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