Boys' Book of Model Boats

by Raymond F. Yates

In order to stabilize the craft and to bring her down to the proper water-line, a lead keel must be nailed to the bottom. The weight of this keel will have to be adjusted until the boat rests properly in the water. The reader will notice that no dimensions have been given for this boat. This is because most boys will wish to build different sized boats, and therefore it has not been deemed advisable to dimension the boats described in this Chapter. What the author desires to do is to impart the principles of construction, so that every boy may use his own ingenuity in regard to size and proportion of length to beam.

If tugs are constructed according to the design outlined above, the model boat builder will also desire to have something that the tug can haul. A very simple barge for this purpose is outlined in [Figs. 25] and [26]. This is formed of a single slab with the ends cut at an angle as illustrated. A square flat piece is then tacked to the upper deck, which acts as a cover. Four posts are then put in place in the same way as those on the tug. One is placed in each corner. A boat or a scow like this is generally painted red, and the model described can be made to look much more realistic by painting it this color.

These barges are so easy to construct that the model-builder should make three or four of them at a time. If the pieces for several are cut out at the same time, the construction will be just that much easier. If the boat does not sink far enough into the water, a piece of lead should be placed on the bottom to bring it down. This piece of lead should be placed as near the center as it is possible to get it. Otherwise the boat will list or tip at one end or the other. With a little patience and care the weight can be so adjusted on the bottom as to bring the scow to a perfectly level position. The reader will understand that the water-line of a scow or any boat made according to the directions in this book will depend largely upon the nature of the wood. In the first Chapter of the book it was pointed out that the specific gravity of different woods varies, and therefore the buoyancy will vary.

A model freighter is shown in [Fig. 27]. The hull of this boat can be formed by two 1¹/₂-inch planks. These will require a little hard work to cut out; but, on the other hand, the effort will be entirely justified by the pleasing appearance of the little craft that can be produced in this way. A bow and stern block to raise the deck are cut out and nailed in place, as shown. A cabin is also placed on the stern of the craft, and this is formed by a block with a piece of cigar-box wood placed on the top. The cigar-box wood should project a little over the edges to form a canopy. The center of the deck can be raised by a third block; and three independent blocks, two large ones and a small one, form the main cabin. Sandwiched in between these blocks are three pieces of cigar-box wood. The remaining details of the craft are so simple that they may easily be made by following the diagram.

Let us turn our attention to model war-ships. A torpedo-boat destroyer is clearly illustrated in [Figs. 28] and [29]. This is very simple to construct and makes a pleasing craft when finished. The hull is formed by two blocks. One of these forms the raised deck on the bow of the boat. The cabin is built up on this raised deck. It will be seen that the part of the hull that rests in the water is formed by one block. In building boats of this nature the constructor should be careful to keep them long and slender, since torpedo-boat destroyers are always of this type. They are high-speed craft, and their displacement must therefore be as small as possible. Some of these boats carry four stacks and some two. The author prefers four stacks as giving the boat a better appearance than two. The two little cabins near the stern of the boat are placed there merely to take away the plainness of construction. The guns mounted forward and aft are merely round pieces of wood with a piece of wire bent around them and forced into a hole in the deck.