The mast thwart is made as shown at the right in the [illustration], and has a hole cut in the center to fit the mast. It is also provided with two lantern-board hooks, one at each end, with which to clamp the thwart to the gunwales. The mast is supported at the bottom by means of the mast step, which is a block of wood, shaped as shown to give a neat appearance. It is fastened to the grating, or to the ribs if no grating is used.

The leeboard thwart is also shown in the [sketch], at the right. The short upright ends are set at an angle so that they conform to the curve of the canoe and wedge the thwart into place immediately aft of the mast. The ends are grooved to fit the thwart and fastened with screws. A carriage bolt is fitted through each end piece and provided with a wing nut, which holds the leeboard in place on each side. The leeboards may thus be adjusted at the desired angle by fixing them with wing nuts. No dimensions are given, for it is obvious that they will vary on different styles and sizes of canoes. A finish in keeping with that of the canoe should be applied. Smooth all the work as carefully as possible with sharp tools and sandpaper it lightly. Three coats of spar varnish will give a satisfactory finish.

The sail is hoisted by running the halyard through the screw eye at the top of the mast, until the gaff spar is close to the mast top, as illustrated.

The boom jaw is fastened on the boom, with the open end 18 in. from the forward end of the boom. This will permit the forefoot of the sail to extend forward of the mast. By tying the halyard at various points along the gaff, the point of balance may be found. For the sake of safety the halyard should not be tied to the forward thwart, but run under it to the stern within easy reach of the canoeist. The main sheet should never be made fast, but the rope merely looped around the thwart and held in the hand or beneath the foot, so that it may be released quickly if a puff of wind should strike the sail.

Steering is done with a paddle. This method is more convenient than a rudder where the single sail is used. The paddle is always used on the lee side—away from the wind—and the wake keeps the blade close to the side of the canoe, without much effort on the part of the person guiding it. When turning about make the regular paddling stroke, but finish it by thrusting the blade of the paddle away from the canoe. This will tend to keep the canoe in its course, and the paddle will not be drawn across the wake, which would affect the headway of the craft.

The lower the weight is placed in a canoe, or boat, the greater will be its stability. Hence, in sailing a canoe, sit on the floor of the craft, and when turning about, turn against the wind and not with it. The experienced canoeist can shift his course readily, but the novice must be cautious, even in a moderate breeze. It would be well to sail in shallow water and to wear only bathing costume when learning to sail a canoe. When tacking and sailing close-hauled the leeboard is the most effective, but as the boards are thin both may be kept down without greatly reducing the speed. When running before the wind both boards may be raised to give the greatest speed.

Paint may be readily removed from windows by applying a cloth dipped in hot vinegar or acetic acid. This applied to brushes will soften them.

How To Build
A Canoe
By Stillman Taylor
PART III
Fitting a Motor into a Paddling Canoe

A stanchly built canoe of sufficient length and beam may be converted into a light, serviceable, and convenient power boat by the installation of a light-weight motor of about 2 hp. While the craft thus becomes less available for shallow waters and cannot be used so readily on trips where portages are necessary, a power canoe has advantages in that longer trips may be undertaken with less regard for weather conditions. Greater speed and the fact that physical power need not be expended also increase the value and range of operations of such a craft.