"I am estimating that the passenger weight will be 400 pounds and the weight of the boat itself at 500 pounds."
"That is a very liberal estimate. Have you considered the mast and sails?"
"That is something entirely beyond my knowledge. I do not know what kind of sail; or how large it shall be; nor the length or size of the masts. If I knew something about the kinds of sails used for vessels I might be able to decide on that as well as the other parts."
"The term ship, as usually applied, has reference to a vessel furnished with a bowsprit and three masts—a mainmast, a foremast and a mizzenmast; and these three masts are each composed of three parts, namely, a lowermast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast."
"The bowsprit is that mast which projects forward from the bow, isn't it?"
"Yes. In small vessels the cutter and the sloop have single masts, the difference being that in the cutter the jib-boom has no stay to support it."
"What's the difference between the jib-boom and the bowsprit; they both project out from the bow of the vessel?"
"The bowsprit projects out only a little forward of the bow, and the jib-boom is attached to the forward end of the bowsprit."
"Well, if we are to have only one mast, should we have a bowsprit?"
"It is not necessary, for the reason that in a small boat the boom, as it is called, to stretch the foot of the sail, runs out directly from the foot of the mast to which it is pivotally hinged."