Boat-Building and Boating

by Daniel Carter Beard

A Flat-Bottomed Scow

or at least every boy should know how to make as simple a craft as the scow, but for fear some lad among my readers has neglected this part of his education, I will give a few hints which he may follow.

Building Material

Select lumber that is free from large knots and other blemishes. Keep the two best boards for the sides of your boat. With your saw cut the side boards into the form of [Fig. 219]; see that they are exact duplicates. Set the two pieces parallel to each other upon their straight or top edges, as the first two pieces shown in [Fig. 220]. Nail on an end-piece at the bow and stern, as the bumper is nailed in [Figs. 221] and [222]; put the bottom on as shown in [Figs. 196] and [210], and you have a simple scow.

Centrepiece

In [Fig. 219] you will notice that there are two sides and a centrepiece, but this centrepiece is not necessary for the ordinary open boat, shown by [Fig. 218]. Here you have one of the simple forms of house-boat, and you can make it of dimensions to suit your convenience. I will not occupy space with the details of this boat, because they may be seen by a glance at the diagrams, and my purpose is to tell you how to build the American boy's house-boat, which is a more elegant craft than the rude open scow, with a canvas-covered cabin, shown by [Fig. 218].

Fig. 219.—Unfinished.