Fig. 417.
For one 14' long, you could make the beam 4' at the gunwale, 3' 4" at the bottom, the same at the ends, and the sides could be made of boards 15" wide. Stock ¾" thick is sufficiently heavy for the sides of a boat 14' long.
The seats for a larger boat than that described can be arranged to rest as shown in Fig. 417, and an extra mould or cross-board not far from each end can be used, as shown.
Fig. 418.
A piece of keel or skag can be added at the stern end, if desired, as shown in Fig. 418. This will assist in rowing straight. Fit a piece of 7/8" board to the curve of the bottom, keeping the straight edge parallel with the top. Square off the end in line with the stern, nail the skag firmly to the bottom, and nail a stern-post, 7/8" × 1¼" or 1½", securely to the stern and the skag. A rudder can be hung to the stern-post if desired. A centre-board is sometimes added to a punt, being arranged in the way shown on page 330. A lee-board is often used on punts and scows. It is merely a centre-board lowered outside of the boat instead of in the centre.
Fig. 419.
Small Rowboat.—A simple form of skiff, or common flat-bottomed rowboat (Fig. 419), called by various names, is similar to the punt at the stern, and the mode of construction is similar. The boards for the sides are not cut away on the bottom at the bow, as in the punt, but are left full width and drawn together to form a sharp bow. The ends are usually, but not always, cut off with a slight slant at the bow, which gives a rake to the stem (Fig. 420).
