Fig. 73 will give the reader a very good idea of the appearance of the boat at this stage. It will be seen that the sketch shows the deck broken away so as to render the cross-batten visible, which also shows the fair-lead at F, [Fig. 73]. This is cut from two small pieces of 3/16-inch stuff, glued and pinned in place. The forward deck is completed by the addition of cowl-ventilators, cut from hard wood and screwed in place. The flag-mast is made from a short piece of 1/16-inch wire. The details of the mooring-cleats are shown in [Fig. 74]. They are fashioned by using a small screw-eye and soldering a short piece of brass wire through the eye. An oblong metal plate is then cut and a central hole drilled. This plate is soldered to the shank of the screw-eye and the cleat is complete. One of these devices is to be fitted to the fore-deck and two on the main-deck and stern.
The rudder and steering gear will be considered next. [Fig. 75] shows the stern of the boat with the rudder gear mounted in place. It will be noted that the rudder-blade is merely a piece of sheet brass cut to shape and soldered into the rudder-post M, which is slit to accommodate it. The rudder-post is hung in two screw-eyes on the stern of the boat. A small wheel about 1 inch in diameter, with an edge filed in it, is soldered to the top of the rudder-post. A fine cord or string, well stretched and oiled, is attached to the wheel and led through two screw-eyes on the deck. From this it is led through an opening in the coaming to a drum on the steering column, which is turned by another small wheel similar to that used on the rudder-post, but with a round edge. The steering column is merely a piece of 1/8-inch wire, held in place by two small screw-eyes fixed in the coaming and with a tube-brush soldered on to keep the wire in position. The drum is simply a hard-wood bushing driven tightly in place.
The power machinery for the Nancy Lee must be considered at this time. This is really one of the most interesting parts of the construction. The general appearance of the power plant can be seen by referring to [Fig. 77], which is a view of the complete boiler and engine mounted together on the same base. The boiler is shown at A and the safety-valve and filler at L. The base or firebox B protects the burner from stray drafts of air, and also supports the boiler.
The lamp or burner consists of a receptacle C for containing the denatured alcohol. The denatured alcohol is inserted through the filler-tube E, which is kept closed with a cork. The upright tube D is fitted so that air can go into the receptacle containing the alcohol. Three burners are necessary to fire the boiler. These are fitted as shown in F, and they give sufficient heat to produce steam enough to drive the cylinder G. The steam is conducted to the cylinder through the short pipe K. The steam-cylinder has the usual piston and rod, which drives the circular crank H. This crank is mounted on a crankshaft carried on the metal tube M. As will be noticed, the cylinder is of the simple oscillating type mounted on a standard, formed as part of the boiler casing, and stiffened by two angle-plates L.
A heavy flywheel, J, is now fitted to the inside end of the crankshaft. This wheel should be a lead casting, and as heavy as possible. A heavy flywheel contributes much to the operating efficiency of the engine. The propeller-shaft and crank are shown at N in the insert.
The boiler is made from a strong tin can about 13/4 inches in diameter and 41/2 inches long. It is cleaned inside and out, and all the seams are double-soldered. The lid is also soldered on the can. This little boiler, although not elaborately made, will be found capable of standing up under considerable steam-pressure, and so no fear need be had of accidents by explosion.