| Have you ever dreamed of owning a boat of
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| | nails
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| your own, so that you could explore
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| | 1. Cut both sideboards and the two
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| around the bend of a river, or just float
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| | endblocks (Diagram lb) to shape. In order
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| lazily along a lake? Why not build the
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| | to give the boat better navigating
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| boat of your dreams?
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| | qualities, the sideboards have to run
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| As far as the appearance of your vessel
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| | together and taper at the bottom. By
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| is concerned, you don't have to be too
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| | doing this, you raise the floorboards
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| particular. The important thing is its
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| | both fore and aft. Therefore, the
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| absolute seaworthiness. Perhaps it's too
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| | endblocks have to be set in at an angle
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| much to call these crafts "boats"; for
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| | (a slope of about 4") to give the bow and
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| the most part, they're actually rafts or
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| | stern racy lines. (The angle formed
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| floats, but they all serve the purpose of
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| | inside the sidewalls where they meet the
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| carrying you on the water. For example,
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| | endblocks should be a narrow one.) The
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| here is a tube-boat. This is made of old
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| | sides can be screwed down to the
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| tire tubes which are first carefully
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| | endblocks permanently, but because of the
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| patched, then pumped up, and finally
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| | flooring take care to let the sidewalls
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| bound together with boards and ropes as
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| | extend about an inch beyond the bottom of
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| the illustration shows. The ropes should
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| | the endblocks.
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| be as thick as possible so they will not
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| | 2. Bolt the frames together as shown in
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| cut into the tubes. You can make paddles
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| | Diagram 2 and force them between the
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| out of small boards nailed to short
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| | sidewalls. Since the boards can still be
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| poles.
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| | bowed considerably now, this was the
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| The water-flea is a different model, and
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| | reason for choosing a narrow angle at the
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| to make it you first need a tree trunk.
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| | ends. Screw the frames tight on one side,
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| Fasten a pole crosswise at each end of
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| | but once again have the sidewalls extend
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| the trunk and bind a small log or block
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| | beyond the bottoms of the frames by the
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| of wood to the ends of each pole. This
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| | thickness of the floorboards.
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| provides you with four floats which
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| | 3. The flooring is a little more trouble.
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| prevent the tree trunk from spinning on
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| | Put together the three boards which have
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| its own axis. Fasten blocks to serve as
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| | been tongued and grooved. Clamp down the
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| foot supports on both sides at the middle
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| | sidewall, which has not yet been screwed
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| of the trunk. In order to reduce water
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| | tight, temporarily with
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| resistance, the blocks and the trunk are
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| | C-clamps. Then place the whole boat on
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| pointed. To make the barrel-float, you
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| | top of the flooring and trace the outline
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| need a barrel, some poles, and two
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| | along the inside.
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| boards. The result will be a very unusual
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| | NOTE: YOU must set the flooring in with
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| and individual boat. A tin-can raft can
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| | the sidewalls overlapping it. Only in
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| be made in the same way as the tube-boat,
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| | this way will the boat be watertight when
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| with large cans such as oil drums instead
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| | the wood swells in the water. Cut the
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| of the tire tubes.
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| | floor boards out along the traced outline
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| If you're even more ambitious, you can
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| | and screw the flooring tightly to the
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| build a regular boat, much like the ones
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| | frames and the endblocks. Now you can
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| built by some boys in Switzerland, who
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| | also screw the second sidewall down
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| made a whole fleet. This boat has room
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| | permanently. For stability, insert an
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| for three or four boys.
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| | auxiliary frame at the middle of the boat
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| Measurements
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| | (Diagram 3).
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| Length: about 16 feet
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| | 4. To make the boat watertight; before
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| Greatest width (must not be in the
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| | you nail the flooring to the sidewalk,
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| middle; rather than at the 8-foot mark,
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| | you must calk the crack (pack it with
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| have the widest point about 71/2 feet
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| | oakum). The cheapest outside protection
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| from the bow): about 32 inches
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| | for the boat is tar, and you can paint
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| Width of bottom: about 24 inches
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| | the inside with an inexpensive oil-base
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| Height: about 12 inches
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| | paint.
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| Materials
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| | 5. You also need paddles. Canoe paddles
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| Pine or fir boards as free from knotholes
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| | (Diagram 4) work out the best. Make them
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| as possible:
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| | long enough to reach your waist.
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| 2 Boards: 3/4" x 12" x 16'
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| | Whether you want to build an individual
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| 3 boards tongued and grooved:
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| | or a regular boat, be sure to collect the
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| 3/4" x 24" (total) x 16'
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| | best materials and take proper
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| 2 beam pieces: about 6" x 8"x 18"
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| | measurement to make your dream into
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| Laths: about 6" screws, bolts, 11/4"
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| | reality and perfect.
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