Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/795

 Popular Science MotitJdy

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���In the place occupied by them put in a rib, in the same manner you have fastened in the others.

The work of making the centerboard may now be started, which is shown in Fig. 6. First cut the slot in the exact center of the floor, and through the outside keel. Make this slot 2 ins. wide. At each end, put in a post. Nail this post solidly to the flooring and to the keel. The sides of the center- board trunk are best made of a single board; if two are used, calk the seam. The sides are

^ JO/^ ► shaped as shown

and nailed to the posts. Lay two or three strands ^,/ ^ of candle-wick-

^ ing at the junc-

Fig. 5. Transom^ ^-^^^ ^f flooring

and trunk. Finish by nailing a i-in. quarter-round molding to cover the joint, first laying in a strand or two of candle-wicking. For the centerboard, two pieces of Georgia pine are doweled together as shown in diagram. Gal- vanized or plain iron rods about j^ in. in diameter are all right for fresh water, but brass is more durable in salt water. In boring the dowel holes, make them the same size as the dowels, and take particular care to bore the holes straight, otherwise the board will not be true. In the lower left-hand corner of the centerboard, make a 43^-in. slot. Bore a hole through the trunk and hang the board by driving an oak pin flush with the outside of the trunk. Near the after-end of the top edge of the board, drive a staple or screw-eye, and fasten a galvanized iron rod in the eye, so that the centerboard may be raised and lowered. The top of the trunk is finished with a X by 33/2-in. oak piece, in which a hole is bored to allow the rod to project through. Screw this in place on the edges, using brass screws. The deck beams may now be put in, and while many boats are made with a flat deck, it is best to form a "crown" by curving the beams i J^ or 2 in. in the center. For the fore deck, put in three deck beams, running them across and screwing solidly to the ribs. Two beams should be put in to support the stern deck also. To support the side

��decks, knees should be put in to rest upon each seat, and in between. The deck details are shown in Fig. 8.

The deck is laid in strips, running fore and aft (lengthwise of the boat). Begin by laying the first strip from stem to coaming line; then fit the others as shown in diagram. When ready to lay the side decks, put a few strands of candle-wicking along the top edge of

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Fig. 6. Centerboard construction

sideboards, and nail the deck solidly (o the sides. Screw firmly to the deck beams, countersinking the heads of all screws and nails.

Now that the boat is decked, cut out the inside curve for the coaming of the cockpit. The coaming will not require steaming, if ^-in. oak is used. Simply bring the forward ends together to form a A, A butt-block shaped to fit, is now screwed firmly in place to make a solid joint.

If the deck is carefully laid with tight joints and kept well painted, it will be water-tight, but the usual

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