches here 
 shown. Most people do hot think the mere outline of a 
 knee has anything to do with a boat's looks, but in this 
 they are wrong. Just as quickly as a house architect 
 wou'd notice a house built without eaves, so can a man 
 used to water and ships spot a clumsy, amateurish shaped 
 knee as shown in the upper figure. Such a knee, while 
 it might be useful and appropriate in building a chair 
 or a table,«will make Mollyhawk\\ook clumsy if it is used 
 at the after end of her cabin or the forward end of the 
 little raised deck aft, the turtle deck, as you might call it, 
 where on either side a knee- is shown which fills up what , 
 would otherwise be a very awkward looking square corner. ' 
 Make the lower arm of the knee longer'than the upright 
 end and of some such curve as I have here shown. 
 
 Another little detail to which I want to call your at- 
 
 THE HOLDS IN PLACE 
 
 72 
 
tention, and which applies not only to Mollyhawk but to 
 all boats, is the quarter bitts aft and heavy mooring bitt 
 forward. This forward one should go down and be 
 mortised into the forward deadwood, although many peo- 
 ple only use a short bitt and key it fast on the under side 
 to an oak block" which fits from deckbeam to deckbeam. 
 This, to my way of thinking, brings too much strain on a 
 yacht's deck for the main mooring bitt forward. Such a 
 
 PUTTING ON THE RIBBANDS 
 
 style of construction is all right for the small quarter bitts 
 aft, but I would not advise its use forward. How many 
 people have ever considered the reason why the edges 
 of the bitts were champhered ofif the way they are on 
 ships? Very, few, I'll guarantee. But when I explain 
 the reasons for it by means of the diagrams, A. B. C. D. 
 and E. a blind man can see the point. I have seen bitts' 
 rounded ofif into all manner of fancy shapes, the man 
 who did it evidently thinking that the idea of champhering 
 a bitt was to make a fancy piece of furniture out of it. 
 The real reason is this : The head of a bitt, as shown 
 in figure A, is there to make rope fast to, and, naturally, 
 the strongest part of this bitt is right at the deck. The 
 higher up you go the more leverage the anchor cable 
 has to break it. For that reason the champher is cut at 
 such an angle as will make the cable ride down, and ride 
 is the nautical word for slide, close to the deck. If you 
 ever go to sea on an old sailing ship, where nearly every- 
 one of the many ropes has to be coiled down over belaying 
 pins, you would soon notice that on a belaying pin, 
 shaped like Figure B, you can lay fake after fake over 
 such a pin and they will pile up clear to the top withc«,t 
 sliding off, as shown in Figure B. While with one shaped 
 like C, when you get near the top the upper fakes of rope 
 will begin to slide uo over the top, as in Figure E, and 
 you cannot coil nearly as much rope over such a pin. I 
 have seen an old, deep water mate go along a ship's bul- 
 warks, and every pin he found patterned after that shown 
 in C he'd heave away to leeward with a deep sea blessing 
 on the heffd of the man who made it. 
 
 A precaution to be taken when you are building the 
 deck frame of your boat is to fit inch and a half oak 
 blocks, snug between the deck beams and nailed to the 
 
 same so they will come underneath the deck wherever 
 there is to be a deck fitting fastened above. Do not trust 
 to the deck. Soft white pine will never hold the screws, 
 nor is it a good practice to put a cleat on deck so that only 
 one screw comes into a deck beam, and you trust to that 
 one good fastening to hold. 
 
 The finishing off of the boat after she is all planked 
 and decked is most important if you want a good looking 
 boat. The trouble with most amateurs is that by the time 
 they get this far they are so anxious to get their boat 
 afloat that they do not take the time to properly nlane off, 
 sandpaper and otherwise prepare the wood to properly re- 
 ceive the paint. Do not shirk this part of the work. Keep 
 at the planing off of the seams and planking until all 
 humps and hollows have disappeared and the plank, any- 
 way you bend a small batten around its surface, shows ab- 
 solutely fair. When it has been planed as true as is pos- 
 sible, start in with coarse sandpaper, folded over a block 
 of wood and scrub the plank crossway to the grain until 
 every plane mark is obliterated. Then, with finer sand- 
 paper, rub it fore and aft, cutting O'Ut the marks of the 
 heavier paper. Then, and not until then, is your boat- 
 ready for paint. In a boat where wooden plugs have been 
 fitted over her planking you can go still farther by taking 
 a bucket of hot water and a big sponge and sponging over 
 the entire ptenking from deck to keel on both sides. 
 Your boat has to be wet sometime, and the wood and the 
 plugs have to swell. This sponging process makes the 
 wood go through it's swelling before she gets overboard 
 and shows particularly in the case of the plugs, which, 
 owing to the wood having been slightly compressed when 
 driven in with a hammer, is more apt to expand than the 
 planking, and you can go around your boat as soon as the 
 wood has dried with a chisel and shave off dozens of plugs 
 that have swelled out a sixteenth of an inch or so beyond 
 the surface of the wood. You can imagine what this 
 would have done had you first painted your boat. For 
 this reason many experienced boatmen never attempt to 
 finish up a brand new boat as soon as she is built. They 
 launch her and use her a month or so, then haul her out 
 and allow her to thoroughly dry and then put her through 
 the finishing process of sandpaper and two or three good 
 coats of paint, for, by that time, the wood has come and 
 gone all it will, due to swelling and any little straining 
 the boat may do until she gets swelled up tight and 
 solid has been done. Now, when she is finished, she will 
 last for years, only requiring the surface of the paint. to be 
 replaced where it wears cw,t. 
 
 For those who do not understand just how the line-up 
 to which the copper is to be painted, for in Mollyhawk we 
 
 nttJeck beam 
 
 DoTjot pulo cltitnsy 
 \ooKinq knee like tnis 
 on MOLLYHAWK.- 
 
 The QOiarrer badqe \ha\ shows 
 df the afber end of>10LLYH/\WK5' 
 upper plank\T7q is a Ijoo inch oak 
 Vnee rabbeted so part of it extends 
 out W beyond the plank uStncYi 
 are fdsl^ened lb it.' 
 
 AqMcetul knee will 
 add cJ whole lot' .to Vic 
 appearance 
 
 show what is called a boot-top, that is, several inches of 
 the copper paint shows above water when she is afloat, 
 a few words on this subject may be of assistance. With 
 the boat set absolutely plumb, tack a straight edged 
 board across the bows at the height you want the boot-top 
 forward, and' another across the stern the height the 
 boot-top is to be raised there. Between these two, just so 
 it clears the side of the hull amidships, allow a fish cord to 
 
 73 
 
sag until it gives you the proper height amidships, which, 
 as you will notice, is lower than at either end. Then, 
 with a long spirit level or a batten of wood and a short 
 one, you can go along this line at intervals of every foot 
 or so and mark spots on the planking to correspond with 
 the height of this line. Then tack a batten, carefully sight- 
 ing along it as you do so, to See that there are lio lunfair 
 kinks in it, and with a race knife or the point of a brad 
 awl cut or scratch a light groove along in the planking. 
 Many a man before you has made the mistake of simply 
 marking this with a lead pencil, which the first coat of 
 paint has obliterated, for even a scratch, in time, becomes 
 lost to sight through being-filled up with the paint. It is 
 a good practice to always keep this mark visible by re- 
 scratching it occasionally, for nothing looks worse on a 
 boat, as you yourself may have noticed, than a crooked 
 wave-like line, where the two paints meet. 
 
 While it does not matter, if the boat is to be used in 
 fresh water, whether the bottom be painted with a copper 
 compound or not, it does make a great deal of difference 
 if she is to be used in salt water where the torredo works 
 such havoc in boat's planking by eating innumerable 
 holes in it. Copper paint is the only thing that will keep 
 this destructive little worm away and for that reason a 
 great many people believe that copper paint should be put' 
 right onto the bare wood so that the Copper can soak into 
 
 Hole for screw) 
 Txjl bored dt- t>ie. 
 nc]U ancjle 
 
 Screw put 
 in riqbt: 
 
 Screw Vie<jd 
 vo\ cour\\er5unk 
 deep enoucjh 
 
 5creiv head. 
 coMntersMTik 
 too deep 
 
 the pores of the wood, but as it is the liquid that really 
 goes into the wood, depositing the copper on the outside 
 of the planking, it is very doubtful whether this method 
 has any virtue in it or not, or whether the copper be ap- 
 
 plied on top of a fine coat of lead. One thing we do 
 know, and that is that the bottom should be kept com- 
 pletely covered, with some copper paint and, not allowed 
 to chafe to the bare wood. 
 
 ■w«ii« "•'«)'■ 
 
 Mow short deck bilhs 
 are keyed fas^ cinder 
 the deckTo&amt 
 
 The finish of Mollyhawk I am going to leave entirely 
 to those who build her. I do not know 'of any business 
 that has so m^ny conflicting opinions as that of painting 
 a boat. Of course, I have my own views on the subject, 
 but I can take you to another yachtsman who has had 
 equal experience and he may advocate an entirely different 
 manner of painting the boat. Some want a white painted 
 top side. Others stoiitly condemn it and say any color 
 but white should be used. Some want varnished decks. 
 Some would not have a varnished deck. Some will swear 
 by one brand of varnish and some by another, all the re- 
 sult of personal experience on- their part and more than 
 likely the different opinions have been the result of ac- 
 cident more than anything else. 
 
 So, paint Mollyhawk any color you like; you'll do it to 
 suit yourself, anyhow — you've a right to; she's yours. 
 
 74 
 
How to Build the "Beaver" 
 
 [ A 23- Foot Cabin Cruiser. A Big, Roomy, Safe and Seaworthy Little Craft. Just 
 
 What the Boys Want 
 
 BY C. G. DAVIS 
 
 The "Beaver" As She Will Appear Afloat 
 
 TELL you how to build a 23-foot cabin cruiser? 
 Surely I will; that's the easiest part of the business, 
 but it is up to you amateurs to do the real hard part 
 of the work, the cutting out, fitting and fastening. 
 And yet while it is hard work, it is one of the most enjoy- 
 able kinds of labor. You see the ship which is to be your 
 future home grow by your own toil and labor. There's 
 some satisfaction in building a boat that one is to use for 
 his own, which is lacking when one builds as a business 
 and never expects to see how the boat, over which he has 
 toiled for weeks, behaves herself when in a sea. 
 
 To those men who have years of experience on the 
 water, the Beaver will appeal with all her good points. 
 Those who are newcomers to the pleasures of motorboat- 
 ing and who make their criticisms with no actual experi- 
 ence to back them, may say she is too wide or too high, 
 or too something else, but these men I ask: "Have you 
 ■ever been aboard of a converted Cape Cod catboat?" If 
 not, you have no right to criticize this plan. Don't 
 imagine that, because you have had a sail on a narrow 
 motorboat and enjoyed it, the enjoyment could not be 
 magnified by a trip on such a boat as Beaver. She has 
 every requisite of a comfortable little cruiser for two or 
 «ven four men or boys to go off for weeks at a time and 
 live in comfort. Her beam gives room to move a step or 
 two sidewise, and one is not confined to a narrow foot 
 well such as ordinary small craft have between their 
 transoms. Some may say her beam will make her a poor 
 sea .boat, but any day Beaver cannot go out no boat of 
 her length will care to go. 
 
 Every man imagines his own boat is laid out better 
 below decks than any other boat he ever saw, but let him 
 look over Beaver and see if he can get any more room 
 than has been put into this 23-foot boat Every inch of 
 her has been utilized, from the coat room up in the bows 
 to the ice-box and lazarette under the after deck. Two 
 comfortable seven-foot transoms, two feet wide, afford 
 permanent beds in the cabin, while out in the cockpit 
 two more may be made up with curtains buttoned down 
 to the sides of the awning, and berths made up on the 
 long cocknit seats. A toilet room fitted with every con- 
 venience is shown, but this, of course, an owner can dis- 
 pense with if he does not care for it. We have shown it 
 to prove that it is possible to get such a room in the boat. 
 
 Also on the starboard side a completely equipped galley 
 is iitted in at this part of the boat, where the heat and 
 smoke from it can best escape out the companionway, 
 and not heat Op the cabin. The engine can be gotten at, 
 and yet is completely out of the way, just its flywheel 
 protruding a few inches into the cabin to enable one to 
 start the engine. Two cylindrical tanks, one for water 
 and one for gasolene, are fitted in chocks and securely 
 lashed under the cockpit sides, where they are least apt 
 to affect the trim of the boat, as their weight decreases, 
 and at the same time are spread apart to assist the boat in 
 swing'ing with a slow, easy recovery in a sea way 
 
 What the Beaver will look like when completed is 
 shown in the sketch and accompanying plan showing the 
 deck view and appearance above the waterline. The 
 resemblance to a roomy Cape Cod catboat is noticeable, 
 and is intentional, as that type, when converted into a 
 motorboat, has proven itself a most satisfactory cruiser ; 
 but with the similarity in bottom the parallel ends: 
 Beaver is a typical motorboat from there up, yet one that 
 lias elbow room seldom found even in motorboats much 
 larger than 23 feet. It is queer that with the hundreds 
 of examples before us of converted sailboats' hulls, and 
 the speed, weatherliness and comfort thus attained, no 
 one has attempted to design boa. along these lines. 
 
 But let's get busy, for the plans speak for themselves, 
 and anv one who wants to build does not need convincing 
 that she will be a good boat ; too many of Motor Boat's 
 subscribers have been waiting for such a craft, as the 
 many letters received testify 
 
 If you have a shop, shed or barn where you can build 
 your boat under cover, so much the better ; if not, and you 
 have to build her out in the weather, be sure and shovel 
 off the loose top soil and get your keel blocks firmly 
 planted on hard ground, so they vvill not settle under 
 the boat as she accumulates weight. 
 
 The keel is a straight piece of oak 22 feet 1 1 inches 
 finished length, 3 inches thick by 4 inches deep. Pick 
 out a straight, clear-grained piece, as free from large 
 knots as possible. If you order this stock for your keal 
 at a mill, order it dressed, as it is termed. It will only 
 take the mill a few moments to run it through a power 
 planer, and then you will have a good, smooth stick. If" 
 not, you will have to scrub it off with a plane, and this is 
 
 76 
 
< 
 
 a. 
 or 
 
 UJ 
 
 76 
 
considerable work. Then cut it to the shape as shown in 
 the drawing, which as you will notice is very little work 
 indeed, and we have purposely made it so. In fact, 
 everything about the boat has purposely been made simple 
 and easy for amateurs to build. The rabbet, for instance, 
 instead of being a dug-out rabbet, as it would be with 
 a log keel, in this boat amounts merely to a chamfering 
 of the top edge. The angle at which this chamfer is to 
 be cut is explained in the accompanying sketches, Figs, i 
 and 2, on page 14, and is found by taking a piece of wood 
 the same thickness as your planking and butting it against 
 the too corner of the keel at the anele the molds make 
 where they fit on the keel. 
 
 First cut notches opposite each mold; then with a bat- 
 ten draw connecting lines and cut the rabbet from one 
 spot to another, continuously, but do not try to finish it 
 where it runs into the stem and where the deadwaods lap 
 onto the stern. Leave the rabbet uncut there until you 
 have the deadwoods bolted on. Then, with a batten, draw 
 the line in far across the stem and cut the rabbet. It 
 would be well in all cases to paint the various parts of 
 the keel as you get them out with a thin coat of lead 
 paint, to prevent their checking as they dry out, which 
 they are bound to do unless your wood is already per- 
 fectly seasoned. 
 
 Now, get out the stem. This also is of oak, and re- 
 quires a piece of wood 6 feet 6 inches long, 3 inches 
 thick and 10 inches wide at its widest part, tapered to 6 
 by 3 at the top. Smooth off the stem the same as you did 
 your keel on both sides, but remember one point, and that 
 is always to v/ork all the deadwOods, stem, etc., from one 
 side only; that is, if you are squaring up from the star- 
 board side of the stem, keel and deadwoods. in squaring 
 the edges, always apply your square to this face, making 
 everything square to it. If you try your square first on 
 one side and then on the other, you may find uneven- 
 nesses of the pieces of wood that will throw the square 
 off 
 
 Get the lower end of the stem so that it fits, notching 
 
 < 
 
 -J 
 Q- 
 
 o 
 
 OQ 
 
 77 
 
78 
 
over the end of the keel as 
 shown in the plan, and then 
 lay out the lines marked 
 rabbet line arid bearding 
 line. Between these two 
 you are to chisel out the 
 notch termed the rabbet, 
 into which the ends of all 
 the planking are to fit. You 
 will notice that these two 
 lines are narrowed together 
 at the top and spread apart 
 considerably at the bottom. 
 The reason for this is the 
 planking approaches the 
 stem at a much sharper 
 angle near the bottom, the 
 
 same thickness of plank requires a broader surface fore 
 and aft. The planking in this boat is three-quarters of an 
 inch thick and this rabbet and bearding line has been 
 figured on our plans for this thickness of wood, and you 
 will find, if you take a small piece of j4-inch wood as a 
 templet, when you chisel out 
 the rabbet and apply it at the 
 different bevels at which the 
 different waterlines approach 
 the stem, that you will require 
 just the widths shown on the 
 Stem for the rabbet. Figs. 3, 
 4 and 5 illustrate what will 
 happen if you do not get this 
 rabbet cut just right. In 
 Fig. 3 the plank is shown as 
 it properly fits into the rabbet. 
 The outside of the plank 
 finishes flush with A, which is 
 the rabbet line, the inside fin- 
 ishing flush at the spot • B, 
 representing the bearding line. 
 If you do not hold the little 
 templet of the planj^ing at the 
 right angle. Figs. 4 and 5 show 
 what will happen. In Fig. 4 
 the templet has not been ap- 
 plied at enough of an angle, 
 and in Fig. 5 the angle is too 
 acute, and you will notice the 
 e< 
 
 Fia-s r/a-? 
 
 F/^ctre. 8 shoov^ /hA ^ee/ hraceef To the f/^^or, /^/i^ure. 9 
 J /tow 3 hocu nruc/t eas/er/th fo work arot/rid a b^af 
 n//ie/i fhc braces ca/? /be puf u/^ /o f/ie beams Oi^enhe/xl. 
 
 Kee/ 
 
 The ra^be/^ a/ond^ or? f/?e Aee/ /j or?A- 
 
 ^ be ye/ cu/ ^o ^/7e ^/i^mc/i p/a/ik 
 i!^/// ///' ^(^6/are a/ //?£ d:^//'/er£'/7f 
 a/^g/so /^ i^J7/c/? //" m^e/i //7e /res/. 
 
 dge of the plank does not fit rom/ara me a/tif/?/c C/a/^a /^(Pr& //<?/'- the pene end of a top maul 
 m flush with the surface of the //?^/- ^^/^j^/^j- ^^/-^ ^^/yj^^^/ In regular boat shops they 
 wood. This same principle ap- / ^ / have a five or ten-pound block 
 
 you can very often make 
 use of carriage bolts, but 
 here you need galvanized 
 rod iron. Any firm that 
 sells boat hardware carrie? 
 this in stock in all sizes 
 from J4-'nch up to i inch 
 or more in diameter. For 
 this boat you will require 
 two rods of about Ji-inch 
 iron and about two dozen 
 clinch rings for the same. 
 Bore your holes as shown 
 in the plan where the bolts 
 are to go, measure the ex- 
 act length with a little thin 
 piece of wood, and get the 
 bolts just the right length to reach from one edge of 
 wood to the other, allowing the heads on the outside to 
 countersink to a depth of about ^ to i inch, and this 
 countersink should be bored with about J^-inch bitt. 
 These holes, we might here say, are afterward to be 
 
 filled with wooden plugs which 
 you can also buy* at a boat 
 hardware store. Hold the 
 bolts in a vise and rivet up 
 one end so you form quite a 
 good-sized head on it, and 
 while doing this you will no- 
 tice the quality of the iron 
 you are using, and it should 
 be such that as you form the 
 head, it will not flake off and 
 fly in pieces, but will stand 
 turning over and forming a 
 good, strong ridge. 
 
 Paint the adjoining faces of 
 the stem and knee with a 
 good, thick mixture of white 
 lead paint just before you bolt 
 them together. Then drive 
 the bolts in from the outside, 
 put a clinch ring over the in- 
 ner end, and rivet them up 
 firmly, having some one hold 
 on against the outer end with 
 a good heavy weight, such as 
 
 ^ntic/j/jz/^s. 
 
 /2>ni/an^ 
 
 plies aft, of course, as well as 
 forward, where you get the 
 rabbet line across the dead- 
 wood shaft log and stern tim- 
 ber. Be sure that the after 
 side of the stem is cut perfectly 
 square with the working face, 
 and then get out a stem knee, 
 as shown in the drawing, and 
 see also that. the edges of this 
 are perfectly square. If they 
 are not, when you come to 
 rivet the stem and keel to- 
 gether to this knee, they will 
 not be in a perfect line, but 
 will stand decidedly crooked 
 and twisted. 
 
 Owing to the different 
 lengths of bolts needed in the 
 keel and deadwoods, carriage 
 bolts are very seldom used. 
 When you come to bolt the 
 clamps and frames together. 
 
 FIG -3. 
 
 F/S-^ 
 
 F/as 
 
 of iron with a hole drilled in 
 it, into which a stub end of an 
 iron bolt is put, which they 
 hold against the bolts, but 
 this, of course, amateurs 
 would hardly have at hand. 
 There is one bolt, the forward 
 one in the keel, that does not 
 go all the way through. This 
 is called a driftbolt. Bore for 
 this the same as you did the 
 other, but be careful the bitt 
 you use does not bore a hole 
 so large that the bolt will slip 
 in too loosely. If anything, it 
 should be i/16-inch smaller 
 than the drift bolt, so that, as 
 you drive it in it will hold and 
 draw the wood tightly to- 
 gether. 
 
 The after end of the back- 
 bone of this boat is composed 
 of several pieces of wood, and. 
 
 79 
 
JTEM 
 
 Keel 
 
 Qtem_ 
 
 De^^woad^ 
 
 5haff Lo(^ 
 
 5 te n7 Hn e € 
 
 stern Kn(f& 
 
 Ouartef Kioees 
 
 BreastJiooK . 
 
 .y^ouMi 
 
 Transom 
 
 F/onrs 
 
 Deck I3e>.am5 
 
 Cnckp/t fleams 
 
 •J<o, 
 
 Fra/n&S 
 
 PJank/y?c 
 
 (^ahifl dick 
 
 
 Cni/arina tinarti 
 
 Off-er ibfffC k 
 
 
 % 
 
 C'oc/<pft' f/oor 
 
 Cahw. f/oor 
 
 3 iA //(/7 ead^ 
 
 U/&ann, 
 
 Mo/j/^ 
 
 C/ampr, 
 
 inij jfnp 
 
 ■rkf. 
 
 C/amp 
 
 A^/>nn'n^ l3/ff- 
 
 owing to difficulties many amateurs 
 have in borine their shaft holes, we 
 have shown that style of construc- 
 tion in which the shaft log is built 
 up of two pieces of wood, with one- 
 half the shaft hole gouged out of 
 each piece, and the two held to- 
 gether by iron dowels. Get these 
 two pieces out first, and the piece of 
 deadwood that is to go under them, 
 as per plan, and then bolt them to- 
 gether, riveting up the bolts on the 
 inside of the shaft hole, but be sure 
 they are countersunk well below the 
 shafthole, so as not to interfere with 
 the sleeve when you come to put it 
 through the shaft hole. Then bolt 
 the stern timber to the upper piece 
 of the shaft log, and the up and 
 down sternpost which binds the ends 
 of these deadwood pieces together. 
 Be very careful that the holes for 
 your dowels which extend in a row 
 either side of the shaft hole in the 
 shaft logs are perfectly in line, so 
 when you set one piece of wood on 
 the other, they will drive tightly 
 together. The two shaft logs in 
 this boat, owing to the deadwood 
 being only 3 inches wide, are made 
 of heavier stuff, 4 inches, beveled 
 off outside of the rabbet line, so 
 they face down with the 3-inch 
 stuff. 
 
 When the deadwood is all bolted 
 together, drift bolts and all, get out 
 a stern knee, as shown in the plan. 
 To this the transom is to be riveted. 
 The transom is made of i^-inch 
 oak, the shape shown in the plans, 
 but, of course, you cannot buy a 
 piece of oak as wide as is required 
 for this. So you have to join two or 
 more boards together to get the re- 
 quired width. This requires another 
 nice piece of carpenter work to face 
 up both edges so as to make a per- 
 fect seam, and then dowel the two 
 together. Fig 6, on page 18, shows 
 
 one method of doing this, that is, where they are doweled 
 together, and Frg. 7 shows how an amateur who feels he 
 cannot successfully make the dowel joint, can put them 
 together by nailing cleats across the inner face of them. 
 
 It is generally customary to get this much of the boat 
 all bolted together before the keel is "set up," as it is 
 termed, and the manner of doing (his varies according to 
 the conveniences — or lack of them — at the builder's dis- 
 posal: For instance, a man who has a shop with a good, 
 level floor to work on, has many advantages over the man 
 who has to work outdoors on the ground. All the former 
 has to do is to lay a pile of blocking along the floor which 
 will raise his keel 14 inches at the forward end and 6>4 
 at the after end, as marked in the plan. But a man who 
 has to do this work outdoors will have to scrape away the 
 
 List of lumber needed to construct BEJWER 
 
 B/tf:s 
 
 TF/jMur 
 
 Ci'jamjni 
 
 2^ 
 
 C/^mpa/iJibn/jgy Posts 
 
 T/./7/- ^ramfls 
 
 i^caf a/afj 
 
 Burks - franll 
 
 fops 
 
 face. 
 T ria. 
 
 .•Sky/tahf ri/t/pe. 
 
 ands 
 
 ■ramrJ 
 
 NO. OP 
 PIfCES 
 
 one. 
 
 2M. 
 
 one, 
 
 one 
 
 one. 
 
 one 
 
 one 
 
 tu/o 
 
 o ne. 
 
 one 
 
 12. 
 
 fVUi 
 
 fUJO 
 
 M 
 
 one. 
 
 four 
 
 fan 
 
 nine. 
 
 one 
 
 j/y 
 
 ■5/x 
 
 ^ree. 
 
 twafi/e. 
 
 J/y 
 
 fiJ'O 
 
 tm/o 
 
 four 
 
 fujo 
 
 one 
 
 fujn 
 
 one. 
 
 one 
 
 three 
 
 thUO 
 
 ten 
 
 foa 
 
 fni'r 
 
 tiun 
 
 one 
 
 lENen 
 n I IN. 
 
 m. 
 
 za 
 
 m 
 
 10 
 
 /O 
 
 m. 
 
 iP- 
 
 m. 
 
 Hl 
 
 m 
 
 IM. 
 
 m 
 
 its.. 
 
 Sl 
 
 3Z 
 
 rnmoanionajfjy 
 
 Deck h,7iren3 
 
 JU/a^ 
 
 Taio 
 
 tSL 
 
 THICK. 
 
 n\in 
 
 /•A 
 
 Lk 
 
 IV^ 
 
 lA 
 
 !k 
 
 tk 
 
 /•A 
 
 tik 
 
 'A 
 
 'A. 
 
 mem 
 rr. I IN. 
 
 /a 
 
 10 
 
 ^ 
 
 tn 
 
 'A 
 
 iL 
 
 tA 
 
 Ji. 
 
 t!k 
 
 iAnJOO 
 
 nnk 
 
 nak 
 
 oak 
 
 oak 
 
 tiackmatiie 
 
 tia^Amalhc,- 
 harJcmatoe. 
 
 sprues 
 
 ■sonjce 
 
 jpn/ee. 
 
 oak. 
 
 oak 
 
 oak 
 
 spruce 
 
 .oaf: 
 
 oak 
 
 oak 
 
 cedar 
 
 cedar 
 
 oak 
 
 p/ne 
 
 etiT} 
 
 //«■ ai>k 
 
 ^ 
 
 rt,. 
 
 yg/. pn 
 
 oak 
 
 oa k 
 
 oak 
 
 nak 
 
 n£tfflK/<i 
 
 3' arms 
 
 2' arnfS 
 
 U003f. ft. 
 
 /20s^. ft 
 
 70 ft 
 
 t^a^ 
 
 to iioirer 
 
 /i/t/fraund 
 
 nr .spruce 
 
 T?tn/II?KS 
 
 dressedf 
 
 .i^/jars 
 
 3/^u aK& 
 
 nijtsf/^are. 
 
 ln_sauaft:<- 
 un p/aue/^ ' 
 
 dr/>sj^d 
 
 t^resseij 
 
 dr^sse^ 
 
 or/jni/t 
 
 ■ial_ 
 
 COS_}f^_ftL2 
 
 dresse^t 
 
 ftd. nak 
 
 oak 
 
 spruce. 
 
 ^/^?r aak 
 
 pine 
 
 ft<< cak 
 
 p m e 
 
 oak 
 
 much better system of shoring the keel to the rafters or 
 beams overhead, which leaves the floor perfectly clear for 
 a man to walk and vvork around his boat without stum- 
 bling over the braces. The stem and transom should be 
 braced both sidewise and fore and aft, as considerable 
 strain is to be put upon both of them when you come to- 
 bend the stiff yellow pine ribbands around as you proceed 
 with the work. 
 
 Where these braces are nailed fast to the upper part of 
 the stem, called the stem head, it is customary to leave 
 that part of the stem larger than is needed for the fin- 
 ished job, or to leave the stem head longer than is actu- 
 ally needed, and then when the planking is all on and you- 
 can dispense with the shores, the stem head, which at this 
 
 part is full of nails, can be dressed down or if left longer, 
 loose earth and get down to hard pan before he begins to can be sawed right off and thrown away. In the case of 
 build up his blocking. If he doesn't, he will find that as the after end at the transom you cannot do this, so secure 
 
 the weather comes and goes, rain and dry, the blocking 
 will settle his boat all out of line. 
 
 The manner of holding the keel firmly to the blocking 
 while you put up the molds and proceed to the building of 
 the boat is also done in various ways. Fig. 8 shows the 
 method where these braces dre carried down to the floor 
 or to the ground, as the case may be, while Fig. 9 shows a 
 
 the braces to the inner face of the transom, where the 
 holes will not show when you take the nails or screws,, 
 whichever you have used, out of the braces. 
 
 The temporary molds which are to serve as guides to 
 give you the shape of the boat when framing, can be 
 made of about i-inch stuff if the boat is to b6 built with- 
 cold fitted timbers. By this I mean timbers bent over a 
 
 80 
 

 
 
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 \ 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 "> 
 
 «l *l *l wi 
 
 * 
 
 
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 Jhau/,'/7f /km HKpiecafi>rmirKfam>ui/are.fiafc/Kef TofeZ/ier 
 
 •/9oy/o e/q/ oj fijonac suij 
 
 81 
 
mold and when cold beveled and fitted in around the rib- 
 bands which run fore and aft along from one of these 
 molds to the other, but if the boat is to be framed with 
 hot timbers, that is, the timbers taken from the steam box 
 and bent directly in around the ribbands, it would be ad- 
 visable to make these molds of at least ij^-inch or 2-inch 
 spruce. It does not have to be a very good quality of 
 wood, as it is all temporary work, and is of no use what- 
 ever when the boat is done. 
 
 A great fault with many of the amateurs in attempting 
 to build a boat is in trying to do with too few of these 
 molds. Some of the best boatbuilders in the country go 
 to the trouble of making an individual mold for every 
 frame, but this, of course, is not necessary in this case. 
 
 1 have shown five molds, Nos. I, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and given 
 all the dimensions necessary for determining their shape. 
 Mold No. t; is to be set up three feet forward of the after 
 «dge of the transom and the 
 
 others each four feet apart. 
 Molds 4 and 5 have their 
 faces aft and the Molds i, 2 
 and 3 are to be set with their 
 faces forward. Mold i is 
 set where frame 4 goes, No. 
 
 2 where frame 8, No. 3 
 •where frame 12, No. 4 where 
 frame 16, and No. 5 at frame 
 20. These frames will have 
 to be left out until the molds 
 are removed and then put in 
 in their places. 
 
 An amateur could sav.e 
 <;ohsiderable time, perhaps, 
 by cutting the boards out of 
 which the molds are to be 
 made so as to approximate 
 roughly the shape desired, 
 and measuring off from the 
 center line the measurements 
 given in the mold shapes, and 
 <lrawing a batten through 
 this, but while doing so, he 
 .should be very careful that 
 the boards do not shift. If 
 they do, the whole mold will 
 ■be of imperfect shape and 
 the boat will be unfair when 
 you come to build her. 
 
 If you have a large, clean 
 floor space, or the same could 
 
 be provided by laying down sheets of heavy brown wrap- 
 ping paper, it -might be well to measure off these mold 
 shapes on the floor. Then, by laying a row of nails so 
 that their heads just came along on the line so drawn, 
 the shape could be reproduced on to thin pine pattern 
 boards by laying them carefully over the nails and stamp- 
 ing on them. This is the way it is done in a boat shop. 
 These thin patterns are then cut with a draw-knife and 
 again fitted back to the pen .il marks on the floor. When 
 they are found to be accurate, they are tacked together to 
 give one side of the mold, for in boat work we only do 
 one side at a time and reproduce the other side by simply 
 reversing the pattern. The molds themselves can then be 
 cut by laying this pattern onto the heavier stock out of 
 which the molds are made. 
 
 In a professional boat shop, where a power-driven 
 "band-saw is at hand, the labor of getting out these molds 
 •does not amount to very much, but an amateur who has 
 to saw them out by hand and drag them out with a draw- 
 ■knife will think by the time he has got out his molds 
 alone, he has done pretty nearly enough work to build 
 the boat. If a mill is handy he might take his patterns 
 there and have the molds. sawed out. 
 
 Seftmcf up a mould ■■ 
 
 When the two sides of the mold have been cut out, 
 spread them out on the floor, one each side of a center 
 line, as shown in Fig. 10, and cleat them securely together. 
 The upper ends should be left about six inches longer 
 than is actually needed in "the boat. This is done so that 
 the cross pall, as it is called, which in plain language 
 means the brace across the tops of them, can be bolted fast 
 to the molds, so the lower edge comes just flush with 
 what is to be the sheer line in the boat. This you will 
 find later will be a considerable help to you. 
 
 Another form of checking up the boat's molds is to 
 mark where the load waterline and center line come. 
 Then you can plumb your mold when you set it up on 
 the keel by dropping a plumb bob from the center mark 
 on the cross pall to make sure the mold stands plumb, 
 and you can also, with a spirit level, see whether it is 
 level across. You cannot be too particular in putting up 
 
 your molds to see that all 
 this worlc is very carefully 
 done, if you do not want to 
 build a lop-sided boat, and 
 that is what you will surely 
 get if you are not very care- 
 ful in plumbing the molds. 
 As all the strain of bending 
 in the hot frames comes 
 upon these molds, you cqn 
 readily understand that they 
 must be very securely braced, 
 the same as the stem and 
 transom were, the overhead 
 method being far preferable. 
 They can also be braced by 
 running a fairly wide plank, 
 say, a plank 6 or 8 inches 
 wide, down through the mid- 
 dle of the boat, so one edge 
 of this board just lines up 
 with the center mark of each 
 mold. This will help hold 
 the molds in position, and at 
 the same time is an excel- 
 lent fore and aft brace for 
 them. 
 
 There are several methods 
 which can be used in fram- 
 ing the boat. Some builders 
 use one method and some 
 another. So, when I 5tate in 
 this particular case one meth- 
 od of how to build this boat, and you see a boatbuilder 
 doing it another way, do not imagine that he doesn't know 
 his business, or that I do not know mine. It is merelj' a 
 matter of choosing which way we think will be the easiest; 
 under the circumstances. Builders, for instance, put up, 
 say, four molds which show the shape of the boat at four 
 points, bend very light spruce or yellow pine ribbands 
 around these molds, and saw out the shape of each par- 
 ticular frame. Others bend a lot of frames over a mold 
 that approximates very closely to the shape, allow these 
 frames to set and become cold, and then fit them one by 
 one, beveling them and straightening them out wherever 
 necessary to give the shape, and riveting them up in pairs 
 before they go into the hull, but when they do go in, they 
 are perfect and complete. 
 
 If I were building a boat myself, this would be the 
 method I should follow, but it is much more difficult, and 
 for that reason I am going to tell, an easier way in which 
 the amateur can perform the same work, and that is, in- 
 stead of bending light ribbands around your molds, you 
 must get good, solid ones, say 2 inches square, of yellow 
 pine, long enough to reach from one end of the boat to 
 the other. If not in one piece, they can be reinforced 
 
 - O/je man p/oi/nbs // 
 
 82 
 
nishtd, shajpeof, C^i €rs(>x>nj._ 
 
 FiG-7 
 
 ^hoai'in^ houi f ransom, is someHmes held 
 together by c/e43b <3creu/ec/ fasf /ns/'ctc. 
 
 where the two join together by a piece 6 or 7 feet long, to 
 which they are riveted or screwed. 
 
 Bend about seven of these around the molds on each 
 side, then heat up in the steam box as many timbers at a 
 time as is possible, take them out of the steam box while 
 still hot and bend them in at intervals of a foot inside of 
 these ribbands, drawing them up to them by boatbuilders' 
 screw clamps. This method 
 does away with all that dif- 
 ficult beveling which the 
 timbers that are fitted in 
 cold are subject to, as here 
 the timbers while hot ^an 
 be twisted so that they fit 
 flat against the ribbands. 
 For this purpose, while you 
 are bending them, provide 
 yourself with a good-sized 
 monkey wrench, which will 
 give you leverage enough 
 to twist most any bevel 
 necessary in the most stub- 
 born frame. The greatest 
 difficulty in framing a boat 
 this way is the liability of 
 the frames to split or crack 
 in two where they are re- 
 quired to take a quick bend, 
 which in this boat I have 
 attempted to dispense with, 
 making the frames as easy 
 a sweep as is possible, at the 
 same tmie getting a well- 
 shaped boat. 
 
 The hardest part of this 
 frame will be found in the 
 heads of the after timbers. 
 There the curve is the 
 
 quickest, and it may be necessary to construct a special 
 mold which will give you about the curve required at that 
 point, and bending the timbers over it to get that sweep. 
 Then, if they will not fit in cold at the heels, re-steam 
 them and bend them in where needed. The novice will 
 find the subject of steaming frames gone into in detail in 
 the Motor Boat Handbook, Vol. I. 
 
 In buying your oak for the frames, ^ou do not want dry 
 stock, but on the other hand it could be decidedly green. 
 If it is too dry — and you will soon be able to tell if such is 
 the case — the frames will crack right in two. You do 
 not want any quarter-sawed oak; only the straightest 
 grain boards should be used. 
 
 Do not attempt to use boards for frames that are full of 
 knots. If you do, you will find there will be considerable 
 waste, as the frames will break nine times out of ten 
 where the knot distorts the grain of the wood, and you 
 will only waste time and material in attempting it. If 
 you bend in a batch of frames to-day, they will be set 
 sufficiently by the morrow to enable you to take ofif the 
 clamps, cut the heels so they butt against each other at 
 the center of the keel, and then proceed' to nail them se- 
 curely to the keel with about 2-inch galvanized boat nails, 
 and nair them lightly to each ribband so that you can do 
 away with the screw clamps, and use them in bending in a 
 fresh batch of timbers. It would be impracticable to have 
 enough screw clamps to frame the boat at one time, and 
 very, few boatbuilders do so. In fact, by the time you have 
 bent in six or eight pairs of frames, you could then nail 
 them temporarily to the battens and remove the clamps to 
 use on others. 
 
 Along in .the way of the engine amidships, that is, be- 
 tween frames 12 and 16, bend an intermediate frame be- 
 tween each of the regular timbers, so as to reinforce the 
 boat at this point, to withstand the vibration of her engine. 
 
 5hou/ing hou/ fra/73om ofiapec/ ouf of three pieces 0/ 
 a/oixf /s c^ou//ec^ /b(ferf>er anct c^efa/% of the i^ou/ii/ 
 
 If you wish to carry this doublmg up of frames a little 
 further fore and aft, it will not hurt the boat any, but at 
 least put them as far as shown in the plan 
 
 When the frames are all bent, the next step is to rein- 
 force them at the keel with sawed oak floors, i}/^ inches 
 thick. To save considerable fitting and to simplify the 
 job. in this boat we have carried each floor up so that 
 
 the top edges provide a 
 Itve) surface on which the 
 cabin floor can be laid di- 
 rect without going to the 
 trouble of fitting in an ad- 
 ditional set of floors 
 
 Some builders, instead of 
 using sawed floors as we 
 have shown here, take Short 
 pieces of the same stock 
 that the frames are made 
 of, say, pieces 4 to 5 feet in 
 length, steam them and 
 bend them in right on top 
 of the frames, across the 
 keel, connecting one frame 
 with the other, and riveting 
 them to the frames. If 
 this is done, of course, ad- 
 ditional beams have to be 
 fitted to receive the cabin 
 flooring, which our method 
 of construction dispenses 
 with. To get the shape of 
 each floor as you are build- 
 ing it, stretch a chalk line 
 fore and aft from stem to 
 deadwood at the height 
 shown in the plans, then 
 take a thin — say % to Yi- 
 inch pine board — about 4 
 feet wide and 9 or 10 inches deep, lay it across the top of 
 the keel, against the frame whose floor you wish to find 
 the shape of, making sure that the top edge is level, and 
 with a pencil mark along the outside of each frame on 
 this board. You will find this a very quick and simple 
 method of determining the shape, and with a draw-knife 
 you can cut this thin wood pattern along the pencil line 
 and use it to cut the shape of the floor out of the heavy 
 Ij4-inch oak. By beginning amidships, where the angle 
 of the floor is flatter, you will find as you proceed forward 
 from frame to frame, the one pattern can be used over 
 and over again, a shaving being taken off each time as 
 the angle sharpens up toward the bow, and a similar 
 method will enable you to ■get the after floors. 
 
 Nail the heel of each frame to its floor with a 3-inch 
 galvanized iron boat or wire nails. You may have to 
 bore most of the way for these nails. If you do npt, you 
 may split the frames, which, after all the work you have 
 gone to, is anything but pleasant. 
 
 It is a good practice to double up the ribband that goes 
 along the head of the timbers — the sheer ribband as it is 
 called — by bending one outside of the other and lag- 
 screwing them together to the stem and stern and to each 
 mold. Do not trust to merely nailing these ribbands to 
 the molds, for, as sure as you do, you will meet with a 
 catastrophe by having the ribbands spring off and get your 
 frame all unfair. The last frame in the boat, frame No. 
 23 — for our frames in this boat are spaced a foot apart — 
 is to be screwed fast to the inner face of the transom, re- 
 inforcing the same so that when you come to put your 
 planking on, you can put an alternate fastening, one in the 
 frame and one in the transom, giving a doulsle holding 
 surface which at the ends of the boat is a very important 
 part of the construction. 
 
 When, all the floors have been gotten out and riveted to 
 
 83 
 
the -frames, you can knock out the temporary molds which 
 were first erected on the keel, so as to enable you to put 
 in the fore and aft yellow pine stringers. There are three 
 of these on each side, one which goes along the upper 
 edge of the forward timbers, forming ai ledge on which 
 the cabin roof beams land, another one running along at 
 what is considered the sheer height, and another one, 
 known as the bilge stringer, which runs along halfway" 
 from the keel to the deck edge. The purpose of these 
 stringers is to stififen the frame, and they should be of 
 clear yellow pine about 2 inches thick and 4 inches wide. 
 To jnake them a little easier to bend in the ends where 
 the curve becomes quite sharp, it is customary to taper 
 these stringers to, say, ij4 or lyi inches thick by about 
 3 inches in depth. If you do not taper them, put the for- 
 ward ends in the steam box and make them soft and 
 pliable. If you don't, you will never get them around the 
 curve without breaking. 
 
 If you have been careful in bending in your timberSt 
 and careful that the timbers were of the same size, all ij^ 
 inches thick, before bending them in, you will find that 
 these clamps will fit fair 
 and true on the inner edge 
 -of each timber. If they do 
 not do so, shave down the 
 high timbers until they do 
 make a perfect fit on each 
 one. If you do not, the 
 timbers will be pulled in 
 and out, forming a very ir- 
 reeular and unfair side line. 
 Here is the place where you 
 can use carriage bolts to ad- 
 vantage, if you want to. 
 Bore from the outside, 
 countersink the heads of 
 each one of the carriage 
 bolts into the frame, and set 
 the nut up tight on the in- 
 side of the clamp, cutting 
 off any end that may pro- 
 
 /tee/ yfu'oak 
 
 trude, and tap it a little to slightly rivet it just enough to 
 keep the nut from untwisting and loosening. Do not 
 put these bolts in a direct line. Put one, say, near the 
 top of the clamp, the next near the bottom, etc., staggering 
 them alternately up and down. 
 
 As the cabin beams are to be ij^ inches deep, be sure to 
 set the upper clamp that distance below the edge of the 
 boat, puis the thickness of the cabin top, so that when these 
 beams are nailed to it, their upper surface will just come 
 flush with the heads of the timbers, which, of course, are 
 underneath the deck. Now, to stiffen the three corners 
 which this boat has, that is, the stem and the two quarters 
 aft, knees are fitted in. In the case of the forward one, 
 which is technically termed a breast hook, many people 
 do not go to the trouble and expense of jjutting in a regu- 
 lar natural growth knee, but, instead, merely fit in a three- 
 cornered block of oak, the thickness of the deck beams, 
 iJ/2 or 2 inches, which is notched around the head of the 
 first timber, or you can cut this timber off flush with the 
 bilge clamp, and bolt the breast hook to the stem by a 
 diagonal fastening or with a long bolt bored clear through 
 
 from the forward side of 
 the stem to the after side 
 of the breast knee. 
 
 A.ft, where the angle is 
 considerably more open, a 
 knee is far preferable to a 
 mere block of wood. Their 
 arms are short. In our case 
 it only requires a 22-inch 
 knee of about 2 inches 
 thickness. This knee is fit- 
 ted to the inside of the 
 transom and riveted fast to 
 the same, spiked to the up- 
 per edge of the deck clamp, 
 upon which it rests, and 
 when the plank goes on, 
 'iKoci f/oori YQi, can get a few fasten- 
 
 "^otoncf boct to be //uihed of 'incTQ nf tVip ^dVi «;frakp into 
 
 i^ii' f/ow free/y to fii>mp msH. this knee. 
 
 Cabw ct<Kk V'4"p>77<t -Cdrj^d5i<rd 
 
 84 
 
Part II 
 
 BE sure to brace the frames the same as you did the 
 molds, before you remove them to put in frames in 
 their place, because the boat will be subjected to 
 considerable strain in being planked. For this same rea- 
 son it is better to put in all the deck beams, cabin beams, 
 and even the cockpit floor beams can be fitted, but not 
 fastened, as the latter would be in your wav when riveting 
 up the plank fastenings. This work can be done so much, 
 easier now than after the hull is all shut in with planking. 
 The cabin beams are of oak, i inch thick by ij4 to 2 
 inches ^eep, cut with a sweep that raises them g inches in 
 the width of 9 feet. You can either sweep this curve with 
 a long wire or a batten about 13 feet 3 inches long, or 
 you can lay it out by taking the measurements off a 
 smaller circle swept with a 9-inch radius, as shown in 
 Figure 8. The quarter of the circle is divided into four 
 parts, a, b, c, and the base line in four, 'd, e, f. Then, on 
 a thin (J/2-inch) pine board 9 feet long, snap a chalk line 
 
 use your head and good judgment in selecting the boards^ 
 you can waste a lot of cedar. There is, at best, considr 
 erable waste in planking a boat, about 25 per cent., gen- 
 erally, varying more or less as the shape of the boat ap- 
 proaches or departs from a round, barrel-like shape. 
 
 The principle of planking a boat is, the same as the 
 construction of a barrel. The barrel staves are all shaped 
 wider in the middle and narrower at the ends, only in a 
 boat the ends are not all the same size as in a barrel. 
 After one or two planks have been fitted onto our hull, we 
 will return to tfiis barrel principle and you will realize the 
 similarity in construction. 
 
 The first, and perhaps the hardest, platlk of all to fit is 
 the one next to the keel, called the garboard strake. The 
 difficulty is principally in not knowing how, and in trying 
 short cuts, but I can assure you that the ancient' boat- 
 builders have in the past centuries found and made use of 
 all short cuts, and so don't you try to find out any more.. 
 
 //oic a tea^ moaU /s /a/d ouf from a (:/rc/e whose yaaf/as eac^a/s' f/ie crou/f? af ^/?e /^eam. 
 
 for a base line, and in the middle measure up 9 inches, 
 then from the middle toward each end divide the 4}4 
 feet into four equal parts, d, e, f, and lay off the distances 
 a, b, c, etc., on the bevels, as found in the small circle. Do 
 the same reversed for the other side and then, by bending 
 a batten through these spots, you get a true, curve for a 
 pattern or beam mold by which to mark out your cabin 
 deck beams. 
 
 The beams across the after deck can be cut from the 
 same pattern, but those across the cockpit floor should be 
 laid out to a very much flatter curve, one with only about 
 2 inches round in the width of the cockpit. 
 
 Many amateurs, I know, will make them straight across, 
 because it is easier to do so. The advantages of having 
 them cur^ved a little is that they will drain off any rain 
 water quicker than one lard dead flat. 
 
 Now comes the job ot planking up. This frightens 
 many amateurs, but, as a fact, it is one of the most inter- 
 esting parts of all, when done right and studied aJs you go 
 on with it. Like an economical tailor, you can cut your 
 planking so as to make it go a long ways or, if you don't 
 
 I know I did when I built my first toat, but I had to come 
 back to the orthodox method of "spiling." 
 
 Spiling for the shape of a plank consists of tacking a 
 thin board, say, ^-inch thick, to the frames, so that its 
 lower edge, in near the rabbet, along on the keel, is cut so 
 that it roughly fits to the curve the ralibet takes onto the 
 stem, as shown in Figure 9; with another such board 
 tacked to the after end and the two lapped and nailed to- 
 gether amidships, or one long plank, if you have it. With 
 a pair of dividers set to span the greatest distance between 
 this "spiling staff," as it is called, and the rabbet, prick off 
 a series of spots to give you the curve necessary to cut the 
 garboard to, so it will fit. At the ends, where there is con- 
 siderable curve, lay your rule across at intervals of 3 or 
 4 inches, and mark a series of lines, to give you the direc- 
 tion in which the measurements are to be taken off and 
 measured back on. Take plenty of measurements around 
 these curves, but along amidships, where the rabbet runs 
 in a straight line, you will not need so many. One every 
 foot or 18 inches will be enough. 
 
 Then carefully remove this thin pattern (the rule staff) 
 
 Thepnycess c/ JjO/Z/na co/is/s/s //? /b£/?£///ia a //^/r? i^aar^ rou^f/?// s/;a/y^d ^f//' ar?^ Me^ 
 
 85 
 
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 < 
 
 o 
 
 2 
 
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 < 
 
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 o 
 
 H-l 
 
 H 
 
 86 
 
and lay it aut flat on the wide, clear cedar board you have 
 selected to make your garboard of, and proceed to set 
 these distances back with the dividers still set to the same 
 distance between their points. Draw a line through these 
 spots with the aid of a thin batten, tacked outside of the 
 spots, so the brad holes will not puncture the part you 
 are going to use, and saw out the shape of the lower edge 
 and plane it up smooth. The upper edge can be snapped 
 with a chalk line perfectly straight, and cut out that way. 
 If the boat, is perfectly true on each side, this same pattern 
 would fit both sides — you might try the garboard on the 
 other side and see if it fits. If it does not, take another 
 "spiling"; that is, repeat the measuring oflf process for 
 the other. With screw clamps try these planks on, and 
 mark any imperfections in fit, and cut until they fit per- 
 fectly all along the rabbet line. When perfect, you can 
 fasten them on. For this you want two braces and bitts 
 or twist drills, one with a bitt to cut for a countersink so as 
 to let the nail head go in about 3/16-inch, so a wooden 
 plug can be fitted, and be sure the bitt bores a hole the size 
 of your plugs and not a sixteenth too large or too small, 
 and another bitt that will bore a snug hole for your nails. 
 The nails that go into the stem and deadwood should be 
 galvanized iron nails, about ij4 inches long, and those 
 that go through the frames where you can get at them to 
 rivet them up should be 3/16-inch copper nails 2j4 inches 
 long. Bore with a Dutch gimlet bitt for the fastenings 
 into the ends, or you may buckle the nail over in the hard 
 oak, and so split and spoil your plank. Above all, don't try 
 to hurry the work — go carefully, and you'll get ahead 
 faster in the end. 
 
 You can get out another plank or two to go above the 
 garboard, making it a good wide plank, for when you get 
 up around the turn of the bilge you cannot use them so 
 wide. 
 
 Then with these two or three on the bottom put on 
 what is called the "sheer strake," the one at the deck edge. 
 With your thin pattern boards as a spile staff, find what 
 shape the top edge of this board will make by measuring 
 off at intervals with the dividers as before. Then make 
 the plank about 6 inches wide in the middle, 4 inches at 
 the bow, and 3 inches at the stern, sweeping in a fair line 
 with a batten. Where the deck clamp comes in your way". 
 sO you cannot rivet the fastenings, use the galvanized 
 iron boat nails instead. 
 
 Now you have to stop and do some figuring to see how 
 many planks it will take to fill in the remaining space, so 
 that you will not have a patchwork job. Take a batten' 
 and bend it down around the outside of a frame amidships. 
 This distance, we will say, comes to 5 feet, and if you 
 decide 4 inches is as wide as you want the planking to be 
 there, it will require 15 planks. Don't make the common 
 error of wanting to do the job quickly, and try to use 
 planks a foot wide. Remember such a plank will shrink 
 and swell nearly twice as much as one 6 inches wide, and 
 not look well either; in fact, when you come to the turn 
 of the bilge you may have to reduce them to 3 inches, 
 putting in four planks 3 inches wide, instead of three of 
 them 4 inches wide. 
 ^ Now bend the batten around the second frame from the 
 bow. Here you only have 2H feet, or 45 inches. Fifteen 
 planks in a space of 45 inches gives you a width of 3 
 inches for each plank at that end, and the widths aft are 
 found in the same way. In the same manner you could 
 divide the distance at each frame and find out how wide 
 the planks should be at every frame, but this is not 
 necessary. 
 
 It is not always possible to get planks to run full 
 length from end to end, and it is not necessary that they 
 should, although most amateurs with their first smattering 
 of knowledge on the subject imagine a well-built boat 
 should have no butts at all. As a matter of fact, a well- 
 made butt is the strongest part of the plank. Amateurs 
 
 87 
 
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i 
 
 sometimes try to cut the planks so that the two ends both 
 land on a frame with only a width of about i]^ inches. 
 This is dead wrong. You can't toe-nail them both to the 
 same frame and expect them to hold. Cut them so that 
 they butt midway between the frames, and then fit a 
 "butt block," as it is called — a piece of i-inch or 114-inch 
 oak plank, so it jams snug between the frames, and about 
 3X-inch wider on each side than the planking, this gives a 
 little ledge to extend up behind the planks above and 
 below it, so as to steady it. 
 
 Do not let two butts come in line, one under the other. 
 "Break butts," as boatbuilders call it, by making the joint 
 in the next plank come two or three frames forward or 
 aft of the first one. There should be at least two planks 
 intervening between butts in the same fraiiie space. With 
 your "spile stafif," find the shape the top of the next plank 
 must be to fit the lower edge of the sheer strake, and with 
 this shape marked off on a plank you are going to cut it 
 out of, measure the widths 4 inches amidships, 3 inches 
 forward and, say, 2 inches aft, whatever it may be, and 
 sweep in a fair curve with a batten for the lower edge of 
 the plank. After working three or four planks down from 
 the top put some more on at the bottom, working toward 
 the middfe, until only one plank remains to be fitted. That 
 is known as the "shutter" plank, and its fitting in in ship- 
 yards used to be the signal for a drink from the boat- 
 builders. Old timers would predict all kinds of disasters 
 to the boat whose shutter was not "wet" to assist it in 
 Toing in. The boatbuilders got the "wet." You may feel 
 the joy that inspired this tradition when you realize that 
 that plank completes the job of planking; anyway, you'll 
 be happy and proud, too. 
 
 There used to be a great deal of mystery thrown about 
 the job of planking a boat. It does call for some skill, btit 
 the foreman who laid out the planking always took good 
 care to conceal the manner in which he did it. 
 
 The "planking scale" was 3 mystery in which none 
 were to be initiated, and the lucky man who could pry 
 into and understand the system at once became a power in 
 a boat shop. 
 
 It is laughable how instructors in boatbuilding, when 
 they come to a description of this subject fall down — as 
 the author of one book I have in my library remarks, when 
 he comes to describe planking: "I have never been able 
 to find anyone who could explain this operation so as to 
 make it clear, and doubt my own ability to do so, so will 
 Meave you to puzzle it out for yourself." 
 
 I don't want there to be any puzzle about' it, and so I 
 shall tell you here what the planking scale is, and tell you 
 how to use it on this boat. For the scale plane upa thin 
 slat of wood like a lath about an inch wide and 5^-inch 
 thick, and as long as the distance around the frame from 
 the top strake to the garboard. To use this scale, butt one 
 end against the top edge of the garboard or second strake, 
 if it is on, and tack it lightly. Then bend the scale around 
 the face of the midship frame, and mark where it touches 
 the lower edge of the sheer strake. That is the distance to 
 be planked, and as we have already decided our plank 
 shall be 4 inches wide at this point, mark that spot 4. 
 Then do the same forward, where we found the planks 
 were to be 3 inches wide. Mark that distance as 3 — the 
 great mystery consists of dividing that distanc'e between 
 3 and 4 into eight equal parts, and so making a scale on 
 the slat of wood. Continue those same, divisions up the 
 scale to about 2, and you have a planking scale (Figure 
 10). On the top strake, at the second frame, mark two as 
 the widths of all planks on that frame. To find the 
 width on each frame butt one end of this scale on the top 
 of the plank, on the bottom and where the lower edge of the 
 top strake crosses the scaled off part of your batten or 
 planking scale you can read the width of the plank from it. 
 The widths so marked show how wide each plank is to be 
 .on each frame. 
 
 Fmifii -3 
 
 fiame/Z 
 
 ,<fl'^ At 
 
 3-9" 
 
 
 S--3' --;b 
 
 a^ca/fje /2 a/7a' ^a sawe ic/^ J"/o/a/?i- o/j/rame 3 
 
 e //Tta/o parts ar?^ ^J,<?n eac/r 0/ /-/yerg //j e/^^rAi ay 
 
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 byptMna anf e/7i^ ffa/nst ^arboan/ ar7(/ u/A^rz ///e ufx/gr- 
 3/de o^ me rop strake ^/■ass<?s jca/e read ^^^.^/'d/^. 
 
 The do^eaf //fics be/q^ file tJase //ne. 
 jhoou £f t^w'ck tnefhrpd of c/'i//^incf fhc 
 cf/[5^nc£s f-fVfv the w/c^/^f/^ to each en^^f 
 c^/^fh (fh&3"aM/^ ) /f u pa/fy are u/a/ife^s/. 
 a 5 <::/rauy/i ahoi/'O; /a^e ar)ysca/& u/her^/bur 
 parts are lon<:fer than the of /stance 'mhe. 
 diir/i^eet a/?^ jiU//j^ /t c/oayn unT// the/vur 
 ■^a/k comes B fhe center //r?e 
 
 89 
 
Another method for laying out a plank where you have 
 determined the widths of the two ends and middle as we 
 did at first is to strike a half circle, Figure 1 1, with a 
 radius of 4 inches, the greatest width we decided for our 
 plank. Measure up square to the base line to where the 
 curve is 3 inches high — that is, the widths of the planks 
 forward — and on the other side to where it is 2 inches. 
 Divide the remaining space into any number of equal parts 
 and you can measure the widths at these places and lay 
 them out at corresponding intervals on the plank you are 
 lining out on the board previous to cutting them out. This 
 will give you a true, iavr sweep for the other edge of the 
 plank. 
 
 The three or four short strakes of plank to form the 
 
 raised deck forward will be easy enough to any one who 
 can do the rest of the planking. 
 
 Each plank can be riveted up as it is put on. Punch 
 the nail in solid then, with one man holding a heavy 
 weight on against the head outside, another can get in- 
 side, put a copper "burr" — as the flat washers are called — 
 on the nail, punching it on with a short piece of either 
 brass or iron piping just big enough to go over the nail, 
 cut it off within about I /16-inch of the washer and rivet it 
 up. Don't hit it a couple of smashing blows, as that will 
 only buckle the nail in the wood. Take a light hammer 
 with a ball pene end, like a machinist's hammer, and tap 
 it all round the edge until it curls, or "burrs" over; then 
 hit it a couple of good taps in the center to expand it. 
 
 Plane of? the uneven seams and any hard spots that 
 may show on tlie planking, then go carefully all over 
 and test all loose looking knots, and punch them out. 
 Those with a black ring, which is a sort of bark, are the 
 loose ones. 
 
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 the knot hole until it shows clear wood. Whittle pine or 
 cedar plugs and drive them into these holes good and 
 tight, and then saw them off flush. The plugs that fill the 
 nail holes should be dipped into a shallow tin can cover 
 like a lard pail cover of thick white lead paint and tapped 
 in with a small hammer. Don't mash them in or they will 
 swell out again like a sponge. 
 
 The caulking of the planking comes next, and that, to 
 my mind, is really more difficult than to plank the boat; 
 that is, more difficult to tell the novice just how to do it, 
 because you can't specify how much cotton, as the ama- 
 teur seams are apt to be uneven in widths, and require a 
 little in one place and a lot in another. You want just to 
 fill the seam up tight and yet not jamb the planks apart. I 
 could tell better by sitting around and hearing the sound 
 
 of the caulking mallet how well or how badly it was being 
 done. The seams of the plank when put on should be 
 slightly wedge-shaped, with the opening on the outside. 
 Never fasten a plank on when the seam is wider inside 
 than it is out. The water pressure is all from the outside, 
 pushing on the cottop, and you want it to tighten as it is 
 pushed in, ^nd not to loosen. 
 
 The cotton should be driven in about a quarter of an 
 inch beyond the surface of the plank and after painting 
 with thin white lead paint over the cotton and allowing 
 this paint to set over night, fill these seams with putty. 
 
 Then smooth off the plank with a plane, sandpaper it 
 well across the grain and after painting over each knot 
 with shellac to keep the sap in the knot from discoloring 
 the paint, give the hull a prime coat of paint, either red 
 lead or white lead mixed thin, and then two coats of what- 
 ever color you like. 
 
 If you want to do a nice job after you have once 
 smoothed her all off, previous to painting, take a bucket of 
 hot water and a big sponge and go all over her planking, 
 soaking it well, and you will swell the grain and plugs, 
 and if you then smooth her off again she will not become 
 so rough due to the swelling when she is afloat for a few 
 days. Full directions for striking the water line when 
 painting will be found in the Motor Boat Handbook, 
 Vol. I. 
 
 The framework for the cabin top, such as the openings for 
 companionway slide and the skylight and the two hatches 
 on the after deck, should then be fitted, and the beams for 
 the eockpit floor fastened in place, but before these latter 
 are secured, -get out your motor foundation, notch it over 
 the heavy oak floors, and bolt it solidly in place. 
 
 If you have your motor it is a good plan to line it up 
 now, before you box the boat in with too many bulkheads 
 and other things. Get a plumber to m;ike you a lead 
 sleeve to go through the deadwood and flange it over at 
 each end and tack it fast into a good white lead bed on the 
 faces of the deadwood. Get out the mooring post for- 
 ward and the two towing posts aft, of sound, dry, sea- 
 soned oak. Locust is better, if you can get it. Fasten the 
 two after ones in and brace them under the beams, but 
 leave the mooring post, after fitting it, until you have laid 
 the j4-inch deck and stretched the canvas tightly over it. 
 
 First lay the deck, punch the nail heads in, plane down 
 the seams, putty all the holes, and give it a good, thick coat 
 of paint, and then stretch the canvas as tightly as you can. 
 Pull it and tack it all around on the outer edge of the 
 deck with copper tacks, and cover this edge, after it is 
 painted, with a varnished half round oak molding. 
 
 After the mooring bitt is put through the hole in the 
 deck turn the canvas up and tack it close around the bitt. 
 and the same with the skylight hatch frame ; screw it 'down 
 in white lead onto the canvas, and then turn the canvas up 
 around the inside of the hatch and tack it 'fast to prevent 
 leaking. 
 
 It is necessary to hold the boat in some other manner 
 when you come to finish the topsides, as the overhead 
 shores are in the way, so nail a couple of short blocks on 
 each side onto her plank, so the nails go into a frame and 
 brace up from the floor to these with shores. 
 
 The oak covering boards around the edge of the after- 
 deck are sawed out of i-inch oak, and the deck laid of 
 white pine planks i inch thick and 3 inches wide. Caulk 
 and putty this deck and then plane, sandpaper and give it 
 a coat of shellac. 
 
 For the coaming quartered oak should be used, or else 
 mahogany, if you decide to finish her off in that wood. 
 Fit the oak clock rails, as shown, forward and round off 
 the head of the stem, so if you go alongside of a larger 
 boat or up to a dock you do not have a sharp corner to 
 cut and dig into things. 
 
 The main bulkhead at the aften end of the cabin will 
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 and finish the cockpit. In fact, this would be the first job 
 to be done after the boat is planked, because you cannot 
 even lay the cabin top until the up and down staving form- 
 ing this bulkhead is complete. All this bulkhead stuff, 
 both for here, the forward end of the cabin, and for the 
 after end of the cockpit, can be of the same style of ma- 
 terial, that is, either white pine or cypress tongue and 
 groove staving, about 3 inches wide, with a bevel taken off 
 each edge, so they form a narrow V groove when fitted to- 
 gether. This is an easy style to clean up and to paint. 
 That is one reason why it iS so largely used on boats in 
 preference to any narrow scratch bead-work, which any 
 one who has ever tried to clean up on a boat will fight shy. 
 of in the future. 
 
 The inside of the boat, from this main bulkhead tt> the 
 stem, is ceiled up with the same material laid horizontal, 
 beginning up under the clamp, and working down to the 
 floor line. It is hardly necessary to teU one how to lay the 
 cabin floor, or how to build the plain, boxlike partitions 
 and cupboards which have been shown in the accompany- 
 ing plans for the dishes, stove rack, etc. 
 
 The transoms are constructed by simply putting up a 
 framework of about lyi x. 2-inch spruce, to give you the 
 shape desired, nailing a corresponding cleat on the floor 
 and then staving its sides up and down with the same 
 kind of staving. Some amateurs may prefer to cut a 
 wide, plain pine board and fit in her. It will do just as 
 well, and perhaps look as well as the staving that we have 
 shown. Make the seat tops of wide pine boards, so ar- 
 ranged that they can be taken up in sections, to get at the 
 space below the cushions, to store provisions and duffle. 
 The space forward of the mooring post has been bulk- 
 headed off and fitted with two little doors to be used as a 
 coat room, to hang up wet oilers, to lay sea boots away, 
 and to hang heavy coats. We have not used this as a 
 rope locker, as it is generally supposed to be used, but 
 prefer to keep our cable coiled down on deck around the 
 mooring post, and stopped to the deck with short pieces of 
 line in small eye-bolts, where it will dry out and not rot. 
 There remain two difficult things to be done about the 
 cabin top, and that is the construction of the companion 
 way slide and doors, and the skylight. To assist the novice 
 in constructing these I have shown detailed drawings of 
 these' two fittings. The subject of building the skylight 
 alone is one that could fill a book; in fact, in my ex- 
 perience in running shipyards, I have had as many as six 
 or eight boats a week come to the yard and their owners 
 plead with me to come out and make their skylights tight. 
 Any one who has done any amount of boating knows how 
 disagreeable a leaky skylight can become in wet weather. 
 For that reason be very careful in constructing this one, to 
 make all your joints tight, and try and get a little comfort 
 in Beaver. The companionway slide is comparatively sim- 
 ple, when you study out the accompanying detailed plan. 
 Oak chocks or saddles are to be fastened to the cockpit 
 floor where your seats are to be built, to accommodate the 
 cylindrical tanks, one on either side, one for fresh water 
 and the other for gasolene, as shown in the plans. When 
 these are in place, fasten the cleat that holds the after 
 end of the seat across that bulkhead, and on the after side 
 of the little square locker in the forward end of the cock- 
 pit put a corresponding cleat. Then build your seats of the 
 long, narrow slats as shown in the plan, held together by 
 cleats underneath these slats, but do not nail them fast at 
 the ends. Leave them so you can lift this slat seat right up 
 out' of place, so that you can get at your tank whenever 
 necessary by taking out a couple of screws. 
 
 On the after-deck get out two square oak frames of r- 
 inch square stuff, the size of the hatches you have formed 
 in the deck there and build two square covers out of about 
 j4-inch stuff, and for tightness sake, cover them with 
 canvas, held around the edges with a small half-round oak 
 molding arvf oaint them. 
 
 91 
 
We have made no attempt in Beaver to make the cockpit 
 floor a water-tight one, because the floor level is only a 
 few inches above her load waterline, but if one prefers, he 
 could caulk it, and put lead pipe scuppers in the after cor- 
 ners, but if one does this, I would advise raising the cock- 
 pit a few inches higher than shown in the plans, so there 
 would be no danger of the water coming, back through the 
 scupper when the boat settles by the stern when running 
 hard. 
 
 The steering gear of Beaver is made as simple as it is 
 possible to make it, and is all get-at-able in case of a 
 
 breakdown. Sheaves set in oak chocks are bolted to the 
 deck, as shown, and the tiller ropes lead outside the coam- 
 ing on the port side, then in and over her steering wheel, 
 which is bolted to the after bulkhead between the box over 
 her engine and the locker on the side which enables a man 
 to steer either right-handed or left-handed. 
 
 It is hardly necessary to go further into the details of 
 building such a boat, as they are all of such minor impor- 
 tance that even a boy would know enough to go ahead and 
 complete the job, and we feel we have fully explained the 
 difficult parts, where the amateur would need some help. 
 
 OF BEAVER 
 
 92 
 
Outboard Profile of the Nock Runabout 
 
 How to Build a 25-Foot Runabout 
 
 PART I. 
 
 BY FREDERIC S. NOCK 
 
 DIMENSIONS. 
 
 Length over all 26 feet, 9J^ inches. 
 
 Length, waterline 24 feet, inches. 
 
 Breadth, extreme 5 feet, inches. 
 
 Breadth, waterline 4 feet, 5J4 inches. 
 
 Draft to Rabbet feet, 11)4 inches. 
 
 THERE seems to be quite a demand for a small run- 
 about, something a man with some knowledge of 
 tools can build, and, when completed view his handi- 
 work with pride. Not only is there a great deal of 
 pleasure to be had running around in one of these craft, 
 but there is a certain charm and fascination in building 
 one, at least many men view it in that light. That such 
 a diversion should appeal to the younger boys is rather 
 to be expected, but as I look around and find many of 
 the older boys who spend the day in their office, devot- 
 ing all their leisure moments building a boat in some 
 barn or shed, I cease to be surprised at the demand for 
 articles on the building of small boats, even in spite of 
 the great number of plans that are illustrated and de- 
 scribed in the different magazines devoted to the sport. 
 The building of boats by amateurs is by no means 
 confined to very small craft, as I can recall to mind four 
 boats that are being built in the vicinity of Providence, 
 by amateurs at the present time, all of them being over 
 32 feet in length. Some of them have been started re- 
 cently, others were started long ago, and some are far 
 from being finished at the present time. With one ex- 
 ception,' the boats are being built throughout by the 
 owners with assistance, at times, of their friends. The 
 exception had the frame gotten out for him and shipped 
 K. D., which means knocked down or taken apart be- 
 fore being shipped. Another point which shows a de- 
 cided step in the right direction is that the boats in 
 question were all designed by competent men, and are 
 not a sample of the old rule of thumb type. 
 
 The average man who wants a 22 or 25-footer is by 
 no means satisfied to consider a boat with a speed of 
 6 to 7 miles an hour, even though he wants a family boat. 
 A few years ago when a man wanted plans for a family 
 boat it was supposed to be something very wide and 
 comfortable, that looked as though it would be impos- 
 sible to capsize, and, needless to say, it was usually very 
 slow. Nowadays when a man wants a family boat of 
 25 feet in length he is quite apt to give the designer a 
 decided jolt by stating that he must have a speed of 
 12 to 16 miles-, and he is pretty apt to get it. I don't 
 mean to infer by this that he has a boat of the length 
 mentioned, carries a Sunday School class in the boat, and 
 drives her at the required speed, but he can have a boat 
 that with three or four persons on board can make the re- 
 
 quired speed and not require an engine of excessive horse- 
 power. At the same time the boat would be capable of accom- 
 modating some ten or more persons with perfect safety. 
 The speed mentioned is not by any means the limit of 
 a 25-foot boat as 24 or more miles an hour can be ob- 
 tained, but the power plant is usually something that 
 plays quite an important part, and you cannot very well 
 expect to obtain such a high rate of speed with a 10 or 
 20-hp. engine, no matter how light an engine you may 
 procure. 
 
 The boat I am going to call your attention to, and 
 try to explain how to construct, is designed to carry a 
 small engine weighing between 600 and 650 pounds. 
 You can procure an engine of from 5 to 50 hp. that will 
 not exceed the weight in question, and thus the power 
 question ought to suit the most exacting. 
 
 The plans show the boat without a skeg to protect 
 the propeller, etc., but I have also shown the same keel 
 with a shoe and skeg for those who may prefer same. 
 If you are looking for speed, don't use the skeg as it 
 simply means increased wetted surface and consequently 
 more resistance. 
 
 Many of you fully understand how to "lay down" the 
 lines, but for the benefit of those who are not initiated 
 into the mysteries and want to start at the beginning, 1 
 will try and explain the operation in as simple a man- 
 ner as I know how. In the first place it means the re- 
 production of the lines full size on the floor, or what- 
 ever you draw them upon. I shall have to presume that 
 you have a barn or suitable building in which you intend 
 to build this boat; if not, and you have to rent one, select 
 a place that has a fairly smooth floor and " plenty of 
 light. Clear a place on the floor about 27 feet in length,, 
 and five or six feet in width. If the building does not 
 possess a floor or it is in poor condition, you can make 
 up a board large enough to draw the lines on, using 
 spruce or hemlock boards, cleated together on the under- 
 side. 
 
 It is advisable to work from the base line, and this you- 
 can put in near the edge of the board, make a mark 
 at either end, then with a chalk line stretched taut and 
 snapped, you should have a straight line through the 
 two points in question, but as chalk is very easily erased 
 it is advisable to mark over this line with a pencil. Select 
 a board that is true and straight along the edge, and 
 use this for a straight edge to draw in the pencil line. 
 This line is the base line and all the heights given on 
 the laying down tables are above the base line. Parallel 
 to this line and two feet above same, strike in another 
 line, mark over it with pencil to prevent it being easily 
 erased. This corresponds to L. W. L. (load waterline) 
 on the plan. Above this line (L. W. L.) at intervals of 
 
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5 inches, you can draw three more lines parallel to the Dase- 
 11 ne and counting from the L. W L. mark them VV lines, 
 I, 2, and 3, above, which means above the L. W. L. 
 There are still two more lines to be drawn parallel to 
 those mentioned, and they are W. line iB and W line 2B. 
 W. line iB is 3 inches below the L. W. L. and 2B is 3 
 inches below iB Draw these lines in the same manner 
 as the others, and mark them m their proper order so 
 that you will not make any mistakes. Begin at the right 
 hand side of the baseline and with a square draw a line 
 perpendicular to the base line, and about 4^2 feet in 
 height, measure i foot to the left and draw another line 
 parallel to the first, then at intervals of 2 feet draw 12 
 more lines all perpendicular to the base line, and, of 
 course, parallel to each other 
 
 ' Begninmg with the second one from the right, mark 
 this No. o. the next No. 2, the next No, 4, and so on 
 corresponding to the stations on the plans, and perhaps 
 It vvould be as well while you are putting in these 
 lines 10 draw another line between stations o and 2, and 
 also 22, and 24, numbering them i and 23 respectively , 
 then you will have just as many stations on the board 
 as is shown on the plans. Now if you will consult the 
 laying down tables, you will note that the upper line of 
 the table proper gives the heights (above the base line) 
 of the sheer at the different stations, mark these points on 
 the perpendicular lines, taking great care to have the 
 right measurement. Drive a small bung head wire nail 
 at each point, then take a batten about % inch square 
 and 27 feet long, one made from a good, clear, straight 
 grained piece of stock — yellow pine is as good as any- 
 thing as it will bend fair and true — spring this batten up 
 to the nails, marking the points and keep the batten in 
 position by driving nails in the board on the opposite 
 side of the batten. Sight carefully along the edge and 
 
 see that it is a nice, fair curve; if there are any short 
 kinks in it move the batten until it shows fair and tni^ 
 and then with your pencil draw in the sheerline, which 
 represents the height to the top of the phanksheer. 
 
 The next line shown on the tables is the rabbet line. 
 You can proceed- to put in the points for this line in the 
 same manner as you did the points for the sheer, and 
 when your points are all marked, spring your batten to 
 same and mark the rabbet line. You will undoubtedly 
 find that the batten you have been using for the sheer- 
 line IS too strong to make the curve at the forward 
 end of the rabbet line where the stem connects with the 
 keel, and, therefore, in order to put this in it will be 
 found necessarv to have a much lighter batten. Procure 
 one about 3-16x5/2 inch and if you get one about 5 feet 
 long, you can use it for the curves of the body sections. 
 In order to complete the rabbet line to the sheerline, 
 you will have to mark the distance the rabbet line is 
 from the point of measurement on the plans, and detail 
 of stem. Mark each of these and continue the line to 
 the sheer, taking due care to have it fair and you can- 
 proceed in a similar manner to put in the line representing 
 the keel bottom, taking the rrieasurements from the tables. 
 The face of the stem is a continuation of the keel bot- 
 tom and you can get the measurements of same from 
 the plans, or the separate drawing of the stem. Draw this 
 line in the same manner as you did the rabbet line. If 
 you want to put in sections 9 inches and 18 inches out, 
 you can do so. although you will not derive a great deal 
 of benefit from same. 
 
 The next thine is the waterlines. The table shows the 
 half breadths at the different stations, beginning with 
 the sheer. As the amount of space you have is limited, 
 you can use the baseline as the centerline and mark 
 in the waterlines in practically the same manner as you 
 
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did the rabbet line ot.' the elevation, using the strong 
 batten where possible and the lighter batten for the short 
 curves. Be sure and see that all the curves are fair 
 before you draw the line, and in doing this, while it 
 takes more time, it will save you lots of trouble and 
 worry later on. 
 
 The waterlines do not come to a point at the stem, 
 being 3-16 inch out from the centerline. This applies 
 to all the waterlines and if you will bring them to this 
 point, you will find the advantage of doing so when you 
 start to make the stem, as each of these lines can be re- 
 ferred to. The body sections should next claim your at- 
 tention. Use either of the center stations, p. iferably No. 
 12, as the centerline and put in the diagonal lines A, 
 B, and C, as shown on the plans. The tables show that 
 diagonal A intersects the perpendicular 2 feet above the 
 baseline and the baseline 2 feet out, therefore, you can 
 measure up on the centerline 2 feet and you will find that 
 tiie L. W. L. crosses at that point. Measure out on the base- 
 line 2 feet either side of the centerline and then draw a line 
 through the points on either side and you have diagonal A, 
 Diagonal B intersects perpendicular 2 feet 6 inches above 
 baseline and baseline 3 feet 6 inches out. The point 
 (in the centerline will be where W. line lA crosses the 
 perpendicular. Measure out 3 feet 6 inches along the 
 baseline either side of the centerline, draw a Une through 
 the points on either side and you have diagonal B. 
 Diagonal C intersects the perpendicular 3 feet above the 
 baseline and the L.W.L. 2 feet 9 inches out. The point 
 of intersection with the centerline is where W. line 2B 
 crosses same, and if you mark a point on the waterline 
 the required distance out and then draw a line through 
 the points, you have diagonal C. 
 
 It is advantageous to work to the measurements on 
 the diagonals wherever possible for most of them cut the 
 body sections at a less acute angle than the waterlines, 
 especially the lower ones. Where the waterlines or any 
 line intersects another at an acute angle, there is liable 
 to be a chance of making a slight variation in the meas- 
 urement. 
 
 Referring to the tables, you will note the half breadths 
 as given for the sheer, and waterlines. Start with sec- 
 tion No. 12, mark off the points on the different water- 
 lines, then the diagonals. The height of sheer is already 
 marked on the board so that all you will have to do will 
 be to get the half breadth of the sheer and mark this 
 on the point representing the height. There is still an- 
 other point required before you can draw the section and 
 that is the one representing the rabbet line. You al- 
 ready have the height marked on the board. Draw a 
 line at right angles to the centerline cutting the rabbet- 
 line on station No. 12, and then refer to the half breadth 
 plan of the keel for the width of the rabbet at this sec- 
 tion and mark this point. You can also draw in two lines 
 on either side of the centerline. one 9 inches out, the 
 other 18 inches out. These lines represent the sections 
 
 9 and 18 inches out, in a line fore and aft, and used 
 to be called bow and buttock lines. By using these lines 
 and marking on same the heights at different stations, it 
 will allow of your having a greater number of points 
 
 Fig. 6. Mold, Showing Cleats and Cross Pawl. 
 
 to draw your line through that which represents the body 
 section. Use the light batten, bend to the points, keeping 
 the batten in position in the same manner as you did for 
 the rabbet and waterlines. Ascertain that it is fair and 
 true and draw the line. 
 
 You must bear in mind that the lines as laid down are 
 to the outside of the planking and if you prefer to lay 
 down the body sections the molded size, or the size of 
 the inside of the plank, you will have to take off 7-16 
 inch (the thickness of the plank) all around the inside 
 of the curve. You can please yourself whether you lay 
 down the lines as shown, or draw them in to the molded 
 size. If you prefer the latter method, you can do so by 
 setting a pair of compasses to the required dimensions, 
 7-16 inch, set the spur leg against the inside of the 
 batten and with the pencil end, draw the line 7-16 inch 
 inside of the batten; take particular care to keep the 
 spacing an equal distance away from the batten the en- 
 tire length of the curve. 
 
 Draw in all the body sections you require, and you 
 can proceed to finish the lines, for while you have com- 
 pleted them as far as the lines shown on the plan are 
 concerned, you still lack some very important lines, such 
 as the inside of the stem, the upper side of the keel, 
 transom knee, line of shaft, etc. These you can obtain 
 from the construction plan and the detail drawing of 
 the stem, transom, etc. It is also advisable to draw in 
 the scarf of the stem and keel, also the transom knee. 
 
 Having completed the drawing to your satisfaction, you 
 can proceed to get out the molds. Hemlock, spruce, pine, 
 or any such material that is not expensive is suitable. 
 If you want to make molds for each of the sections you 
 will require about no feet of J^-inch stock. The prac- 
 
 Fig. 12. Stocks, with Keel, Stem, etc., Set Up on Them. 
 
 97 
 
tical builder iS not apt to space the molds every two 
 feet apart, but would in all probability use molds Nos. 
 I, 4, 8, 12, i6, 20 and 23, setting them in their proper 
 places. If you adopt this method, you had better use 
 battens a trifle heavier than you would use if your molds 
 were spaced 2 feet apart. 
 
 Take some small wire nails, with large heads, lay 
 the head of the nails on the lines, points directed toward 
 the center of the body sections. These nails should be 
 placed at intervals of 2j^ to 3 inches, tap them with a 
 hammer to hold them in position and then on top of 
 same press one of the pieces of wood you intend to use 
 for a mold. When you raise the piece you will note that 
 there are a number of small dents made by the nail heads. 
 These represent the points of the curve, and if you use 
 your batten and draw a line through the points, you 
 have a reproduction of the mold. Saw to the line, fair 
 with a plane or spokeshave and then mark on another 
 piece of board a duplicate of same, and you will have 
 the two halves of one of the molds. You should bear 
 in mind that you will need some marks to go by when 
 setting up t^ese molds, therefore, it is advisable to draw 
 the L. W. L. and the sheerline on same. If you have 
 the use of a band or jig saw, you can save time by 
 fastening the first piece of wood, with the shape marked 
 thereon, to another piece, and saw them both out at the 
 same time. 
 
 Fasten the mold together, using a piece of stock about 
 2 inches wide for the cross pawl, and as a guide you 
 would do well to make the upper edge of the cross 
 pawls on a line with the mark representing the sheer. 
 Carefully measure the completed mold in order to ascer- 
 tain that the widths at the sheer and waterlines are cor- 
 rect. If you cannot get stock wide eiiough to make the 
 halves of each mold m one piece, you will have to join 
 them, and the simplest method of doing this is to biitt 
 the joints together and cleat them. (See Fig. No. 6.) 
 
 Place the cleats well in from the edges, and nail a 
 piece of stock across the lower part of molds in order to 
 have something to fasten them to the keel. Make all 
 the molds up, measuring each one carefully to see that 
 they are exactly the same dimensions as the full-size 
 drawing. 
 
 You may begin to think that there is a lot of unneces- 
 sary measuring, marking of lines across the molds, etc., 
 but I can assure you that if you have a number of points, 
 it will help you check the molds when they are in posi- 
 tion and show the least error. 
 
 The practical man can tell at a ' glance whether the 
 molds are all fair, but this does not always apply to 
 the amateur. After you have completed your molds, you 
 can proceed to get out the stem. It is to be of oak or 
 hackmatack and if you can secure a natural crook large 
 enough to make the stem and knee in one piece it is to 
 your advantage to do so, otherwise you will have to 
 ' make it up of two pieces as per plans. 
 
 The specifications call for the stem to be sided 2J/2 
 inches, (or, in other words, it is to be 23/2 inches from one 
 side to the other, not from the face to the after side). 
 It is a good plan to get out a template of the stem, and 
 mark on same the rabbet line, and then after cutting the 
 stem to the required shape you can mark on one side 
 the shape of the rabbet, reverse the template and mark 
 the rabbet on the opposite side. One of the simplest meth- 
 ods of doing this is to bore a series of holes through 
 the. rabbet line on the template and then with a drill or 
 awl reproduce these points on the stem, bend a batten 
 and draw a line through these points and you have the 
 rabbet line. 
 
 If' you make the stem up of two pieces fasten them 
 together with 5-16-inch bolts, heads to be riveted over 
 washers, or you can draw it together with nuts and bolts 
 
 if you prefer. The heads should be well countersunk 
 and covered with wood plugs. 
 
 Draw a centerline down the face of the stem and 3-16 
 inch on either side draw lines. Fasten the stem in some 
 manner as in a vise and then proceed to trim from the 
 rabbetline to the line 3-16 inch from the centerline of 
 
 Fig. 5. Stem, with Dimensions Marked Thereon 
 
 face. Continue to where waterline 2B crosses the stem, 
 trim both sides and this will leave the face of the stem 
 }i inches in width. Below the point mentioned (inter- 
 section of W. line 2B with face of stem) the width of 
 the face increases until it is about i>^ inches wide where 
 the stem or knee joins the forward end of the keel. 
 Fasten the stem down to your bench so as to allow 
 you to get at it handily and proceed to cut the rabbet. 
 A fid is used by some builders as a template for cut- 
 ting the rabbet to the required depth and bevel. As 
 the bevels on the sides of the stem of this craft are 
 fair with the plank to a point just below waterline 
 2B you can easily see how the rabbet would require 
 to be cut by trying a piece of wood of the thickness of 
 the plank, 7-16 inch, and cutting in the stem until it 
 sets flush with the side of stem at the rabbet line, and 
 on the same bevel as the sides of the stem forward of 
 the rabbet line. If you want to get this down to the fine 
 point, you will have to refer to the full-size drawing of 
 the boat: You will note that the plank at the sheer in- 
 tersects the stem at a certain angle and that the intersec- 
 tion of each of the water lines is' of a different angle. 
 Make a template showing these bevels and then cut out 
 the rabbet at these points to correspond to the bevels 
 you have taken, them trim and fair the intervening 
 spaces and you will find that your rabbet is cut correctly. 
 It is not a good plan to carry your rabbet clear to the 
 lower end of the stem or knee until it is fastened to 
 the keel, for by finishing it afterwards you can be more 
 sure of it being fair. 
 
 When you have finished the stem set it to one side 
 and get out the keel. Select a good piece of oak about 
 
 Fig. 8. Section Through Stem at Sheer and at L.W.L. 
 
 98 
 
Pig. 10. Showing Method of Constructing Curve for Beams 
 
 24 feet in length, 6 inches wide, planed to ij4 inches in 
 thickness. Draw a hne through the center and then with 
 a square mark the position of the different stations. Figure 
 4 shows the half breadths to the rabbet of the keel at the 
 different stations, set these off on either side of the center- 
 line, then spring a batten to the different points and draw 
 the line, taking care that the line cuts the points, /ou 
 will then have the shape of the underside of the keel and 
 as the upperside is ^ inches wider than the rabbet line 
 on either side, you can mark same, and cut to this line, 
 using a band saw if it is available. Smooth the edges 
 and then cut out the rabbet, which is ^ of an inch up. 
 If you can get this cut on a circular saw or molding 
 machine, it will save you time, as it is rather a tedious 
 job chipping it out with a chisel and mallet. 'The rabbet 
 at the after end and well forward of station No. 12 is 
 practically square, but it begins to have a decided bevel 
 the nearer you get to the stem. If you want to know 
 just how much this bevel is at each of the stations you 
 can mark out on the full-sized drawing the thickness of 
 the plank next to the keel and take the bevels off same. 
 The upper edge of the keel is to be well rounded on the 
 edges as per Figure 9 and in doing this it will enable 
 you to make the frames bend nice and fair where thev 
 cross the 'keef. Cut the keel to the required length, shape 
 the after end to fit the transom knee, the forward end to 
 
 'iecrio/^ AT ^r^Tiorfi 
 
 <Scctioai at SrAr/ev*/g 
 
 Fig. g. Section Through Keel at Stations No. 6 and 12 
 
 fit the stem, and the keel is ready for setting up on the 
 form. 
 
 The knee for the transom is to be of oak or hackmatack, 
 preferably the latter, as it is lighter. It is to be sided 
 three inches and cut to shape as shown on plans-. Draw 
 a line through the center of the after side and trim to the 
 same bevel as the transom, and ttien on either side of the 
 centerline ^ inch out, draw another line which will repre- 
 sent the rabbet line ; on either side of the knee parallel 
 to the face draw a line the thickness of the plank for 
 transom and cut the rabbet, (see Figure 11). This knee, 
 when you have finished the rabbet for the transom, can be 
 fastened to the keel with 5-16-inch bolts riveted over 
 washers. Take care that you do not get any bolts through 
 the knee where they would be likely to interfere with the 
 rudder port. Before proceeding any further with the 
 framework for the boat it would be as well to make up 
 
 the stocks to hold the boat while being constructed. For 
 the form of the keel you can take a piece of spruce plank 
 2 inches in thickness, about 10 inches wide and 25 feet 
 in length. Mark on same the shape of the keel bottom, 
 and the stations, saw to th6 line, square the edge where 
 the keel will set on same, and set this form up on posts 
 made of 2x3 or 2x4-inch. spruce. 
 
 The bottom of the keel should be about 2>4 feet above 
 fhe floor so that in planking the boat, you will have ample 
 room to work under it. Strike a line on the floor and set 
 the posts to this line, at either end of the form cutting the 
 posts at such a height that the distance from the floor to 
 the upper edge of the form at stations Nos. 2 and 23 are 
 proportionately the same height above the floor a,s they 
 would be above the baseline. 
 
 Perhaps it will simplify matters for you if you make a 
 mark on these posts representing the baseline and measure 
 up from same to the top of the mold and the height at 
 the different stations would be the same as is given in the 
 table of heights above baseline to keel bottom. Of course, 
 you must make sure that the line representing the baseline 
 is i>erfectly level irrespective of the floor as you will un- 
 doubtedly work from the Hne. 
 
 About 5 posts in all would be enough to support this 
 boat. Brace them in both directions so that they will be 
 perfectly rigid. (See Fig. 12.) Sight along the upper side 
 of mold to ascertain that it is straight and you can proceed 
 to get the keel ready to fasten to same. Fasten the stem 
 to the keel with 5-16-inch bolts riveted over washers. 
 The keel can be fastened to the form with long screws 
 placed about 2 feet apart. Put washers under the screw 
 heads and this will enable you to draw the keel down to 
 the shape of the form without pulling the hpads into the 
 wood. Plumb the stem and with staylaths fasten to the 
 rafters in order to hold it in position, plumb the transom 
 knee and secure by staylaths in the same manner as the 
 stem. Before you proceed any further, it would be advisa- 
 ble to check the keel, etc., in order to ascertain whether 
 the centerline is straight. 
 
 We will assume that you have Set the stem and the 
 transom knee plumb, so you can take 'an awl or small nail, 
 drive it in the centerline at the head of the stem and an- 
 other in the centerline at the head of the transom knee, 
 stretch a strong line or piano wire from one to the othe'jr, 
 then take your plumb bob and drop a line from same. 
 If the point of the bob intersects the centerline of the keel 
 at either end or in fact anywhere along the line you can 
 rest assured that the centerline of the keel is straight. 
 
 If you have laid out on the floor the centerline of the 
 shaft you can now transfer it to the keel and bore the 
 hole as it can be done more readily before the molds or 
 frames are in place. Having finished boring the hole 
 you can turn your attention to the finishing of the rabbet- 
 line on the lower end of the stem where it connects with 
 the keel, and unless you have already done so, it is well to 
 fair the rabbetline at the forward end of the keel. The 
 forward sections intersect the keel at an acute angle, 
 which diminishes as you work aft. The bevel of the 
 rabbt^line at any station can be taken from the lines laid 
 down on the floor. Some builders will not finish trim- 
 ing the rabbet on keel until the molds are in position and 
 use them as a guide for the bevels, but you will not save 
 any time by adopting this method. The transom should 
 be gotten out and fastened to the knee before you set up 
 
 99 
 
the molds. Select a nice clear piece of white pine H 
 inch thick, large enough to make both sides. 
 
 TftANSOM f^ANK 
 
 /9f 
 
 Fig. II. Section Through Knee, Showing Angle 
 
 Mark out the shape as per plan showing half ot the 
 transom (Fig. 13) cut out two pieces, one for either side. 
 The dimensiotis given on the drawing are taken from the 
 center of the knee, and as there is a half inch of stock 
 on either side of the knee where the transom plank sets 
 into the rabbet, you will have to take off a half inch from 
 both of the pieces. Carefully trim and fair the edges, 
 
 then mark on the inside of both pieces the shape of the 
 mside of the plank at this point. Now mark another line 
 around the edge where the plank will be fastened to same, 
 this line to be about % inch in from the afterside. Cut 
 from the line on the forward side of these pieces to the 
 line on the edge. By having the y& inch of stock at the 
 alter edge, you will have olenty of material to calk to 
 when you calk the ends of the plank, and will not have 
 the inconvenience of breaking out little pieces along the 
 edge as so often happens with the amateur if the edges 
 of the transom are brought to a knife edge. 
 
 The frame, or check pieces, which are to be fastened 
 to the forward side of the transom, should be made of 
 oak about 1% inches wide and ^ inches thick. They 
 need not be in one piece and can be made up in sections 
 if you desire. See that they are trimmed to the right 
 shape and the edges bevelled to the right angle so that 
 Uie inner side of the plank will set fair against same 
 The bevels can be obtained from the full-size drawing by 
 takinc the angle at which the waterlines meet the transom, 
 f-asten the cheek pieces securely in position and then you 
 can fasten the two pieces of the transom plank to the 
 knee. Ascertain that they are set in the right position, 
 and then measure out from the centerline of the keel to 
 some point on either side oi the transom ; this will show 
 you whether transom is true with the centerline of the keel 
 When you have it in the right position, fasten well with 
 staylaths to prevent it from getting out of shape 
 
 Part II 
 
 DIMENSIONS. 
 
 Length, over all 25 feet, 9J^ inches. 
 
 Length, waterline 24 feet, inches. 
 
 ' Breadth, extreme 5 feet, inches. 
 
 Breadth, waterline 4 feet, 5!4 inches. 
 
 Draft to Rabbet feet, W^i inches. 
 
 YOU can then proceed to set up the molds, starting 
 amidship or at either end. Set all molds forward 
 • of station No. 12, so that the forward edges are on 
 the marks representing the stations, and those aft of sta- 
 tion No. 12 so that the after edges are on the lines repre- 
 .senting the stations. The reason for this is occasioned by 
 the fact that the boat diminishes in breadth fore and aft 
 of the station named and the edges of the molds beirig 
 square would not admit of the shape of the hull being 
 the same as the design. If you placed the center of the 
 molds over the line representing the stations it would 
 carry the forward edge of the mold forward of the sta- 
 tions from the stem to the amidship station, and vice versa 
 from that point aft, which would increase the size. of the 
 sections. You could bevel all the molds if you desired, 
 but in order to do this you would have to go to a lot of 
 unnecessary labor. 
 
 Fasten the molds to the keel with screws, plumb the face 
 of mold and also plumb the centerline, and when you are 
 sure that it is in the correct position fasten with stay- 
 laths to the rafters Set up all the molds in this manner, 
 and before you put on any battens go carefully over each 
 mold to avoid any possible mistake. Stretch the chalk line 
 from end to end in a line with the L.W.L., then go care- 
 fully over each mold to ascertain that the L.W.L. marked 
 on same is nnt above or below the chalk line. 
 
 If correct, you can proceed to put on the battens. These 
 can be made of either spruce or yellow pine. If the latter, 
 make them about i^ inches square, and long enough to 
 reach from the stem to the transom; if of spruce, about 
 i^ inches square. Get clear stock so that they will bend 
 fair. Start with the upper batten, which you should place 
 so that the lower edge touches the marks representing 
 the sheerline, .fasten the forward end in the rabbet of the 
 stem with a screw, bend carefully around the moldfe and 
 fasten to each one until you get to t\\r last two molds, and 
 before fastening to them cut the end of the batten so that 
 it will fit the rabbet of the transom; after fastening this 
 batten you should put in the upper batten on the opposite 
 side. The battens should be spaced about 9 inches apart 
 at the largest section or station, No. 12, and about equi- 
 distant at the other molds, etc. 
 
 If, by any chance, you find that the rabbet on the stem 
 or transom is not cut to the correct bevel you should trim 
 it fair before you fasten the batten. I should suggest 
 that you put two battens close together at a point above 
 six inches out from the keel on either side, or else use a 
 batten a trifle heavier than the others on accoui ' of the 
 extra strain in making the short bend in the fra les afteri 
 they have crossed the keel. You will save considerable 
 time when you start to bend the frames into the battens 
 if you will mark on the keel, the upper batten, and one of 
 the battens near the turn of the bilge, the position of the 
 frames, as it will save you making a number of measure- 
 ments. 
 
 The specifications call for frames 5^ x f^ inches, spaced 
 6 inches center to center, and to be continuous from sheer 
 
 100 
 
to sheer from station No. 6 aft. You will need some good 
 clear white oak. The butts of young trees furnish the best 
 stock and they should be free from knots and straight 
 grained. 
 
 Unless you have a steam box you will have to make one 
 to steam the frames in before you can bend them in the 
 boat. I know of instances where the frames have been 
 bent to the required shape after being immersed in a 
 trough of hot water, but the making of a steam box is a 
 simple matter and as the longest frame will not be more 
 than 9 feet long, allowing for a surplus on either side, you 
 can get along very well with a box about 12 to 14 inches 
 square and 10 feet long. Use spruce or pine, and make 
 the joints tight, either by putting in strips of flannel laid 
 in white lead or calk the seams with cotton. The latter 
 method is preferable. Close up one end, and make a door 
 for the other end. It is quite immaterial how you procure 
 the steam for the box. You can use an old iron kettle 
 or wash-boiler, or anything of that description that will be 
 suitable fqr boiling a quantity of water in. Pipe from 
 the kettle or boiler to the under side of the steam box. 
 The steam does not want to be dry and hot, but should 
 be wet, and in order to obtain the best results you will 
 not need to have a great amount of heat under the boiler, 
 simply enough to keep generating steam. Put a number of 
 frames in the box and steam for 10 minutes ; take out one 
 of the frames and see if it bends easily ; if so, you can 
 start to bend in the frames, otherwise you will have to 
 give them more time to get thoroughly saturated with the 
 steam. 
 
 You will find that the bending in of the frames is a 
 mighty slow job unless you can get some one to help you 
 in handling them. Take one of the frames and start to 
 bend it inside of the battens. You will find that it readily 
 takes the required shape, and if you have someone to help 
 you he can nail the frames to the inside of the battens as 
 you bend them in. The frame should be Sprung over the 
 keel and first fastened to the strong or double batten next 
 to the keel, and then work outward and up. Use small 
 common wire nails to fasten the frames to the battens, 
 as they will have to be taken out when you remove the 
 battens. The frames, where they cross the keel, should be 
 fastened with galvanized iron nails in preference to cop- 
 per, as they are much stronger. If you prefer to use 
 copper, get the hard nails for this part of the work, for 
 while they will easily drive through the frame while it is 
 wet and pliable, they will not drive easily into the oak 
 keel. 
 
 I should suggest that you start putting in the frames at 
 the largest sections, and by doing so you will have ac- 
 quired the knack of bending them, and gained some ex- 
 perience before you start the bending of the frames at the 
 after end where the topsides "tumble home." Frames 
 forward of Station No. 6 do not cross the keel, and the 
 heels of the same will have to be cut to fit properly, and 
 the same thing applies to the frames in the wake of the 
 stem and knee. The heels of these frames must be well 
 fastened to the keel or stem. 
 
 When you have finished putting in all the frames, you 
 can get out the she'erstrakes. If you are going to finish 
 the sheerstrakesin natural wood varnished, you had bet- 
 ter use either oak or mahogany. The latter material is 
 called for in the specifications. The thickness is to be 7-16, 
 inch. Procure a board long enough to extend from the 
 stem to the transom in one piece, if possible, and if you 
 intend to use mahogany there should be no difficulty in ob- 
 taining boards of the requisite length. 
 
 In order to get the shape of the sheerstrake you will 
 need a staff or spiling batten, and this can be made from a 
 piece of pine, cedar or spruce about ^ inch thick, 8 inches 
 wide and long enough to extend from end to end. or you 
 can fasten two pieces together to make the required length. 
 Take this spiling batten and bend around the outside of the 
 
 frames below the line representing the sheer. If the sec- 
 ond batten from the top is in the way, it can be removed 
 without fear of disturbing the frames. See that the spiling 
 batten lies flat and close to the frames, and don't try to 
 spring it edgewise. Fasten it temporarily in position with 
 clamps or small brads, then mEifk on- the battens at each 
 mold a line corresponding to the stations. Take your 
 compasses, set them open a trifle wider than the greatest 
 distance between the edge of the spiling batten and the 
 sheerline on the molds and at each of these places sweep 
 in a segment of a circle on the batten, cutting the vertical 
 lines corresponding to the stations 
 
 Remove the spiling batten, and using same as a guide 
 you can proceed to mark out the sheerstrake by proceeding 
 as follows : Place the spiling batten on the piece of wood 
 you intend to use for the sheerstrake, leaving the upper 
 edge far enough away from the edge of the board to make 
 sure that you will have room enough to get the proper 
 curve without going beyond the edge of the board;- take 
 your compasses and set them open to about the same dis- 
 tance as you used when marking the arcs or segments of 
 a circle on the spiling batten, set the spur leg on the points 
 where the arc crosses the straight line and draw a seg- 
 ment of a circle on the board. Repeat this at each place 
 you have marked, and then cut the arcs on the board with 
 a line carried through the straight line on the spiling bat- 
 ten. Remove the spiling batten and take one of the bat- 
 tens you used in laying down the lines, bend to the points 
 where the right lines cross the arcs and when you have it 
 so that it cuts all the points draw a line through them, 
 cut the board to this line and you have the shape of the 
 upper edge of the sheerstrake. The shape of the lower 
 edge is easily obtained, but you must first determine the 
 width you desire to have this sheerstrake. It should not 
 be more than 4j4 inches at the widest place, which would 
 be between stations No. 12 and No. 14. I would suggest 
 that you make it 4 inches wide at Station No. 12, 3 inches 
 at Station No. 2 and 3^ inches at Station No. 23. Mark 
 these widths on the board you have cut for the sheerstrake, 
 measuring from the finished edge, and then, with a strong 
 batten bent to the required shape, draw a line cutting the 
 points you have marked, which will produce a fair curve, 
 saw and plane to line and you have the shape of the sheer- 
 strake. 
 
 Yoii will need a duplicate of this for the opposite side 
 and you can lay same on the board that you intend to 
 use for the other side, mark around it, and cut to shape. 
 Take one of these strakes and proceed to set in position 
 preparatory to fastening, bring the upper edge to within 
 half an inch of the sheerline, for, as before mentioned, 
 this line represents the top of the planksheer, which is to 
 be half an inch in thickness; use your clamps to hold it in 
 place, fit the forward end in the rabbet of stem and fasten 
 with brass screws 
 
 The fastenings in the frames are to be copper nails and 
 the round wire nail would be the best. Sink the heads of 
 the fastening into the planking deep enough to allow for 
 covering them with wood plugs. Put one fastening through 
 each frame at the upper and lower edges alternately ; there 
 are more fastenings to go through the sheerstrake and 
 frames when the clamps and sill are fitted in. 
 
 When you have fastened the sheerstrake to within about 
 3 feet of the transom, you should cut the end of the plank 
 so that it will fit nicely into the rabbet. Take your time 
 in doing this, for if you cut it too short you will spoil the 
 sheerstrake. When fitted, fasten with brass screws and 
 finish fastening the other frames. Repeat this operation 
 with the sheerstrake on the opposite side, and after put- 
 ting on the burrs and riveting the fastenings you can 
 give your attention to the garboard, such being the name 
 of the plank next to the keel. 
 
 To obtain the shape of the garboard you will have tc 
 proceed in much the same manner as you did when get 
 
 101 
 
ting out the shape of the sheerstrake. In this case, how- 
 ever, you will work from the rabbet in keel instead of the 
 marks on the upper part of the molds. A great deal more 
 care is required to fit a garboard properly than a sheer- 
 strake, as it is absolutely necessary that it should fit the 
 rabbet in the keel very closely. Take your spiling batten, 
 or if you -have some more material of about the same 
 thickness use that in preference to the spiling batten, for if 
 you trim same to fit the rabbet as I am going to suggest, 
 you are apt to spoil the batten. Take the spiling batten 
 or a piece of wood of about the same dimensions and bend 
 to the frames close to the keel; put on this batten some 
 marks corresponding to the molds or other marks that you 
 put on the keel, taking due care that the marks are at 
 right angles to the keel, then take your compass, open them 
 a trifle wider than the greatest distance from the rabbet 
 to the edge of the batten, and, keeping the spur leg in the 
 corner of the rabbet, draw a series of arcs across the right 
 lines you have drawn on the batten. When you work to- 
 ward the forward end where the rabbet on the keel con- 
 nects with the rabbet on the stem, you will need to make 
 the right lines close together in order to get the correct 
 shape at this sharp turn. When you have got all the 
 points properly marked remove the batten, and then, after 
 drawing a line through the points, cut it to the required 
 shape and fit it to the rabbet. If there are any places that 
 need trimming, you can readily see where to pare, and 
 unless you have made a poor job of taking the spiling or 
 else not trimmed the batten carefully, you will have but 
 very little work to make the batten fit nicely into the rab- 
 bet. When properly fitted, you can mark out the shape of 
 the lower edge of the garboard on the piece of plank you 
 intend to usfe for thi's purpose. The shape of the other 
 edge is dbtained in practically the same manner as you 
 did the •tower edge of the sheerstrake. 
 
 As each builder has his own ideas regarding the width 
 of the garboard, either amidship or at the after end, and 
 how far up on the stem he will have the forward end, 
 it is scarcely worth while trying to set down any rule for 
 this. You will not be very far astray if you make the gar- 
 board about 6 inches wide at Station No. 6, 5 inches at 
 Station No. 2, and 5 inches at ihe transom. These dimen- 
 sions need not be followed exactly, but should be kept in 
 about the same ratio. 
 
 I will assume that you have learned, by this time, that 
 the edge of the planks, whether garboard or any other 
 strake, should be a fair curve. When you have one of 
 the garboards cut to shape and planed fair and true on 
 the edges, you can draw a duplicate of same on a piece of 
 board for the garboard on the opposite side, and then you 
 can proceed to fasten in position the one you have al- 
 ready fitted However, before you do so, it is necessary 
 to put stopwatbrs in the joints where the stem connects 
 with the keel. Bore a hole }i inch diameter through the 
 joint in the rabbet, and fill same with a soft pine plug. 
 This will prevent the water working through the joint 
 when the garboard seam is calked ; also put a stopwater 
 through the joint at the after end of the keel, and transom 
 knee. You will probably find it necessary to steam the 
 forward end of the garboard, as there is considerable twist 
 to it. There is no need to steam more than S or 6 feet of 
 the forward end. 
 
 When you have it well saturated 'fit the forward end in 
 the rabbet, taking special care to have it come in the same 
 position as it was when you took the spiling and fitted it. 
 Tasten with brass screws, spacing them about 3^4 inches 
 apart until well around the curve at the forward end. Fas- 
 ten the upper edge of the plank to the frames with copper 
 -nails, first countersmking for the head. The fastenings in 
 the lower edge are to go through the keel above the rabbet, 
 -one fastening to go through the keel and each frame, and 
 one through the keel between each of the frames. When 
 boring for the fasaenings, take care to have the hole 
 
 through the center of the frame. The frames that cross 
 thfe keel will not touch the center of the garboard, it simply 
 bears in the rabbet and on the outer edge, and inasmuch 
 as there should be one fastening at each frame through 
 the center of the garboards if they are made the width 
 suggested, or wider, and it will be necessary to cut some 
 wedge-shaped pieces of wood to fit between the frames and 
 plank at these points before you rivet them, otherwise 
 when you riveted the nails you would draw the center of 
 the plank out of shape. The garboard on the opposite side 
 can be fastened in position, and you should bear in mind 
 that the upper edge of the forward end ought to be in a 
 direct line across the stem from the one on the opposite 
 side. 
 
 Before getting 6ut or putting on any more of the lower 
 planks, it would be well to fit the keelsons and fasten them 
 in position, as you can do this so much easier at this time 
 than after the planking is in position; but in order to set 
 the keelsons it will be necessary to remove the molds, and 
 before you do that you had better put on three or four 
 strakes on either side below the sheerstrake. so as to bind 
 the frame together, and make sure that it will not change 
 its shape when the molds are removed. 
 
 In order to find out the widths of the strakes you must 
 first determine how many planks you will have on either 
 side. Start with the frame that has the greatest distance 
 between the edge of the garboard and the sheerstrake, 
 and space out the planks on same. The widest, planks 
 should be nearest the keel and the narrowest ^t the turn 
 of the bilge. If you made the garboard 6 inches wide at 
 the frame you are measuring on, you could space off 5>4 
 inches for the next plank, then 4>4, 4j4> 4. and the balance 
 about 3J^ inches. Mark on the stem, around the transom, 
 and two intervening points the spacing of the plank, keep- 
 ing the widths in about the same ratio. When you have 
 them marked" on the different frames you will be able to 
 ascertain how the plank will appear when in position, and 
 if these point^ do not seem to come in a fair line go care- 
 fully over the spacing again, find out where the error ils 
 and rectify it. 
 
 All the planking of the boat should be widest at the 
 'midship section, and from this point forward and aft they 
 should have 'a gradual taper, and not be ^vide^ eithet for- 
 ward or aft of the 'midship section. This does not apply 
 to the garboard, for in some instances the shape of the 
 garboard is very peculiar, and if .the boat had a different 
 type of stem it would not apply to the planking. 
 
 You will not need any instructions how to get out the 
 planks, for the marks on the frames will give yoti the 
 widths at the different poiftts, and you will work first from 
 the lower edge of the sheerstrake, taking the spiling frorn 
 same, transferring it to the plank, cut to shape- then set off 
 the widths at the proper places, draw. a line through the 
 points and cut the lower edge to shape. When you have 
 the plank cut to the required shape you will find that if 
 the edge of the plank is left square with the face that 
 when you set this edge up to the edge of the sheerstrake 
 the seam is open wider in the center than at the ends, and 
 you must trim the edge so as to have the seams open on 
 the outside about 1-16 of an inch the entire length. Take 
 the bevels off the edge of the sheerstrake at intervals and 
 plane the edge or the plank that is to be fastened next to 
 same to correspond to these bevels or nearly, so, as the 
 joints of all the planks should be tight on the inside and 
 open on the outside so as to receive the calking cotton. 
 You must keep in mind the fact that all the planks wjll 
 have to be bevelled. Another thing to which I will call 
 your attention at this time is the fact that, after you have 
 put on one or two strakes below the sheerstrake you will 
 have to cope Or hollow the planks on the inside so that 
 they will fit close to the frames, and as the specifications 
 call for the planking to finish 7-16 inch in thickness, the 
 planks that are coped will have to be thicker than the: 
 
 102 
 
others. If the coping amounts to about 1-16 of an inch or 
 mcic, have the plank that much thicker and when you 
 have it coped to fit set your gauge to 7-16 inch and from 
 the inside of plank mark both the upper and lower edges, 
 and then bevel them from the outside of the plank to the 
 gauge mark, the bevel being about I inch in length. This 
 will materially assist you when you plane the outside of 
 the planking, for if you jack the plank down until you are 
 close to the seams that are bevelled in this manner you 
 can be reasonably sure that the plank will be an even 
 thickness. 
 
 After you have fastened four strakes on either side you 
 can remove the molds. As you take each one out, fasten 
 a brace across the upper edge from one side to the other, 
 nailing them to the frames to prevent the boat spreading, 
 and also secure with staylaths overhead at intervals. 
 
 You can now give your attention to the keelsons. These 
 should be in one length. Select two nice, clear pieces of 
 spruce and plane to the required thickness; measure out 
 from the center of the keel to the inside of the keelsons. 
 The plans show that these are to be spaced 17 inches 
 apart, therefore, you will measure out from the centerline 
 half that distance,. and mark the frames at intervals. Take 
 one of the pieces and set it to the marks on the inside of 
 the frames. It will not touch any of the frames in the 
 wake of Station No. 12 by several inches, but if you fasten 
 it in some manner or another, keeping it upright, you can 
 get the shape of the lower edge by taking your compasses 
 and marking it at intervals in much the same manner as 
 you take the spiling of the plank. Remove the piece and 
 after bending a batten to the points and drawing a line 
 through same, cut to shape. If you feel satisfied that you 
 can get the correct shape the first time, it would pay you 
 to take the trouble of marking both sides of this keelson 
 and thus get the bevel, and also mark the places that have 
 to be cut out to allow it to fit over the frames. If you are 
 not sure of your ability in this line, you had better trim 
 roughly as suggested, then set it in position, fasten with 
 clamps or some simple method, and proceed to mark on 
 both sides the location of the frames, setting a straight 
 line on either side of the frames, and the compasses will 
 be brought into play again to mark the required depth 
 that the keelson is to be cut to allow it to fit over the 
 frames. 
 
 1 would suggest that you allow a depth of about 1-16 
 inch more than the thickness of the frames, so that the 
 lower edge of the keelson will project below the frames, 
 and then when it is in position you can plane oflf the sur- 
 plus stock; and if this is done carefully the inside of the 
 plank will fit tight against the lower edge of the keelson. 
 Both keelsons will have to be fitted in the same manner and 
 the height at the diflferent stations can be taken from the 
 plans. When you fasten them in position, use either gal- 
 vanized iron nails or brass screws, bore through the frame 
 and fasten into the keelson at each alternate frame. 
 
 As the bilge clamps are easier to set in position before 
 the boat is planked, you might as well put them in before 
 proceeding with the planking. 
 
 The specifications call for tl;e bilge clamps to be made 
 of spruce ^ x 3 inches. Select good, clear stock and work 
 to the required shape. They are to be tapered to 2 inches 
 at the ends, and this taper should be about 8 feet long at 
 the forward end and about 6 feet at the after end. Plane 
 and finish them before you fasten in position. Spring 
 the center in to the frames at the same point as shown on 
 the plans, and the forward end to approximately the same 
 point as shown on plans, although you must be guided to 
 a great extent by thS shape it assumes. It is not advisable 
 to spring it edgewise, and it should be allowed to assume 
 such a shape that it will lie close to the frames and not 
 have either of the edges standing up from same. When 
 you are sure you have it in the correct position, fasten 
 with copper nails 3-32-inch diameter and rivet over burrs 
 
 on the inside. The fastenings should be alternately near 
 the upper and lower edge, one fastening through each 
 frame. When the bilge clamps are in position, you can 
 start planking again. Start with the plank next to the 
 garboard and work upwards. After fastening a plank on 
 one side fasten the duplicate on the other side ; don't put 
 two or three planks on one side of the boat and then two 
 or three on the opposite side. Watch the forward and 
 after ends of the planks as you progress and see that you 
 do not gain faster on one side than the other, for if there 
 is anything that looks bad it is to have the wood ends on 
 one side of the stem or transom higher than the,y are on 
 the other side. However, if you are careful to shape and 
 fit the planks to the marks you have made on the frames 
 you are not likely to experience this trouble. 
 
 The last plank to be fitted in is called the shutter, and 
 I should advise you taking a spiling for both edges of this 
 and for both sides of the boat, for if there is any variation 
 in the space on either side it will be necessary. Take par- 
 ticular care to have the shutter large enough; it should 
 be a good driving fit, and it will then help to tighten up 
 all the planking. You will find that you cannot rivet the 
 nails over burrs where the fastenings come in the wake 
 of the bilge clamps, and the best plan would be to fasten 
 the planks at such places with brass screws. 
 
 If, for any reason, you prefer to use planks that are not 
 full length you can do so. The joints should come be- 
 tween the frames and be well fastened to oak butt blocks. 
 Make the blocks the same thickness as the frames and cut 
 to the shape of the inside of the plank. The blocks should 
 extend from frame to frame and be about 1/2 inch wider 
 than the plank which butts on them. 
 
 The seams should be roughed down with a jack-plane 
 before the boat is calked, but there is no need to try to 
 plane the outside smooth until after the calking has been 
 done, for then it can be planed to much bfetter advantage. 
 
 If you have decided to calk the boat yourself, you can 
 now proceed with same; but I should strongly advise your 
 procuring the services of an experienced man. In spite 
 of the fact that it looks easy to do such work when you 
 watch a calker driving in cotton, there is a great deal 
 more to it than appears to the amateur. It is not simply 
 a matter of driving in cotton; a great deal depends upon 
 how much cotton rs required, and how hard to drive it. If 
 you want to finish the job yourself, and would like to do 
 this calking, take a small strip of fine calking cotton and 
 drive it into the seams, using a thin calking iron and mal- 
 let. This cotton should not be driven in the seam in a line 
 like a piece of rope, but keep catching back a loop every 
 inch or so, and tap it in place until you have proceeded in 
 this manner for a few feet, then go over it with the calk- 
 ing iron and drive it in. until it is about Yz of an inch be- 
 low the surface of the plank. If you find it drives in easy 
 use more" cotton, if too hard, less cotton. The man who 
 makes a business of calking when he finishes to a certain 
 point leaves the end of the cotton showing and does not 
 drive this in place until he starts to continue the calking 
 of the seam, and in this manner avoids missing any places. 
 You will have to calk the seam in the stem, and also 
 around' the transom. The garboard seam will probably 
 require more cotton than any of the others, but this de- 
 pends entirely upon how well you have done y-our work, 
 whether the seams are large or small. 
 
 The deck clamps, which are to be of spruce, J^ x 3 
 inches amidship, tapered at the ends the same as the 
 bilge clamps,, can now be gotten out. Select good clear 
 stock ; small fine knots are not detrimental, but avoid 
 any stock with large knots or short grain, as the clamps 
 should be strong. Set the upper edge of the clamp the 
 proper distance (see plans) and fasten in position, using 
 bolts or nails 3-32-inch diameter. The fastenings are to be 
 through sheerstrake, frame and clamp and to be riveted 
 over burrs on the inside. Do not place them in a direct 
 
 103 
 
line; they should be staggered, being placed alternately 
 near the upper and lower edges of the clamp. When ^ou 
 have finished fastening the clamps you can get out the 
 quarter knees, fit them and fasten to the clamp and tran- 
 som, and then get out the breast hook ; fit this carefully to 
 the stem and inside of the sheerstrake and fasten securely. 
 It is a good plan to make the -breast hook high enough in 
 the center to allow of it being worked down to the crown 
 of the underside of the deck. 
 
 The shelves are to be of spruce, to finish % x 2^ inches, 
 and you will require two pieces long enough to make them 
 without any joint; cut and plane to the prciper size, and 
 then bevel the edge so as to have the upper side on the 
 same bevel as the planksheer, clamp in position and fasten 
 through the sheerstrake. It is advisable to fasten this 
 shelf through each third frame, selecting such frames as 
 have the fastenings through the clamp near the lower 
 edges, otherwise you would in all probability get too many 
 fastenings through the heads of the frames, and thus tend 
 to weaken them. Put in a few fastenings through the 
 
 ', shelf into the upper edge of the clamp; one about every 
 
 I 20 inches would be sufficient. 
 
 For the after deck you will require three beams ]4xi}i 
 
 the point B, draw the curve C a b c B. This curve will 
 be a segrnent of a circle, but as it only represents half of 
 the beam, and if A N is made equal to A B and a similar 
 construction made, then B t M will represent the curve of 
 the beam. When you have constructed one of these arcs 
 you will find that it is a very simple matter to make the 
 others, and if you set out each beam in this manner you 
 will find that the centerline of the forward deck is a 
 straight line, and the curve of the deck fair and true. 
 When you have cut out the beams, fasten them to the 
 clamps and then get out the coaming knees. Make these 
 of spruce, fasten well to the beams, etc., and trim the 
 upper side so that you will have a fair curve. Trim the 
 inside edge of the knees so that they are plumb and cut to 
 the same curve as the forward end of the coamiiig. Fit in 
 between the beams blocks for the bleat and cowl ventilator 
 as per plans. 
 
 You can now give your attention to the pieces to make 
 the planksheer, which is the plank on the outer edge of 
 the deck. The specifications call for this to be made of 
 mahogany J4 inch thick ; it is to be 4 inches in width, from 
 the after end of the cockpit to a point about 2 feet aft 
 of the forward end of the coaming aro.und the hood, and 
 
 o p 
 
 Fig. 10 — Showing Method of Constructing Curve for Beams 
 
 inches. The camber or crown of the after-deck beams is 
 2>4 inches in 4 feet. Cut the ends of the beams into the 
 clamp about % inch and fasten to same. Set in between 
 the beams a block of oak as shown on the construction 
 plan for the tow-post to be mortised through. Trim the 
 quarter knees to the same crown as the deck beams and 
 the after deck frame will be ready for the deck plank. 
 
 The beams for the forward deck are .segments of cir- 
 cles, each one having a different radius,. The simplest way 
 for you to get put these beams is to saw them to shape, 
 for if they were bent to shape you would have to make a 
 separate mold for each one. One method of getting the 
 curve of these beams is to sweep in the curve by using a 
 long stafT with a pencil attachment at one end, but as this 
 requires a long arm to get the proper radius the best and 
 simplest way is to construct the curve geometrically. 
 There are several methods of constructing a segment of a 
 circle, that has a radius greater than can be drawn with 
 the usual compasses, but I will deal with one of the sim- 
 plest for the benefit of those who are not well versed in 
 geometry. 
 
 We will take as ai} example the beam at, the forward 
 end of the coaming; the center of the beam is 3% inches 
 above the edge of the sheerstrake, and the width of the 
 boat at this point measured inside of the upper edge of 
 the sheerstrake is 45 inches. Using these dimensions for 
 the base and height, you can proceed to construct a curve 
 as per Fig. 10. Draw a straight line, A B, equal to half 
 the length of the beam, from the point A draw A C per- 
 pendicular to A B and' in length equal to the crown of 
 the beam, draw a line from B to C, and from the point B 
 draw B P perpendicular to B C; through C draw C P 
 parallel to A B. Divide A B and C P into any number 
 of equal parts, the same number in each, and join those 
 opposite to each other as D G, E H. F I. Through B draw 
 B O perpendicular to A B, cutting C P at O. Divide 
 B O into the same number of equal parts as A B or C P 
 and join C with each of the divisions. Then through the 
 point C, the point a where D G cuts C J, the point b 
 where E H cuts C K. the point c where F I cuts C L. and 
 
 from this point forward it is to have a slight taper; the 
 after end should also be slightly tapered. You will have 
 to cut this plank to the proper shape before starting to 
 fasten it, and if you have been able to get out the proper 
 shape of the different planks there is scarcely any need 
 for me to explain how to get the shape of the planksheer. 
 You will not he able to get it out of one piece on account 
 of the curve, and therefore I would suggest that you have 
 the joint about midway bet\yeen the forward and after 
 end of the engine hood. Naturally you will have to be 
 guided to some extent by the length and width of the stock 
 you can procure. When you have the pieces cut out for 
 the planksheer, begin to fasten at the forward end and 
 work aft; fasten in position the pieces across the after end 
 of the after deck, and strike a centerline on the deck 
 beams fore and aft. This line is to be used as a guide for 
 laying the deck plank. 
 
 The specifications call for the deck plank to be made of 
 mahogany yi inch thick and 3 inches in width. Starting 
 with the after deck, bring the edge of the first piece up to 
 the centerline, fit the after end and fasten with brass 
 screws, countersinking the heads so that the fastenings 
 can be covered with wood plugs. Work in the plank on 
 either side, fastening them as soon as you fit them, and 
 before fitting the next one. Proceed in this manner until 
 the deck is covered and you can proceed in the same man- 
 ner to cover the forward deck. If you are particularly 
 anxious to make a very nice job of the deck, you can taper 
 each piece of plank, and not carry them on a straight line, 
 as suggested. To obtain the shape of the planks if worked 
 in this manner, you would have to decide first how many 
 pieces of plank you intended to use; space them on the 
 beam having the greatest length and then space the rest 
 of the beams for the same number of plank. It is much 
 the same operation as I suggested for setting out the 
 planks after you had the sheerstrake and garboard in 
 position 
 
 The under side of the plank for the forward deck will 
 undoubtedly have to be coped to fit the round of the beams. 
 
 Calk the seams lightly with a fine thread of yacht cot- 
 
 104 
 
ton, and if the deck is to be finished bright, plane roughly 
 to the required shape and fill the seams with white lead 
 putty, unless you prefer to use the elastic seam composi- 
 jion or marine glue. The final finishing of the deck should 
 not be considered at this stage of the game; it is far better 
 to leave this until all the principal woodwork is finished. 
 
 The. engine-bed should be fitted and fastened before you 
 start- ft) put in the beams for the cockpit deck. 
 
 Tftc length of the bearers for the engine-bed wilFdepend 
 to a great extent upon the engine you intend installing, 
 and that will also govern the thickness of same. The spec- 
 ifications call for the bearers to be sided 2 inches. They 
 should be fitted over the frames the same as the lower edge 
 of the keelsons, and be well fastened to same. The height 
 of the upper edge of the fore and aft bearers would be de- 
 termined by the distance the underside of the engine-bed 
 where it rests on the bearers is above or below the center- 
 line of the crank-shaft. You will have to obtain the meas- 
 urement before fitting the fore and aft bearers, and should 
 also obtain the width that will be required between the 
 bearers. 
 
 To obtain the line of the center of the shaft, you should 
 use a piece of very hard laid fish line, or, better still, a 
 piece of piano wire. Set out the height on the post sup- 
 porting the after end of the stocks, and another point in- 
 side of the boat well forward of where the flywheel of 
 the engine will set. Fasten a piece of board to the frames 
 and have the upper edge a trifle higher than the center of 
 the line at this point^cui a nick in the edge, so that when 
 the wire sets in same it will be the proper height, take the 
 other end through the hole in the keel, and as the form 
 will prevent your drawing the line directly aft to the point 
 representing the center of the shaft, you will have to bore 
 through the form or you can cut part of it away, so long 
 as you leave enough to support the boat properly. Bore a 
 hole through the center of the end-post and, pulling the 
 wire through this to the required height, draw it as taut 
 as possible,' and you can then measure to this line, either 
 up or down as the case may be for the upper side of the 
 engine bearers. 
 
 When you have them fitted and fastened, if there is 
 room enough between the after side of the flywheel and 
 the forward end of the crank-case to admit of using a 
 good-sized athwartship bearer, it is a good plan to fit one 
 in position and if possible to bolt through the keelsons, 
 fore and aft bearers and the athwartship bearer, as it 
 makes the engine-bed more solid and tends to eliminate 
 the vibration of the engine by distributing it more evenly. 
 One of these athwartship bearers at the after end of the 
 engine is also to be recommended. 
 
 If you have your engine on hand, it would be advisable 
 to set it in position and fasten to the bed and then line up 
 the shaft and fit the shaft tube, otherwise ycu will have 
 to leave part of the cockpit deck open until the shaft tube 
 is fitted. The drawing. Fig. 14, shows the type of shaft 
 tube such as I use on my boats, but if you prefer vou can 
 purchase one of the adjustable shaft tubes that are now 
 on the market. You can put in the exhaust pipe and water 
 connections and, in fact, finish all the pipine of the en- 
 gine much more readily at this period than later on, when 
 you would have to take up floors, etc. 
 
 Bore the hole through the transom knee and fit in the 
 rudder port, which is to be made of brass pipe fitted with 
 a stuffing-box and lock-nut as per Fig. 20. The lower 
 end of the port should be threaded and extend through to 
 the under side of the keel, and fit tightly in the hole to 
 obviate any chance of a leak around same. 
 
 The cockpit beams should be placed in position and fas- 
 tened. They are to be of spruce, sided % inch, molded 
 154 inches. Space them as shown on the construction 
 plan, fastening the ends securely and setting short, upright 
 pieces for stanchions over the keel wherever necessary. 
 The cockpit deck is to be I inch lower at the after end 
 
 than at the forward end, in order to drain off the water. 
 Strike a line through the center of the beams, and fasten 
 the deck plank to the beams. The deck planks are to be 
 of spruce or pine >4 inch thick, and whether you follow 
 the specifications as to width or not is immaterial, but it 
 is not advisable to use very wide boards on account of the 
 
 Fig. 13 — Transom 
 
 tendency to shrink and swell, and the greater the number 
 of seams, the less the shrinkage and swelling will be per- 
 ceptible. 
 
 The coaming should be made of mahogany or some hard 
 wood. Select nice straight-grained stock; it is to be a 
 half-inch in thickness. If you have a good wide board 
 long enough to work from a point aft of the engine hood, 
 clear around the forward end to the opposite side, it would 
 be advisable to use it, otherwise you can make the joint 
 at the forward end and secure it with a butt block on the 
 inside. You will h^ve to use your spiling batten or some 
 thin stock to get the correct shape. The width you ca^ 
 take from the construction' plan ; steam the forward end, 
 and bend over a form of the required shape. Fasten well 
 with brass screws from the inside to the shelf and coam- 
 ing knees. It would be a good plan to leave the coaming 
 a trifle higher than shown on the plan and to trim this 
 down to the proper height after it is fastened in position. 
 A surplus of about % inch would be ample. Where the 
 butts occur on either side of the cockpit you need not use 
 a butt block on the inside unless you prefer same. They 
 are rather unsightly at the best. If you intend to carry 
 an oar on this boat you could put a butt block on the out- 
 side of the coaming arid fasten the oar-lock sockets to 
 same, but the best method is to make a tight butt joint and 
 then bore a hole % to 5-16-inch diameter down through 
 the center of the joint and drive in a dowel. The after 
 ends of the coaming where they set on the deck can be fas- 
 tened from the under side or from the upper side if pre- 
 ferred, and the heads of the fastenings covered vvith wood 
 plugs. ■ Round slightly the upper edge and shape the after 
 ends as pet- plans. A light thread of cotton should be 
 worked in around between the coaming and the edge of 
 the deck. 
 
 The bulkheads at the forward and after end of the cock- 
 pit should next claim your attention. Build up a suitable 
 frame on the deck and around the inside of the plank and 
 cover with tongued and grooved mahogany J^ inch thick 
 and about 3 inches wide. It is preferable to use bevel-edge 
 staving, to that with a bead, as it is so much easier to keep 
 
 105 
 
106 
 
clean and to scrape, when the latter becomes necessary. 
 Fasten the lower ends of the staving to the frame on the 
 deck, and to the upper frame; make sure that you keep the 
 line of the staving vertical and above all have good 
 joints, as such a bulkhead materially strengthens and stiff- 
 ens the boat if properly fitted. 
 
 Where any fittings, such as auxiliary shaft for starting 
 engine, controls, steerer, etc., are cut through or fastened 
 to the bulkhead it would be well to reinforce same on 
 the inside with oak blocks '/i inch thick well fastened to 
 the staving. The bulkhead at the after end should be 
 staved up in the same manner as the forward one, and as 
 you may require to get at the steering apparatus it would 
 be well to cut a door in same, the lower edge to be not 
 less than 2 inches above the deck; if it were flush you 
 would find that considerable of the rainwater, and such 
 water as you might ship, would run down into the bilge 
 instead of overboard through the scuppers. 
 
 These scuppers should be made of i-inch inside diameter 
 lead-pipe , fairly heavy stock, weighing about 4 pounds to 
 the foot should be used; set them in the after corners of 
 the cockpit deck, recessing the wood so that they can be 
 flanged over and still be flush or below the level of the 
 deck. The holes in the underbody where the scuppers pass 
 through should not be directly below those in the deck, 
 but lead aft two or three inches and the lower ends should 
 also be flanged and the wood recessed to receive the flange 
 so as to insure a good, smooth job. Fasten around the 
 flange at both ends with fine brass screws or copper tacks. 
 
 The ceiling is to be of mahogany, 5-16 inch thick, 2 
 inches wide, and should be made of tongued and grooved 
 stock with the edges bevelled, to match the bulkhead stav- 
 
 rti 
 
 /-Wsm ■ 
 
 insure a tight joint, or you can take a piece of canvas 
 about 5 to 6 inches wide, set the lower edge in white lead 
 and fasten to the deck with copper tacks, then fasten the 
 upper edge to the frames and apply, a coat of heavy white 
 
 ( "Jlionj. 
 
 
 ■ Figure 18 — Balanced Rudder 
 
 ing. Fasten well to the frames, the ends to butt against 
 the staving of the bulkheads. The lower edge where it 
 meets the deck should either be set into a rabbeted piece of 
 spruce that was fastened closely to tl ^ deck in order to 
 
 Figure 19 — Skag Rudder 
 
 lead paint and set the lower piece of staving on the edge 
 of the canvas and fasten at every frame. 
 
 Frame up the helmsman's seat with spruce and cover the 
 forward and after sides with staving to match the bulk- 
 head. Cut a good-sized limbur through the staving and 
 frame on each side so as to allow any water that may come' 
 in forward of the seat to run aft, and out through the 
 scuppers. The gasolene tank is to be of copper,' and is to 
 be fitted under the seat, and when in place you can put on 
 the top of the seat. It is advisable to put this on in such 
 a manner that it can easily be removed, if at any time it 
 is necessary to take out the tank. Cut in flush with the 
 top of seat a large deck-plate directly over the filler plate 
 of the tank. 
 
 The seat and backboard at the after end are so plainly 
 shown that there is no need to do anything more than 
 mention that they are to be fitted and fastened. The thick- 
 ness is given in the specifications and the other particu- 
 lars can be taken from the plan. 
 
 The next most important thing is the hatches, and 
 frame of the hood covering the engine. For the strong- 
 back, you will require a piece of spruce 2x8 inches and 
 SJ4 feet long. Shape this as per Fig. 21, with a water- 
 way on either side, and hollow the under side to keep 
 down the weight. Fasten this at either end with a small 
 metal knee, so that if you want to take it out at any 
 time you can do so and not destroy the woodwork. Make 
 a form to bend the frames for the edges of the hatches 
 and make them of oak; after bending let them set prop- 
 erly before you try to fit them; and another thing that 
 may assist you would be to bend them with a trifle shorter 
 turn than you really need. You can easily straighten 
 them a little, but it is hard to get them to bend any more 
 once they are set. 
 
 Make up the rest of the frame so that it fits easily in- 
 side of the coaming, and then cut out the beams, which 
 are to be of spruce. Set the ends into the frame and 
 fasten securely. When you have finished both frames. 
 
 107 
 
set a ledge around inside of the coaming for them to rest 
 on; place the frames in position and ascertain that the 
 upi>er side is fair; if not, plane it until it is fair and true 
 and then you can start to cover the frame with the plank, 
 which is to be of mahogany 7-16 inch thick. 
 
 The piece that fits over the strong-back is to be 6 inches 
 wide, and the widths of the plank on the hatches can be 
 determined' by the stock you have on hand, but don't make 
 them too wide. Either calk the seams lightly or batten 
 them on the under side. Carefully smooth the top of 
 the hatches and trim the outer edges fair with the coam- 
 ing. The edges are to be covered with a strip of brass 
 No. 14 gauge, 1 incTi wide. Cut this to the proper shape 
 to 'bend around the edge and fasten with countersunk- 
 head brass screws — the edges of the brass should be care- 
 fully rounded. Fasten the hatches with brass or bronze 
 hinges, the joints to be directly over the joint of the ma- 
 hogany centerplank and' edge of hatch. Suitable quad- 
 rants, or something to take the place of same, should be 
 
 '^ hMIOGANY 
 
 SeCT/ON THffU ENGINE HATCH 
 
 e I « .3 
 
 '■'III'- 
 
 =3 
 
 Scale. 
 Figure 21 — Hatch Over the Motor 
 
 fastened to the after end of the hatches to keep them open 
 "when desired. 
 
 After you have finished with the interior of the cock- 
 pit and coaming you can finish planing and smoothing 
 the decks; set the bitt in the after deck, and you can turn 
 your attention to the planing and smoothing of the plank- 
 ing. Finish it carefully, scrape and sandpaper, theri fasten 
 in position the pieces of half-round mahogany molding, 
 and if you have decided to have a gilt stripe cut a cove 
 in the plank at proper height, and' then mark the water- 
 line. I would suggest that you raise the line so that when 
 you have the painted line it will show about i to i^ 
 inches above the actual waterline. 
 
 There are a number of different ways to mark a water- 
 line, and some of you may know a simpler method than 
 the following, but this will give' the desired results. Mark' 
 on the stem and the transom the height of the waterline, 
 take tw'o straight-edge planks, a little longer than the 
 width of the boat, set the upper edge so that it is level 
 with the point on the stem representing the waterline, 
 fasten this piece of wood and make sure that the upper 
 edge is level, using your spirit-level to make sure ; repeat 
 the operation with the other piece of board at the after 
 end, then stretch a line from the upper edge of the for- 
 ward cross-piece to the after one, draw the line very taut, 
 take your spirit-level and' bring it up to the line ; see that 
 the level only just touches the line and then where the 
 upper edge of the level touches the hull make a point; 
 repeat this operation at intervals all around the hull, then 
 take a thin batten, something about 34 x 2 inches, and 
 bend it to the point you have made, keeping the side of 
 the batten, vertical ; fasten at intervals with fine wire 
 brads, and when you have it fastened, take a scriber or 
 some pointeQ instrument and scratch in a line along the 
 edge of the batten. When the batten is removed sight 
 along the line you have made, and it should be straight. 
 Of course, it follows the shape of the boat, but it should 
 be level. The idea in scribing or scratching in this line 
 is that it does not get obliterated with painting, etc., so 
 rapidly as if it was simply drawn on with a pencil, and it 
 is easier to draw to a painted line than to a pencil mark. 
 There are still a number of things for you to do 
 before the hull is completed. The strut is to be 
 made and fitted, the steerer and steering ropes, the 
 rudder, the deck fittings, etc., to say nothing ofi 
 finishing the installation of the engine; but I do 
 not see that there is any need for me to dwell upon these 
 points any more than there is to try to explain how to 
 paint the boat. 
 
 Unless" you have; good reasons for. doing otherwise, I 
 would' recommend that you finish the boat entirely while 
 she is. on the stocks and if you have got to take her any 
 great distance, build a cradle under her. This you can 
 readily do. Then block up the cradle, remove the stocks 
 End lower the cradle down to the floor or else to the 
 height of the team if she has to be carted any distance. 
 When purchasing the paint or varnish, get the best; it 
 will pay in the end. Don't hesitate to spend time finishing 
 the boat properly, sandpapering down each coat before 
 the next is applied. 
 
 Naturally there are many points I have not touched 
 upon, but I believe that all the main points have been 
 covered', and if I have made any grave errors I ti'ust that 
 you will overlook them. 
 
 Specifications for the Construction of a 
 
 25-Foot Runabout 
 
 BY FREDERIC S. NOCK 
 
 Material and Workmanship: In carrying out these speci- 
 fications, there are to be used only the best of materials and 
 workmanship. All wciod shall be sound and clear, all p.'eces 
 to be cut fair with the grain and selected to have the grain 
 follow the shape as closely as possible. 
 
 Keel: To be of native white oak, molded ij4 inches, 
 shaped as per plans, and to be rabbeted to receive the gar- 
 board. The upper side is to be rounded as per detail plan. 
 
 Stem r To be a natural crook of oak or hackmatack, sided 
 2}^ inches, molded as per plans. To be connected to the 
 keel with a 'lock scarf and fastened with 5/16-inch diameter 
 
 bolts riveted over washers. Heads of fastenings to be 
 countersunk and covered with wood plugs. 
 
 Transom : To be of white pine or mahogany, 5^-inch 
 thick, connected to the keel with an oak or hackmatack 
 knee, sided 3 inches and molded as per plans. To be rab- 
 beted to receive the transom plank, and to be fastened with 
 51 16-inch diameter bolts riveted over washers, heads to be 
 countersunk and covered with wood plugs. Cheek pieces of 
 oak %-inch thick, 1J/2 inches wide are to be shaped and 
 fastened to the transom to form a back rabbet for the 
 plank which is to be well fastened with brass screws. 
 
 108 
 
Frames: To-be of young white oak, -j^ x 5^ inch, spaced 
 - 6 inches center to center. To be steam bent to shape and 
 all frames aft of Station No. 6 to extend from sheer to 
 sheer in one piece and to have two fastenings in keel. 
 Frames forward of Station No. 6 that do not cross the keel 
 are to have the heels well fastened to the keel. 
 
 Keelsons: To be of spruce sided i inch, molded as per 
 plans. To be spaced 8j4 inches from the center to the 
 inside. They are to be cut over all frames, carefully fitted 
 and well fastened. 
 
 Deck Clamp: To be of spruce, Hx3 inches amidships, 
 tapered at ends to J^ x 2 inches. To be well fastened to the 
 frames, and at each alternate frame to have one fastening 
 through frame and sheerstrake. 
 
 Bilge Clamps : To be of spruce, % x3 inches amidship, 
 tapered at ends to %x.2 inches. To be well fastened to the 
 frames. 
 
 Sheerstrake: To be of mahogany, 7/16-inch thick, and 
 about 4 inches wide amidship, tapered at ends. To be well 
 fastened to the frames with copper nails riveted over burrs. 
 The fastenings through the upper edge on each third frame 
 are to go through sheer strake, frame and shelf for the 
 length o{ the shelf. 
 
 Planking : To be of clear cedar or white pine to finish 
 7/16-inch thick, to •t)e in long lengths, and where butts occur, 
 same are to be reinforced with oak backing. Fastenings to be 
 copper nails riveted over burrs. Heads countersunk and 
 covered with wood plugs. Inside of plank to be properly 
 coped to fit the frames, outside to be planed iair and true 
 and finished smooth. Seams to be calked with yacht cotton, 
 payed with white lead and finished flush with white-lead 
 putty. 
 
 Shelf: To be of spruce, Ys x25^ inches, to extend the full 
 length of the cockpit and hatch coaming as per plans. To 
 be well fastened to the clamp, and at each third frame ':o 
 have one fastening through frame and sheerstrake. 
 
 Deck Beams : To be of spruce, sided % inches, molded 
 lJ4 inches, sawed to the required camber and spaced as 
 shown on plans. Ends to be well fastened to the clamp. 
 
 Coaming Knees: To be of spruce, iVi inches thick, 
 shaped as per plans and well fastened to the shelf and beams. 
 
 Planksheer: To be of mahogany, V^'-inch thick, 4 inches 
 wide in the wake of the coaming and tapered at ends. To 
 be well fastened to the deck beams, etc., with brass screws, 
 heads to be countersunk and covered with wood plugs. 
 
 Deck Plank : To be of mahogany, J^-inch thick, laid in 
 strips 3 inches wide and well fastened to the beams with 
 brass screws, heads to be countersunk and covered with wood 
 plugs. All seams to be calked with yacht cotton and filled 
 with elastic seam cement or white-lead putty, as desired. 
 
 Coaming • To be of mahogany, Yz-mch thick, steam bent 
 to shape at forward end, and to be well fastened to the shelf 
 and coaming knees. 
 
 Cockpit Deck Beams: To be of spruce, sided % inches, 
 molded iJ4 inches, spaced 12 inches. Ends of beams to be 
 well fastened to the frames and clamp and supported where 
 necessary on spruce stanchions ?ixiJ4 inches, set over the 
 center of keel. 
 
 Cockpit Deck Plank : To be of clear spruce or white 
 pine 5^-inch thick, laid in narrow strip.s, to be fastened with 
 galvanized nails or brass screws. To be either tongued and 
 grooved or calked seams as desired. Deck to be made water- 
 tight and to drain aft through lead scuppers i-inch inside 
 diameter. 
 
 Bulkheads: The bulkhead at the after end of the engine 
 compartment is to be framed up and covered with mahogany 
 strips l^-inch > thick, 3-inch face tongued and grooved. 
 Wherever the fittings pass through the bulkhead, same is to 
 be reinforced with blocks on the inside. The bulkhead at 
 the forward end of the afterdeck is to be framed up and 
 covered with }i x3-inch mahogany the same as the forward 
 bulkhead, and a suitable trap is to be cut in same to admit 
 of access to the steering gear, etc. 
 
 Ceiling: The inside of the frames above the cockpit floor 
 are to be covered with mahogany staving, S/i6-inch thick, 
 2-inch face, ceiling to extend from the upperside of the deck 
 to the underside of the clamp and to be well fastened to the 
 frames with small finishing nails. 
 
 Stern Seat and Lazy Back : To be of mahogany J^-inch 
 thick, shaped and fitted "as per plans. 
 
 Helmsman's Seat: To be frarned up as per plans and staved 
 on the forward and afterside with mahogany ^-inch thick, 
 3-inch face. A copper gasolene tank 12 inches deep, 15 inches 
 
 wide and 42 inches in length fitted with suitable swash par- 
 titions, is to be carefully fitted under tTie seat. Bottom of 
 tank is to be iyi inches above the cockpit floor, and suitable 
 limburs are to be cut in the frame and staving to admit of 
 allowing the water to run aft under the tank. The top of 
 seat is to be of mahogany, ^-inch thick, and fastened in 
 position with brass screws. A suitable deck-plate is to be 
 let in flush with the top of the seat over the filler of tank. 
 
 Bitt : To be of oak or locust, 3x3 inches, to be set 
 through deck and blocking and well fastened on the under- 
 side by an oak or locust wedge. 
 
 Engine Bed : To be arranged to meet the requirements 
 of the engine. The fore and kft bearers to be of oak, sided 
 2 inches, and to extend well beyond the foundation of en- 
 gine fore and aft. They are to be well fastened and bolted 
 through keelsons. Suitable athwartship bearers to meet the 
 requirements of the engine are to be provided, one between 
 the flywheel and base of engine, the other one well aft, and 
 if there is room' to admit of using same, there is to be one 
 bolt through keelsons, fore and aft, and athwartship bearers 
 at either end, bolts to have nut and washers on the out- 
 side of keelsons. 
 
 Fenders or Rubstreak : To be of mahogany i-inch, half 
 round, well fastened to the sheerstrakes, etc. 
 
 Hatches, Etc., Over Engine Space : A strongback of 
 spruce with suitable waterways on either side and worked out 
 on the underside as per plans to be made and well fastened 
 to the coaming and bulkhead. The hatch frame is to be 
 made of oak, curved part steam bent to shape and carefully 
 fitted. Finished size of section of frame ^xiJ4 inches deep. 
 The beams are to be of spruce sided % inches, molded I 
 inch, sawed to crown. Ends of beams to be cut into the 
 frame and well fastened. Hatches and strongback to be 
 covered 7-16 inch mahogany, in narrow strips, seams to be 
 battened on the underside or calked as desired. Fastenings 
 to be brass screws, heads countersunk and covered with 
 wood plugs. The edges of the hatch are to be covered with 
 a brass strip, gauge No. 14 stock, i inch in width, fastened 
 in position with countersunk head brass screws. Three hinges 
 of_ bronze, 18 inches in length, 6 inches center to center of 
 joints are to be used for the hatches, and there is to be a 
 bronze quadrant or slide for either hatch that will admit 
 of them being held open. 
 
 Fittings : To comprise : — One shaft tube of bronze con- 
 structed as per detail plans with stuffing-box and locknut, 
 flange to be carefully fitted to the keel and well fastened 
 with brass screws. Bronze rudder, with cast manganese 
 bronze stock, and hard rolled Tobin bronze plate 3-16 inch 
 thick, brass rudder -port with stuffing-box and locknut, gal- 
 vanized iron quadrant or sliding tiller, galvanized steel or 
 Phosphor bronze tiller rope 14 i"eh diameter, galvanized 
 iron or bronze sheave leads of not less than 3 inches diam- 
 eter for tiller rope. One adjustable auto steerer with 
 wood rim wheel 12 inches diameter, one 12-inch bronze 
 cleat, _ one 4-inch cowl ventilator, two 6-inch brass com- 
 bination chocks, twfo 5-inch brass quarter chocks, two 
 bronze flush flagpole sockets, one 24-ounce copper tank of 
 about 30 gallons' capacity with suitable swash partitions, 
 bronze filler, vent plate and supply connection. One 6-inch 
 diameter deck plate over stuffing-box, one suitable deck 
 plate over tank filler, three bronze hinges for hatches, two 
 quadrants or slides for hatches, brass stem band, two flag- 
 poles, one yacht ensign, one private sig^nal or yacht club 
 pennant, one pair of side lights, and one bow light, either 
 galvanized iron or brass as desired. One 25-pound fold- 
 ing anchor, 100 feet 9-16-inch diameter Manila warp, one 
 6-inch diameter ship's bell, two Manila fast lines 30 feet 
 in length, two canvas fenders 4 inches diameter, 16 inches 
 long, and one bronze head boat hook with 7-foot handle. 
 
 Painting, Finishing, Etc.: The entire interior of the 
 hull to receive one coat of priming paint before being ceiled. 
 The topsides to be primed and to receive three coats of 
 pure white lead paint, each coat to be well rubbed down 
 before the second coat is applied. The underbody to be 
 primed and treated to two coats of bronze or anti-fouling 
 paint rubbed down smooth. All exterior bright work to be 
 well filled and finished with three coats of best spar com- 
 position, each coat to be well rubbed down before the next 
 coat is applied. The interior of the engine space to re- 
 ceive two coats of white lead paint, light slate color. The 
 cockpit deck to be treated to two coats of deck paint of 
 an approved shade. Cove and name to be sized and gilded 
 with gold leaf. 
 
 109 
 
110 
 
How to Build a "Dead-Rise" Boat 
 
 By A. M. KEYS 
 
 IN response to many recent inquiries regarding the con- 
 struction of a dead-rise boat similar to the one described 
 in The Motor Boat of July 25th, and in the belief that 
 there are many who would like to have such a craft and 
 who have sufficient mechanical ability to build it, I have 
 endeavored in this article to show a simple and practical 
 method of construction. The boat shown in the drawings 
 is a 30-footer, but can be built with equal ease in any size 
 desired. 
 
 First, decide on the size of boat you desire; say, for 
 instance, one of 24 feet over all. Then procure a block of 
 soft pine which will measure lyi inches for every foot of 
 length of the complete boat, or 36 inches long in this case, 
 and 4^/2 inches wide by 3 inches in depth. This may be 
 either a solid block or three i-inch boards tacked one to 
 the other. The latter method is best, since the edges of 
 the boards will offer a straight-edge to cut by and ^o 
 measure from, the advantage of which will be made clear. 
 After making sure that your block is perfectly square 
 and smoothed on all four surfaces, if it is a solid block 
 rule it lengthwise into i-inch divisions. Also divide it 
 into six equal parts by ruling it all the way round every 
 six inches. Then, on one side, draw in the sheer-plan, or 
 side-efevation as shown in Figure i. On the side which 
 is to be your deck, draw your half-breadth plan. (Figure 
 2.) Make sure, of course, that the inside of your lialf- 
 breadth plan is the opposite side from the one on which 
 you have drawn your sheer plan. In order to get fair, 
 sweeping curves make a straight-edge of soft, dear pine, 
 ^-inch square, and long^ enough to reach from end to 
 end of your block. Dot off the heights of your gunwale at 
 all the stations and drive pins in at these points. Push your 
 straight-edge up against the pins, and if the curve is fair, 
 rule it in. If not, move any pin up or down until the line 
 makes a fair curve. This is of greater importance than 
 the exact measurements. Decide upon the depth of your 
 side in the same way, making it about I inch high for 
 every 12 inches in length, and the ends slightly less, as 
 in the drawings. 
 
 Now, having gotten these lines to where they please you; 
 you are ready to cut. First, cut away the block to the 
 line of your keel ; then bevel off from that to the bottom 
 of your sides, and you will find that these angles will take 
 care of themselves if your rule will lie fair from bottom 
 to keel at any point. Next, cut your shear, or top of side. 
 Then, having replaced any lines you have cut away, cut 
 your out-board profile, making your angles more acute at 
 the ends than in the middle, and again replace the lines. 
 The block has now only one straight edge, which will be 
 the center line of your boat, fore and aft. Now, lay it 
 down on a piece of heavy paper or on a smooth board of 
 the original size of the block and draw its profile all 
 around, also drawing in the stations. You will need this 
 to get the heights at which your moulds are to be set from 
 the floor, its .we are going to build this boat up-side-down, 
 in which position you can get at her best and use your 
 muscles to .advantage. 
 
 Saw the block into 6-inch sections, where you have 
 drawn in your stations. If the cuts are carefully made, 
 right on the line all round, you will find each cut gives 
 you the shape of half your mould for that station. As 
 we have made ij/ inches to the foot, every % inch of your 
 block will equal i inch of your completed mould. Take 
 off these lines on a piece of heavy building paper, measur- 
 ing with great care, as a small error in taking off from 
 the block will be just eight times as great in the com- 
 
 pleted boat. Then cut these out and make your moulds. 
 Any rough stuff will suffice for them, as they will be 
 knocked out and thrown away in due time. After they 
 are complete, notch them out at gunwale and corners, l>^ 
 inches by 4 inches, to take the shelf and chine, as shown 
 by dotted lines in Figure 3. This figure represents the 
 moulds set up, with keel, stem and stern in place, and 
 ready for chine and shelf. 
 
 We are now ready to build the boat, and to that end 
 we will follow the advice of the King of Wonderland: 
 "Begin at the beginning, go to the end and then stop." 
 This is how : Strike a line on the floor of your shop with 
 a chalked line, slightly longer than your boat is to be, and 
 right over which the keel is to be laid. Mark this in 
 deeply with pencil and lay out at right-angles the places 
 the moulds will occupy. On these cross lines, nail down 
 pieces of 3x4 inch wood. Rough stuff will do, but put 
 them down strongly. Then to these set up the moulds on 
 legs as showft in Figure 3. Get the heights from your 
 board as shown in Figure i, and brace them strongly, as 
 they must carry the entire weight of the boat. Be sure 
 they are plumb, up and down, as w€ll as at exact right- 
 angles with the keel. It is well to nail a strip along each 
 side of the bottom, from end to end, to make sure they do 
 not slip during construction. Then set up an upright in 
 front of where your stem will come and also one aft of 
 your stern, right in the centre. 
 
 For your keel you will need a piece of oak nearly as 
 long as your over all length, and at least 2x6 inches. 
 Taper this off to 2 by 3 inches for about 6 feet back; a 
 straight cut will do. For the stern, you will require 
 enough i-inch oak (or 1J/2 inch if you are going to build 
 a larger boat than 24 feet long) to make it. Don't use 
 ploughed or grooved stuff, but make good, smooth seams, 
 and screw backing pieces on it (not less than three). 
 Don't have a seam run out right at your corners. For 
 the stem a 3-inch oak plank is required. Get the length 
 from your model, and the wider your plank is, the greater 
 curve can be given to the stem. This curve is largely a 
 matter of taste, but as this boat is rather angular anyway, 
 a well curved stem and high crowned deck will add much 
 to her appearance. In getting out your keel, if you have 
 to splice to get the length, let the splice come as Tar for- 
 ward as possible, and back it up with a piece of the same 
 stuff, not less than four feet long and bolted through and 
 through. Add stay pieces up and down every three feet 
 to stiffen the sides, and back the joints with oak blocks 
 riveted through ; the stay pieces should be jogged over 
 chine and shelf. Taper off the face -of your stem and cut 
 the rabbet for the plank ends before setting it up. The 
 keel, for about 18 inches aft of the stem, will also need 
 rabbeting. Let it run off gradually at about that point. 
 The exact angle of the rabbet doesn't matter, as you can 
 doctor it later, when you come to plank. 
 
 Now set up the stem and brace it from the upright 
 already mentioned, and from which you also measure the 
 rake of the stem. "Line it up carefully with the after 
 upright. Do this carefullv. as it will ruin the looks of 
 the job if it isn't plumb. Then saw off the bottoms of your 
 moulds to the width of your keel (6 inches) and brace 
 the keel from above firmly down on your moulds, and 
 also toe in a screw from underneath on each mould into 
 the keel. Then get out your stem-knee (see Figure 3) 
 and bolt or screw it to both keel and stem. Set up your 
 stern in the same manner, getting the rake from the after 
 upright and sawing off your keel so that the face of the 
 
 111 
 
stern is outside of it. YoU can make a pattern for your 
 stern knee after this is done, of any light stuff, and make 
 the knee of 3-inch oak. Bolt it through the keel and 
 screw through the stern. 
 
 You can now get out your sides, of i-inoh pine, or, if 
 you can get it, use California red-wood, which is free from 
 knots and comes, in long lengths. If you have made your 
 sides flare about as in Figure 4, you will find that your 
 sides will fit the moulds so neatly as to require little cut- 
 ting at the top, though they will need some at the bottom 
 as that is put up. However, you will find it easy to get 
 at and you can do it quite as well after it is on as before. 
 For the "bottom, use ipi inch stuff, beveling the first plank 
 off (inside) to an inch thickness where it takes the 
 rabbet. Your first few planks will run nearly up and 
 down, but by making them a little narrower at the bottom 
 than at the sides, you can soon get^ them raking aft. 
 Bevel off keel and chine till the plank lies fair and 
 and fasten with galvanized nails or screws. After the 
 bottom is all planked, plane off the ridge which 
 the plank ends have forrtjed forward, and in fact, all 
 along, if you have beveled your keel so much that the 
 plank ends have met. You will find, by the time you get 
 this far, that you will not need to cut so much bevel unless 
 you want to. Your skeg and your shaft-log will set 
 better if you have, left your keel bare for 3 inches in the 
 centre. Make a pattern for the skeg of light stuff and 
 fit it carefully, getting the rough ineasurement from your 
 sheer plan. Your shaft-log will have to be a piece of 
 3-inch oak, and after you have gotten it out and drawn a 
 line on, it at the angle of your shaft, you will do well to 
 take it to a saw-mill, if not too inconvenient. To bore 
 a hole three feet long, straight through a 3-inch plank 
 is no easy job. If, however, you must do it yourself, get 
 what is known as a barefoot auger, as pone other will 
 run as straight for that distance, and fasten with lag 
 screws through keel. 
 
 After you have your skeg in place, run your false keel, 
 Ij^x2 inches, laid flat, clear to the stem, which should 
 have been left long enough for it to butt against. ■ After 
 this, a half-round strap or bang-iron should cover the stem 
 and extend four or five feet back on the keel. Your rudder 
 and propeller guard can best be procured from a dealer 
 in marine hardware and should be of galvanized iron, as, 
 in fact, should be every nail and screw in the boat. 
 
 We are now ready to saw ofi^the legs of the mould and 
 to turn' her over with the moulds still in place. Build a 
 strong locrker across the middle, at about the height yoji 
 intend your seat to come. This will not only provide a 
 roomy and useful locker, but also will greatly stiffen your 
 boat. The forward ends of both your chine pieces and 
 shelf should be fastened together with triangular blocks 
 of oak or breast-hooks of natural growth and your stem 
 secured to both. Fasten them aft to the stern with oak 
 cleats in the same manner. This, however, is best done 
 before you commence to plank. Fit your deck beams 
 (1x3 inches will be strong enough) one inch below your 
 sides and spring in a 3-inch plank-sheer all along fore 
 and aft. 
 
 The moulds can now be taken out and a wide king-plank 
 of oak fitted down the centre of your forward deck, and 
 the rest planked in with pine. Thus far, nothing in the 
 boat has required steaming, and if you have no steam-box 
 you cannot bend your combing. But you can fit one quite 
 as good, if not so shapely, by cutting your forward deck 
 in a V shape and fitting your combing board to it, jogging 
 it out to go over your plank-sheer and springing your 
 combing cold on the sides of plank-sheer to butt up against 
 the forward V. This calls for a nice fitting in the centre, 
 but it can be done,and if finished with a breasthook inside 
 it will look right and be right. 
 
 A word about caulking. These boats are generally made 
 without any, and if your joints are carefully made you 
 will not need any. Don't be alarmed, even if you can see 
 the daylight through her before she is launched. Fill 
 your seams with a putty of white lead, to which you have 
 added whiting, worked up to the proper stiffness with a 
 putty-knife. The boat will swell up tight, all right. If 
 you do need caulking, however, hire a professional to do 
 it, as proper caulking is a trade by itself, and many a 
 good boat has been ruined by too much caulking. 
 
 Fore and, aft bearers 8 to 10 feet long should be laid for 
 the engine. Oak pieces about 2x3 inches will be suf- 
 ficiently strong. Over these your bed-pieces should be 
 jogged. You will have to be governed by the height of 
 your fly-wheel for these, but if you have managed to get 
 this far safely, you can be trusted to proceed unaided. 
 
 If your work has been done carefully, you will find 
 that you have a strong, able boat that can go out in any 
 reasonable weather and which can hold her own with any 
 boat of her size and power. 
 
 112 
 
How to Build A Stern Wheeler 
 
 BY C. G. DAVIS 
 
 1 i 
 
 ■ 
 
 A 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 THERE are hundreds of places on the shallow lakes 
 and rivers throughout this country where the sea- 
 going motorboat would be hard aground most of the 
 time, and where only such boats can be used as are de- 
 signed to navigate the shallow places. 
 
 When Eastern designers turn out a Florida cruiser they 
 consider that they have designed a shallow draft boat; 
 but while they consider 36 inches shallow, the places we 
 have in mind would float only 12 inches and in some 
 spots not even that much, places where a man can re- 
 move his footgear, roll up his trousers and walk ashore at 
 almost any point. 
 
 The enjoyable sensations that make a boat ride so at- 
 tractive to the people along the seacoast, where motor- 
 bbating is carried on on a large scale, is all the more of 
 a novelty and all the more enjoyed by those who have 
 never or seldom been on the water on anything other 
 than a log raft. Think what a novelty such a craft would 
 be to a community whose rules of the road could be 
 summed up in two words, "nigh" and "off," or "gee" and 
 "haw." I can just imagine such a crowd with a man at 
 the wheel chewing the end of a dry straw, shouting as 
 he meets another boat, "Gee there 1 gee !"..^Why should 
 such a man adopt an unknown vocabulary and say^star- 
 board or port? The Government inspector would never 
 ,come around in such localities to see if the boat had her 
 full equipment of side lights, bow and stern lights, fog 
 horn, bell and life preservers) Who would want a life 
 preserver when the water is onlv knee deep to a child? 
 And the moo of an old cow in a lot would be as good a 
 lighthouse fog horn as would be needed if the cow was 
 only tied so she'd stay in one place. 
 
 There are many disadvantages that the deep water 
 sailor has to contend with that would be unknown on the 
 waters where this stern wheeler could navigate, and no 
 doubt other novel conditions would crop up — a cow might 
 be coolinc herself in the brook and in that case a blast 
 of the whistle might be of use to scare her out of the 
 way. Now that small gasolene motors have been perfected 
 and have come into such use on the farm', the man who 
 runs that motor and understands the operation of it could 
 also run the one in the boat, and for that matter the 
 same motor could turn the churn, saw the wood and 
 be put in the. boat to drive it as needed. We deep-sea 
 dogs always speak of a boat as '^'le or hei, but we're not 
 going to impregnate the fresh, sweet, drinkable water with 
 salty terms, so shall call her "it." 
 
 The boat we have selected as being most suitable for 
 such work is one where the hull of the boat is 25 feet 
 long by 7 feet wide, and only sinks 7 inches deep in the 
 water. Including the sterirwheel the total length amounts 
 to 29 feet 6- inches. 
 
 Any amateur who has never seen a boat would be able 
 to construct ai boat this size. Every difficult feature in 
 boatbuilding has been purposely done away with, and 
 any one who can build a box can build it. Two 16-inch 
 planks, 25 feet 6 inches long, i inch thick, will make 
 the bottom part of the two sides, and two more the 
 same length, 18 inches deep, will make the top part. 
 
 First of all get out an oak 'stem-piece, 2 feet yi-inch 
 long, beveled off like a wedge, as shown in the detail plan 
 of it on the drawing; then make the tfansom, as the after 
 end of the box is called, out of 2-inch oak. The shape 
 of this transom is also drawn out, 5 feet 8 inches long by 
 2 feet I inch wide. Nail the lower plank of the sides 
 to the stem so that they make a large Y-shape. 
 
 The greatest difficulty in building such skiffs is to get 
 both sides alike and not to have her lopsided, one side 
 flattened and the other bulged out more. 
 
 To guard against this, build her on the wooden floor of 
 a barn or shed, so that you can stretch a chalk line and 
 so get a true center line to work by. Square across -from 
 this line, where the transom is to go, and measure out the 
 
 Sendingjhe ^def^nks ~ - - , 
 arouna braces nailed fo 
 /*e f/oor- It pays fo /aytha 
 par/ tY/fie uor/iouf aarc/My 
 
 various widths as given at 5-foot intervals and put up- 
 rights, braced strongly, so that when you bend the side 
 planks around them they will not collapse. The measure- 
 ments for cutting the shape on the bottom of the lower 
 side planks is shown on the next page. 
 
 When the two side planks are nailed to the stem, brace 
 the latter securely to the floor so the boat is bottom up, 
 and bend the two sides in together around the upright 
 braces until they touch the ends of the transom, which 
 you should take particular pains to see is exactly square 
 across to the center line. 
 
 113 
 
114 
 
The sides will not fii flat ; they wUl only touch on one 
 edge of the transom ends, so cut them to the bevel that 
 will make a perfect fit before you nail them fast and al- 
 ways remember in boat work to make the seams so that the 
 outer edges are open a trifle more than the inner edges. 
 If it were a box you would try to make the outer edges 
 invisible, but in boat work this is reversed for the reason 
 
 7h^ lopsided boat is cjh^t mosf umateurs produce in 
 fheir Haste to ^et ttie boat done . You mt£?M. belter t<3l<e a ttffe 
 morv time and trouble and see ttiaf allis sifaareand trc/e. 
 
 that putty has to be put in, so that as the wood swells 
 it will squeeze up and be watertight. Some seams will 
 require cotton being tucked in before the putty is applied, 
 where the seams are open a little, and so long as the 
 seams are slightly wedge-shaped, even if the two edges are 
 apart on the inside, the cotton will be jammed in and get 
 tighter and tighter the more it is pushed from tl outside, 
 while, if the seam be the other way, the pressure pushes the 
 cotton through and a leaky boat is the result. 
 
 When these side planks are fastened at each end and 
 while the sides are held irLtrue shape, nail a strip of oak, 
 i>4-inch thick and 2 inches deep, so it comes just flush 
 with the edge of the side planks to give a better nailing 
 
 ia practically the same as cotton batting, only it. is strung 
 out into long strings and is of slightly cheaper quality. ^ 
 
 If you cannot buy calking cotton take ordinary cotton 
 and string it out and roll it into a cord between th'e palm 
 of your hand and your knee. After this has been driven 
 into the seams mix up some thin white lead pair^t and paint 
 each seam to hold the cotton in. When this paint is dry 
 putty the seams, paint the bottom with two gqod coats of 
 red lead paint and nail on the flat keel and chine, or edge 
 pieces to take the wear and tear off the bottom planks, 
 when the boat lays aground or slides up on a gravel bed. 
 The chine pieces are shown 6 inches wide, but they can 
 be any width, and as three inches will bend around easier 
 some will no doubt use them that width. 
 
 When the construction has progressed this far knock the 
 braces out from under the boat and turn it right side up, 
 settmg it on logs to raise it off the ground anJ so as to 
 preserve the proper sweep the bottom is intended to have. 
 Then cut the upper plank to its proper shape and when two 
 of these are ready, one for each side, rivet or nail in the 
 upright posts of 2-inch by 2-inch oak at the various places 
 shown bv the measurements in the drawing. Be sure to 
 see that these are all standinp^ plumb before you nail 
 them in. 
 
 As most of these boats will be built for use on fresh 
 water rivers and lakes, it is not necessary to use galvanized 
 iron nails or copper rivets as is necessary on salt water, but 
 plain iron nails will do as Jong as they are kept painted. 
 Punch each nailhead in about an eighth of an inch below 
 the surface of the plank and then fill the hole with putty. 
 
 The jogs cut in the top edge of the top olank on the 
 
 /7<t-/ 
 
 The iides of ttie txjil ore tx/ilf up qf tuo piinlo- /he shape c/ f/?e bolfono 
 one IS ihoun aboteThecun/erniMei it SS/tSinslon^ /fis 12 ins w/at. 
 
 ytsoiR?irt piaifixa cnasuaya eut/ff /'it'^iuff: u/^/ie s/t/ei an tjpst£/e j/ou/n. 
 
 
 .. 1 1" ' i 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 V 
 
 ^ 
 
 .f 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 7- ' ■• 
 
 J, 
 
 
 
 
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 J' 
 
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 O/iapi c/ Tra/TSO/r? 
 
 surface for the nails from the bottom planks. Here is 
 where the friend who has built a box can help. The bot- 
 tom boards should be about a foot in width and laid across 
 from side to side — lay them close and so the edges make 
 as perfect a seam as possible. Keep the nailheads in, so 
 when you saw them off flush with the side planks you will 
 not ruin the saw teeth by coming in contact with z. nail- 
 head. To make the bottom watertight the seams should be 
 calked with cotton, then painted and puttied. Boat cotton 
 
 side make the various heights of af.er cattn, cockj-it and 
 forward deck. 
 
 To stiffen the bottom plankiner nail threi 2-inch yellow 
 pine stringers forward and aft, which means from front 
 to back in nautical lingo — one right down the middle 
 of the boat and one on each side, leaving a space of i8- 
 inches between them. These should be nailed from the un- 
 derside of the bottom planks, as they being of pine or 
 cedar, are thinner and softer wood, and the nails, by going 
 
 US 
 
IME 
 
 /norei^^aus cfra,v,r,^.„uii i^r, /,ii: aai/om/?/a/7/cc cross a/ays po/nr /r ana na// on Y^e /tee/ p/ank and ru/o u/earina 
 J/itft furn /ler r/^M jii/e up as ihown aio^e, /as fen //? uphi^M oak pipsrs am/ i):ni/ Sip n/anHs on a.-! ^/i^wn 
 
 F/oor Lerel 
 
 ,„ ' ' ' -yjidep/ank hasiiMn bent araun^ /^£ /nou/Ois to ^eep /he ^ii/ts aparf fhe uar/oi/s w/c/Ms ai 
 /nprey/aas^n3Minif.nai/onf/ie6offomp/ani:c cross cvays po/nf /f and na'i/ on f/?e Aee/p/ank and /U/o u/earin^ sfr/ps. 
 '/<pnr j/aa up as ^noa/n aboi^e fasMn jn /vnri/jhr n^il' r^/^fA- >5^/y>i^*^>y ;^ /,/^«/* ^« ^^ r-i,^,..^ 
 
 ai ^'yen 
 
 be /e/fA/uareon 
 na// kne£s 
 
 into the harder wood last, will hold stronger than if 
 nailed from above into the soft planking. 
 
 If the boat leaks at all, and to keep your feet dry from 
 any rain water that may be in the boat, a flooring can 
 be laid crossways resting on these three stringers and 
 the chine battens at the edges of the, sides. To strengthen 
 the corner forward where the stem joins the bottom, as 
 that gets all the ramming up against the shore in making 
 landings, cut a 2-inch thick knee and nail it securely to 
 both batten and inside edge of the stem. 
 
 A false stem is then fitted to the real stem. The ends of 
 the side planks and face of real stem can be trued up with 
 a sharp plane, so that the false stem makes a perfect joint 
 ■ — to insure water tightness calk the seams where the sides 
 and stem meet and paint them. The false stem can be 
 pointed off sharp for about one foot up from the bottom. 
 It should be left square from there up, so two small oak 
 knees can be bolted to it to steady the 3-inch by 3-inch 
 deck beam that sets on top of the false stem and against 
 the real stem's face. 
 
 Three other beams shpuld then be notched into the 
 top of the side planks, as shown in the plans, to carry the 
 platform deck forward, which is really the front porch, as 
 it were, the place where everybody enters the boat. The 
 platform itself, of about %-inch stuff, is then laid fore 
 and aft over these beams. 
 
 The second frame from the bow is to be left sticking up 
 through the deck to form a "hitching post." 
 
 To build the roof top, first get out the bands that run 
 around the top ends of the upright posts. These should be 
 of quarter sawed oak about Yz to ^-inch thick, 4 inches 
 deep over the forward cockpit and increased to 7 inches in 
 depth around the after cabin part. The bands across the 
 ends are the same depth and will have to be sawed to 
 shape out of wide planks to get the arch shape, which not 
 only sheds the water as a roof should, but in appearance 
 is far better than flat beams. The beams which go across 
 from side to side are 3 inches in depth by Ij4 inches 
 thick, of oak, and have an arch up of 4 inches. It takes < 
 considerably more wood to cut out these curved beams 
 
 and many men will be tempted to use flat ones, but if 
 this is done the side suppcfts should be carried uo higher, 
 so as to give more headroom under the roof. 
 
 Nail the ends of the beams to the oak bands and be 
 careful first to bore a hole for the nail or you may split 
 the beam and make a shaky roof. 
 
 Over these beams lay a thin roof of J^-inch or J/2-inch 
 tongued and grooved pine, with the smooth, side down 
 paint the top and then stretch wide thin cloth, such as 
 sheeting, over it tacked fast around the edges and laps 
 and then give that two or three thin coats of paint. Cover 
 the ed^-es of the cloth where it is turned over and tacked 
 into the edge of the pine top, with a half round oak mould- 
 ing about 94 of an inch wide. 
 
 It will add to the appearance of the roof if you also 
 screw or brad on a ^-inch half round oak moulding even 
 -with the lower edge of the bands. A similar effect is pro- 
 duced on the top edge of the side planks of the' boat by 
 nailing on a cap about M-inch thick if it is neatly rounded 
 over on both the inside and outside edges. This cap wiU 
 be wider because it has to span from the side planks over 
 to and cover up the upper edges of the vertical staving 
 in the cockpit. 
 
 This staving and all the bulkheads can be of the same 
 kind of wood, about 3^-inch pine, in narrow widths, with 
 its edges tongued and grooved. 
 
 An enclosed toilet room is shown built in at the after 
 end. The space opposite may be used as a sort of galley, 
 where simple meals can be cooked on an oil stove. 
 
 An arrangement of leats is shown which an owner 
 may change to suit his own ideas. My idea is to leave 
 the forward cockpit nractically clear of everything so 
 chairs can be used for seats as they are more comfortable 
 and allow of a change of position when desired. 
 
 Two partial bulkheads separate the engine-room, which 
 is aft from the forward part of the boat, and, besides 
 providing a space to carry the gasolene tanks, cylindrical 
 steel or copper boiler shaped ones, and also water coolers, 
 it serves to somewhat deaden th° engine noises. 
 
 116 
 
 .*!^ 
 
^j^^c^g^i^^^^pt 
 
 eft 
 
 ^^ 
 
 Part II 
 
 THE motor installation is simple enough with room to 
 get all around and at the motor, which is set en top 
 of two 3-inch oak beds that are nailed to the floors 
 and braced at each end, particularly at the fljrwheel end, 
 by two oak knees, which distribute the strain and mate- 
 rially steady the motor against rocking, and yet they need 
 not come so far above the floor as to be stumbling blocks 
 for people passing by it. 
 
 The axle of the sternwheel is high enough to enable you 
 to set the motor on a level base, but before you set the 
 motor make your paddle wheel and all its gear, and from 
 this you can get the proper height to set your motor. 
 
 To carry the paddle wheels bolt a yellow pine beam 2 
 inches by 6 inches, 7 feet long, against the inner face of 
 the frames, through a hole chiseled through the transom, 
 so they extend out back of the transom 3 feet Their outer 
 ends can be lightened up a little by tapering them to a 
 depth of 4 inches at the after end. Rivet on a block 
 slightly wedge-shaped so that its inner face stands fore 
 and aft. This gives a broader landing for the bearings 
 of the paddle wheel shaft. Another stout bearer of yel- 
 low pine 8 inches deep by 3 inches thick is mortised 
 through the transom in the center, so it lands right on top 
 of the floor of the boat and to which it is nailed. It is 
 tapered down in height as it goes forward until it is the 
 same depth as the 2 by 2 inch keelson in the center at the 
 after end of the engine. It also tapers up on the after end 
 until it is only 3 inches by 3 inches. This bearer carries 
 the shaft bearings where the worm wheel works into a 
 gear wheel keyed to the paddle wheel shaft or axle. 
 
 This worm and gear wheel you will have to buy, and 
 it should be a 4 to I gear: that is, for four revolutions of 
 the shaft from the motor the axle of the paddle wheel will 
 turn over once. This, at 300 revolutions and 25 per cent, 
 slip, will give a speed of about 8 miles an hour. 
 
 (The outer end of the motgr shaft will turn in two bear- 
 ings bolted to the outer end of the central beam, one just 
 in front of and one just back of the worm gear, with ball 
 bearing washers between to reduce the friction caused by 
 the thrust that will come upon these bearings when going 
 ahead or backing. The bearings for the axle of the wheel 
 
 should be fitted with grease cups on top, and be careful 
 to see that the axle bearings are perfectly level so the 
 wheel will not be lop-sided. 
 
 Various other means are sometimes employed for driv- 
 ing the paddle wheel. Some use a sprocket-wheel set-off 
 on one end of the axle, with a sprocket chain connection to 
 a smaller wheel on the end of the motor shaft with the 
 motor set so it extends crossways in the boat. This is a 
 very simple method of transmitting the power, but its 
 objections are the difficulty experienced in taking up the 
 
 -GreaxCi/p 
 
 iVheeJ 
 
 . Wheel ■»! 
 
 6iear, ■ 
 
 ■W70 ' 
 
 ^«» 
 
 9reas^Ccp^ 
 
 
 /Ix/e 
 
 
 /Irranc^ement of bearirx^s for <3)c/e of /he 
 ^fern i<jheef ark^f erk^f of shaff 
 
 slack of the chain which soon becomes loose, .and the fact 
 that the chain, if it breaks, goes to the bottom of the river 
 and leaves the boat helpless. With the chain transmission 
 the wheel is made in one piece and the paddles are much 
 larger, and for that reason cause more vibration than the 
 method we have shown. Here the paddle wheel is made 
 in two parts, with the transmission gear in a straight line 
 back of the motor. The middle of the wheel axle being 
 supported at the level gear and both ends, makes a 
 steadier running wheel and, what is of far more" import- 
 ance to the smoothness of the boat's running, is the fact 
 that the wheel by being in two sections with the paddles 
 set one slightly in advance of the other the shock of the 
 paddle hitting the water is only half as severe as it would 
 be with one wide paddle board clear across, and its action 
 always having one or two paddles submerged all the time. 
 This is an important feature of sternwheel propulsion. 
 
 U7 
 
for if one bucket is just comingout and another just enter- 
 ing, the load on the engine is at that moment very light, 
 and then heavy the next minute as the bucket goes under, 
 producing a jerky effect on the motor and gears. 
 
 Another point to be observed in sternwheel propulsion 
 is to have the paddle wheel as large as possible, so that 
 as the paddles come down into the water the boards, or 
 buckets as some call them, will not come down so as to 
 slap the* water with a shock, but will dip in as near edge- 
 wise as possible. 
 
 The wheel in this particular boat is 3-feet 6-inches in 
 diameter, there being eight arms bolted at the center to 
 a circular iron plate 10 or 12 inches in diameter about 
 j4-inch thick, with a heavy hub that fits on the 2-inch 
 axle, and to which it is fastened by means of an iron key 
 driven into a slot cut half out of the axle and half out of 
 the hub. The arms may be braced out near the buckets 
 by means of an iron hoop bolted to each arm or by oak 
 braces jammed between each arm. 
 
 Both wheels may be exactly alike, but when you cut the 
 keyways to hold them on the axle cut one so it sets the 
 
 Phn of rudders for 
 ^tern Wheeler 
 
 Teoo styles ofrcidder 
 han(fer-5 - a strdp and 
 3 ^crecoeye. 
 
 ft comparison bef^caeen a 3b"<3nd<3 2^"diamel-er 
 paddle u/heeU both to dip W shows ro hoco wach 
 beH-eradi/antcXfe the bcfcl<ef on the /ar^'er i^hee) 
 ■hih ■the water- /ess s/ap and wore push. 
 
 paddles or buckets about 6 inches in advance of those on 
 the other wheel. 
 
 As paddle wheels throw considerable water, they are 
 often partly covered by a shield to keep it from flying 
 about. This, in our case, is taken care of by building up 
 the after end of the boat with a staved up partition that 
 
 can be made re- 
 movable all in 
 one piece or in 
 sections to enable 
 you to get at the 
 paddle wheel and 
 rudders when- 
 ever any adjust- 
 ment may be nec- 
 essary there, and 
 yet it will be 
 tight enough to 
 keep out any wa- 
 ter that may 
 splash up against 
 it. 
 
 The paddle 
 wheel is kept 
 back from the 
 hull for ".the rea- 
 son that the wheel 
 works much more 
 efficiently if it is 
 just on the crest 
 of the stern 
 wave, which will 
 be about where 
 we have , located 
 it at the speed she will usually make. 
 
 The buckets or paddles should be of hardwood, 21 inches 
 long by 6 inches wide and from Y% to ^^ of an inch thick, 
 fastened to the paddle wheel arms by two 5-16-inch car- 
 riage bolts into each arm. They should be made as inter- 
 changeable as possible, and one or two -extra padclles al- 
 ways carried on board to replace aiiy that may be smashed 
 by coming in contact, with a piece of driftwood. ■* If all 
 the holes are bored tHe, same distance apart a new paddle 
 already bored.for the ^ bolts can be substituted in .a few 
 moments. 
 
 The steering gear consists of two oak rudders 13' inches 
 long by 12 inches deep, with their after ends cut so as to 
 clear the paddle wheels, hinged to the oak transom, so 
 they drop 3 inches below the bottom and set in 10 inches 
 from the sides so that they will not project beyond the 
 sides when turned around to an angle of 45 degrees. 
 
 The rudders are hinged 
 by means of two eye bolts 
 bolted th-rough the transom, 
 as shown on the plans, and 
 tvvo eyebolts or iron straps, 
 about I inch wide and y%- 
 inch thick bolted to the sides 
 of the rudders, . and bent 
 aroutid their forward 'edge 
 so as to form loops, with an 
 iron bolt about J^-inch in 
 diameter ■' dropped through 
 them. The upper ' eye or 
 loop in the rudder, coming 
 just under the eye in the 
 stern, prevents the ' rudder 
 lifting, and the lower eye, 
 being just above the one in 
 the stern, prevents the rud- 
 der dropping. This is as 
 simple and yet as effective a 
 style of rudder hanging as 
 you can get. 
 
 By linking the after edge of 
 both rudders together with a 
 flat iron bar 4 feet long, ij^ 
 inches wide and about 3-32 
 of an inch thick the wheel 
 ropes .which lead forward 
 
 118 
 
over pulleys or sheaves can be shackled into holes drilled can be had free from gnats and mosquitoes, and the for- 
 
 through the outer ends of this bar, and then lead forward ward part protected by curtains tacked to the roof band 
 
 to the steering wheel on the lefthand side, so a person can and arranged to roll up when not needed or dropped to 
 
 sit on the short seat built just forward of the partition and keep off the hot sun. 
 
 steer in comfort. « Such a boat will afford a lot of pleasure to a man and 
 
 By fitting wire netting screens around the after end of 'his family on waters where an ordinary motorboat could 
 
 the boat between the roof stanchions, sleeping quarters not go at all. 
 
 » 
 
 , 
 
 119 
 
Motorboat Handbook 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 (NOW IN THE FOURTH EDITION) 
 
 A Reference book for the Expert, a Text book 
 for the Novice; a work that should be kept on 
 board every motorboat for constant reference. It 
 is helpful when you buy or build a boat and ever 
 afterwards. This book is a necessity to the man 
 who owns or expects to own a motorboat. Written 
 so that the novice cam understand. 
 
 
 CON TE NTS 
 
 PART I 
 
 
 Cabin Types 
 
 Hauling Out Motorboats 
 
 
 Awnings 
 
 How to Build a Crab 
 
 
 Comfort in Steering 
 
 Care of the Boat in Winter 
 
 
 Sails on Motorboats 
 
 Striking the Water Line 
 
 
 Motorboat Forms 
 
 Scraping and Painting 
 
 
 Lights and Flags 
 
 Patching Up 
 
 
 Marine Railway Holsters 
 
 Racing Bottoms 
 
 
 
 Putting the Boat Overboard 
 
 
 PART II 
 
 Moorings for Motorboats 
 
 
 Motors from the Buyer's Standpoint 
 
 Why Hulls Strain 
 
 
 Reversing Devices 
 
 The Ballasting of Motorboats 
 
 
 Propellers 
 
 Frame Construction 
 
 
 Ignition 
 
 Bending Frames 
 
 
 Electricity as Applied to Motor Ignition 
 
 Planking 
 
 
 A Talk on Common Ignition Troubles 
 
 The Garboard Strake 
 
 
 Electric Circuits for Motorboats 
 
 Forms of Fastenings Used in Boat 
 
 Building 
 
 Carburetors and Vaporizers 
 
 Deck Construction 
 
 
 Adaptation of the Storage Battery for Marine 
 
 Bow and Stem Types 
 
 
 Purposes 
 
 Motor Installation 
 
 
 Nautical Etiquette 
 
 Steering Gear 
 
 
 The Way to Organize a Motorboat Club 
 
 Printed on fine paper, handsomely bound in cloth, 
 over 200 illustrations. 
 
 Price, Postpaid, One Dollar 
 
 THE MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 II0-II2 WEST 40th STREET 
 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
 120 
 
Motorboat Handbook 
 
 VOLUME II. 
 
 This volume is a companion work with Volume 
 I, described on the preceding page. It is fully as 
 valuable, and nearly everyone who had read Volume 
 I ordered a copy of this second volume as soon as 
 it was announced. It is printed and bound in 
 uniform style, and these two volumes contain all 
 the information that a boat owner can desire. 
 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Comfort at the Wheel 
 
 
 Following in a Wake ' 
 
 Steering 
 
 
 The Factor of Speed 
 
 Seaworthiness of Motorboats 
 
 
 Speed Formula 
 
 Ground Tackle 
 
 
 Heating the Fuel Charge 
 
 Cabins on Small Motorboats 
 
 
 Cause of Back-firing 
 
 Cutting a Rabbet 
 
 
 Corrosion of Water Jacket 
 
 Marine Runways 
 
 
 Ignition Inquiries 
 
 Gangways 
 
 
 Discussion of Adiabatic Compression Formula 
 
 The Table of Offsets 
 
 
 Revolutions 
 
 How to Project a Transom 
 
 
 Fuel Consumption, Two and Four Cycle 
 
 Points for Boat Buyers 
 
 
 Compression 
 
 Fitting Out 
 
 
 Valve Springs 
 
 Evolution of the Marine Motor 
 
 
 Pre-ignition 
 
 Reversing Devices 
 
 
 Steel Hull Cruiser 
 
 Motorboat Propellers 
 
 
 Gasolene Tanks Do Not Explode 
 
 Measurements, Ratings and Handicaps 
 
 Fly-wheels 
 
 Selected Questions and Answers 
 
 
 Importance of Refinement under Water 
 
 Cementing the Bottom 
 
 
 Crank Case Explosion— Converted Sailboat 
 
 Applying Graphite to the Bottom 
 
 
 An Adjustable Spar 
 
 The Waterline 
 
 
 The Brake Test Explained 
 
 Paint for Exhaust Pipes 
 
 
 Ridding a Boat of Water by Its Velocity 
 
 Right of Way 
 
 
 Siphon Bilge Pump 
 
 To Determine Horsepower 
 
 
 Yacht Flags (color plate) 
 
 How to Reduce Plans of Boat 
 
 
 Flags on Motorboats 
 
 Stuffing Box Packing 
 
 
 Storm Warning Signals 
 
 Determination of Propeller Pitch 
 
 
 U. S. Weather Signals 
 
 Twin Screw Installation 
 
 
 Storm Signals (color plate) 
 
 Squatting 
 
 
 U. S. Weather Signals (color plate) 
 
 Propeller Queries 
 
 
 Signal Code for Use on Motorboats 
 
 Propeller Shaft Inclination 
 
 
 International Code Flags (color plate) 
 
 Price, Postpaid, One Dollar 
 
 THE MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 IIO-II2 WEST 40th STREET 
 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
 121 
 
Motor Boat Handbook 
 
 Vol. Ill 
 
 Fully Illustrated — For Motorboat Owners 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 How the Shape of the Hull Affects the 
 
 Strength of a Boat 
 Keels, Stems and Sterns 
 Frames, Floors and Stringers 
 Planking, Decks and Interior Work 
 Fastenings Used in Motorboat Construction 
 Paints and Their Use 
 Flexibility in Boats 
 Bilge Pumps for Motorboats 
 What Makes a Dry Sea Boat? 
 How to Make a Scale for Any Boat Design 
 How to Weigh a Racing Boat 
 Racing Buoys 
 Riding to a Sea Drag 
 Overhauling a Two-Cycle Motor 
 Overhauling a Four-Cycle Motor 
 Some Exhaust Installations I Have Met 
 Valves and Valve Timing 
 Simple Motor Wiring 
 
 Something About Electric Lighting Outfits 
 The Motor's Electrical Equipment 
 
 Price, One Dollar, X?.v^'ht. 
 THE MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING CO. 
 110-112 WEST 40th STREET - NEW YORK 
 
 122 
 
THE MARINE MOTOR tt.'v^l.n'lTvl 
 
 By A. E, POTTER 
 
 THE ONLY COMPLETE 900K ON MARINE MOTORS 
 
 Table of Contents 
 
 Chapter I. — Principles and Types. 
 
 CHAPTER II.— Construction. 
 
 Proportions — Compression — Crank Case or Pri- 
 mary Compression — Piston Displacement — Bal- 
 ancing Motors — Wrist Pin offset with Crank 
 Shaft — Slow Speed Two-Stroke-Cycle — Medium 
 Speed Two-Stroke-Cycle — High Speed Two- 
 Stroke-Cycle — Two-Port Motors, Enclosed 
 Crank Case — Two-Port Motors, Open Crank 
 Case — Three-Port Motors, Enclosed Crank 
 Case — Three-Port Motors, Open Crank Case — 
 Combined Two- and Three-Port Motors — Posi- 
 tive Two-Stroke Inlet Valves — Four-Stroke- 
 Cycle Slow Speed Motors — Four-Stroke-Cycle 
 „ Medium Speed Motors — Four-Stroke-Cycle 
 High Speed Motors — Reversing and Air Start- 
 ing Motors — Self-Starting Marine Motors — 
 Double-Acting Marine Motors — Automobile 
 Motors for Motorboats and Marine Motors for 
 Automobiles — Kerosene, Producer Gas and Fuel 
 Oil Motors. 
 
 Chapter III. — Motor Parts and Functions. 
 
 Two-Stroke-Cycle Cylinders — Four-Stroke-Cy- 
 cle Cylinders — Two-Stroke-Cycle Ports — Two- 
 Stroke-Cycle Cylinder Heads — Four-Stroke-Cy- 
 cle Cylinder Heads — Pistons Two- and Four- 
 Stroke-Cycle — Piston Rings — Connecting Rods 
 — Crank Shafts — Fly-Wheels — Wrist and Crank 
 Pins — Crank and Cam Shaft Gears — Cam Shafts 
 — Motor Valves — Rotary and Sleeve Valves — 
 Valve Springs — Valve Location — Valve Stem 
 Guides — Valve Operation — Inlet Manifolds — 
 Exhaust Manifolds — Priming and Relief Cocks 
 — Bearings — Eccentrics and Eccentric Straps — 
 Water Pumps and Location — Check Valves for 
 Marine Motors — MuiBers and Muffling — Re- 
 verse Gears and Clutches — Bilge Pumps — Air 
 Pumps — Motor Governors — Mechanical and 
 Rear Starters — Propeller Shafts and Shaft 
 Couplings — Stuffing Boxes and Stern Bearings 
 — Propellers. 
 
 Chapter IV. — Ignition. 
 
 Primary Batteries and Their Care — Secondary 
 Batteries or Accumulators and Their Care — 
 Battery Connections — Mechanical Electric Gen- 
 erators — Magnetos — Dynamos — Switches — Tim- 
 ers — Distributors — Spark or Induction Coils — 
 Jump Spark Coils — Master Vibrators and Con- 
 densers — Plug Spark Coils— Magnetic Spark 
 Plugs — Air Gaps — Double Ignition — Ignition 
 Synchronism, Speed and Direction — Single 
 Spark Battery Systems. 
 
 Chapter V. — Carburetion, 
 
 Chapter VI. — Lubrication. 
 
 Lubricants — Graphite as a Lubricant — Testing 
 and Selection of Lubricants. 
 
 Chapter VII. — Selection of Motors. 
 
 Speed Flexibility — Second Hand Motors — 
 Tables. 
 
 Chapter VIII. — Installation. 
 
 Twin-Screw Installation — Final Inspection. 
 
 Chapter IX. — Operation, 
 Cautions. 
 
 Chapter X. — Troubles and Cares. 
 
 Refusal to Start — Missing Explosions — Sluggish 
 Operation — Uneven Running — Gradual Slowing 
 Down — Running in Cold Weather — S u d d e n 
 Stopping — Cause and Remedy for Noisy Mo- 
 tors — Electrolysis and Corrosion — Adjusting 
 Carbureter s — Blowing Back Through Car- 
 bureter. 
 
 Chapter XI. — Testing and Efficiency. 
 
 Testing the Compression, Cylinder and Crank 
 Case — Fuel Consumption Tests — Consumption 
 of Fuel — Efficiency of Marine Motors — ^Mean 
 Effective Pressure — Causes of Poor Efficiency. 
 
 Chapter XII. — Care and Repair. 
 
 Winter Care — Overhauling the Motor — Dis- 
 sembling — Re-Assembling — Emergency Repair 
 Kits. 
 
 FITTING OUT TIME IS HERE. THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU OUT 
 
 Vrice ^1.00, "Postpaid Anytvher* 
 MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING CO.. 110 West 40th Street. N.Y. City 
 
 123 
 
CANADA 
 
 Follow these Charts for your 
 Summer's Cruise— 
 
 These Motor Boat Charts cover some of the most pic- 
 turesque Waterways of North America, and will lead you 
 through marvelously beautiful country. They are carefully 
 drawn, giving details that make navigation simple and easy. 
 
 MfiANY 
 
 I 
 
 4 
 
 ScASTtCTOM ;, 
 
 nut i< • 
 
 iMocnit 
 
 Chart Ko. 1. — The Upper Hudion River, the Canal> and 
 Inland Lakes of the Sute of New York. 
 
 Okart No. 2. — Lake Champlain. 
 
 Obart No. 2-a. — Lake George, with information how to 
 Miter and leave the lake. 
 
 Oliart No. 8. — The Richelieu River, from Rousei Point, 
 Lake Champlain, to St. Johns, P. Q. 
 
 Cbart No. 4. — St Johns, P. Q., to Serel, oa the St. 
 Lawrence, via the Chambly Canal and Richelieu River. 
 
 Chart No. 6. — The St. Lawrence River, from Sorel to 
 Montreal. 
 
 CSAIO'B A B C OF THE HIVEK ST. LAWXENOE, a 
 Thousand Island Segrlon. 
 
 Chart No. 6. — Ottawa River from Ste. Anne to 
 Grenville. 
 
 Chart No. 7. — Ottawa River from Grenville 
 to Ottawa. 
 
 Chart No, 8. — Ottawa, Ont., to Smith's Falls, Ont., vis 
 Rideau River and Rideau Canal. 
 
 Chart No. 9. — Smith's Falls to Kingston, including the 
 Rideau Lakes. 
 
 Chart No. 10. — The Eastern End of Lake Ontario, show- 
 ing the course across the lake from Kingston to Oswego, also 
 the entrance to the St. Lawrence River, the Harbors of 
 Kingston, Sacketts Harbor and Oswego. 
 
 complete guide to this famous Siver, Including the Wonderful 
 
 iv*^ 
 
 
 Price, $1.00 each; or the entire set for $8.00 
 Any six charts for $5.00 
 
 ORDER BY NlAffiER POSTAGE PREPAID ANYWHERE 
 
 THE MOTOR BOAT PUBLISHING CO., 110 West 40th Street, NEW YORK 
 
 ik: 
 
 124 
 
14 DAY USE 
 
 RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED 
 
 LOAN DEPT. 
 
 is due on the last date stampe 
 
 3n the date to which renewec 
 
 Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. 
 
 This book is due on the last date stamped below, or y 
 on the date to which renewed. 
 
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 APR 14 1961 
 
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 LD 21-100 (B6221sl0)476B 
 
 General Libraiy 
 University of California 'K 1 r IC 
 Berkeley U I ■ r^