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