How? or, Spare Hours Made Profitable for Boys and Girls

by Kennedy Holbrook

First, draw a line from the middle point of one end to the middle point of the other end of the top of the block; this will serve as a guide to the bow and the center of the stern. Care should be taken not to make your vessel too blunt at the bow; as a sailor would say, “the lines at the bow should be fine when they meet the water.”

The elegant appearance of the boat is increased by giving an overhang to the stern, instead of running it up vertically; and if the young builder is confident in the use of his tools, a sheer, as it is called, of the lines at the top, or the gunwale, will add greatly to the grace of its appearance. For the benefit of those who do not understand the meaning of the word sheer, it may be explained that it is the gradual and graceful downward curve from bow to stern, noticeable in the bulwarks of vessels when seen from one side.

It is perhaps superfluous to add that great care should be taken to have each side of the craft alike, for if a preponderance of weight is on one side, the vessel will tip; while if the curve is unequal, she will not sail evenly.

The hollowing out of the inside is most conveniently accomplished with a sharp gouge and mallet, while the hull is secured firmly in a vise. When this is finished, a hole should be made in the bottom to receive the lower end of the mast, and care should be taken not to bore through the hull, as it would be difficult to stop the ingress of water through it.

We have now come to the keel, which must be firmly attached to the hull. The best way to do this is to drive three slender brass screws through the bottom of the boat, with ends projecting from one-fourth to one-half an inch along the line of the proposed keel. Make a temporary box around these, inclosing a space equal to the length and breadth of the keel, with strips of thin wood, such as cigar-box wood; strips of heavy pasteboard may answer the purpose sufficiently well. In either case this mold should be firmly attached to the hull, in such a manner that after casting the keel it may be readily removed. Perhaps the best way to accomplish this is to paste it in place by means of narrow bands of stout paper. The inside of the mold must be rubbed with oil or lard to prevent the lead from adhering to its sides. This lead must be melted over a very hot fire, so that it will not cool too rapidly upon entering the mold, in which case it would not hold together as well. When cold, the mold may be detached, and the keel will be held firmly in place by the three screws.

The deck should be made of thin board, cut so as to accurately fit the top of your hull. If a sheer has been given to the bulwarks, it is of course much more difficult to fit the deck accurately, as it should follow the curve. It will very likely be found necessary to steam the board used, to make it sufficiently flexible. It will be possible to use stout pasteboard for the purpose, if both sides and edges are given a couple of coats of paint, which treatment should also be applied to the inside of the hole for the mast.

This hole should be placed very slightly farther astern than the hole already mentioned, made in the bottom of the vessel. The effect of this will be to give the mast a slight rake. This is always the case with the masts of a schooner yacht, but builders of sloop yachts occasionally omit the rake and “step” the mast in a vertical position.

The bowsprit may be fastened by two staples made of small wire, and driven down over it. One is driven down into the stem, or extreme forward point of the hull, and corresponds to what is called the “gammon iron” in a full-sized craft; the other secures the “inboard” end of the bowsprit, or that which is nearer the stern. This end is called the heel, and should nearly reach the mast. The outer end should project beyond the hull to a distance of nearly one-third the latter’s length.

The rudder can be whittled from a thin piece of wood, in the shape shown in the figure; the upper part or head is round, and passes up through a hole in the overhang. The top of this rudder-head is squared off to fit the hole in the end of the tiller or helm. The rudder is “shipped” very much as a barn-door or window-blind is set in place. Suitable hinges for the rudder of a toy boat can be made of pins from which the heads have been filed. Two pins may be bent double for staples, and inserted into the “stern-post” of the vessel; while two others bent at right angles may be driven into the rudder, the projecting ends hanging down through the staples. The rudder should turn with sufficient friction to hold its place, at whatever angle it may be set. The hollow of the boat should not extend back into the overhang, as water might enter it through the rudder-hole.

The mast is composed of two parts or pieces; the lower part is what is always understood when the “mast” is spoken of. The smaller piece, fastened to the upper end of the mast, is called the topmast.