The Stem-piece
may be made of two pieces, as is shown at G and F ([Fig. 195]) or if you are more skilful than the ordinary non-professional, the stem may be made of one piece, as shown by the lower diagram at F ([Fig. 195]). It is desirable to have oak for the stem, but any hard wood will answer the purpose, and even pine may be used when no better is to be had. Take a piece of cardboard or an old shingle on which to draw a pattern for the end of the stem and make the outline with a lead-pencil by placing the shingle over the apex c of diagram E ([Fig. 195]); from the inside trace the line of the sides thus, V. Trim your stem down to correspond to these lines and let the stick be somewhat longer than the width of the sides A, A.
Fig. 196.—Put on a bottom of 1-inch boards.
When this is done to your satisfaction, fit the stem in place and nail the side boards to the stem.
Turn the boat over and nail on a bottom of 1-inch boards as shown by [Fig. 196].
Don't
use tongue and grooved or any sort of fancy cabinet or floor joining when wet—such matched lumber warps up in waves—but use boards with smooth, flat edges; if these are true and fitted snugly together in workmanlike manner the first wetting will swell them in a very short time, until not a drop of water will leak through the cracks, for the reason that there will be none. Fit the bottom-boards on regardless of their protruding ends, as these may be sawed off after the boards are nailed in place.