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and we must leave it to the reader or the carpenter he employs to fill in the details of the outline description which we give. Fig. 34 gives her elevation. The first step will be to make her keel. This can be a piece of deal if expense is a great object, but elm is far the best. It should be 15ft. long, at least 4in.

A

B

B

Α

FIG. 34. SAILING PUNT.

thick, more if procurable, and 6in. deep. It will be seen by reference to the figure where A A is the keel that it is left its original height at the stern but bevelled off as it approaches the bow. This is to give the bottom boards the curve of the sides (BB). At the stem it may be 3in. deep. A stem piece of oak,

SAILING PUNT.

113

2ft. deep, is securely morticed on to the keel, and a stern piece of hard wood, lin. thick, of an oblong shape, 4ft. wide by 1ft. in depth, is also morticed on to the keel. A slot, 1in. in width and 4ft. long, is cut in the keel amidships for the centre-board to drop through. The figure, which is drawn to the scale of in. to the foot, will show the position of the centre-board. The sides will now be cut of in. plank of the shape shown in B B, 1ft. 6in. deep at the bows and 1ft. at the stern. The bottom will be made of planks of the same thickness, and of the shape shown in Fig. 35, the greatest breadth being 6ft.

FIG. 35. FLOOR PLAN OF SAILING PUNT.

The midship section will be the shape shown in Fig. 36, and strong frames of the required shape will be fixed on the floor before the sides are attached. A simple way is to have a solid piece right across the boat against the end of the centre-board case, and this can have a seat on the top for the purpose of rowing.

In Fig. 36 the centre-board case is drawn out of proportion, in order that the mode of its construction and fastening may be more clearly shown. The centre-board may either be of some hard wood (the heavier the better), şin. thick, or of iron.

The mast is stepped through a thwart, and in a hole on a block nailed to the keel. The rig is the Una rig, and the

I

sail dimensions can be obtained from the drawing. Gravel in small bags will form the cheapest ballast. The reader who adopts this style of boat will make the sail himself, or get his

FIG. 36. MIDSHIP SECTION AND CENTRE-BOARD CASE SAILING PUNT.

be sewn to the stuff, so as to make an

[merged small][graphic]

other in., and

each selvage will

even double seam

(Fig. 37). The head, luff, and foot will be roped round with small rope stitched slackly on through each strand. Rows

FIG. 37. SEAM OF PUNT SAIL.

of eyelet-holes

should be made for the reef lacing to pass through, or reef points may be stitched on. Eyes of rope, sewn round with cord, and painted, will do for the reef earings to pass through if the ordinary brass or galvanised eyes are

not procurable. If the maker of the boat has a little more

COST OF SAILING PUNT.

115

skill than ordinary he can make the bottom of the shape shown in Fig. 38, and the bottom boards will bend up as they approach the stem with a very graceful curve. If they are made of in. stuff, or if they are steamed, they will bend right up to the stem and form the sides there.

The cost of such a boat, complete, ought not to exceed £3 if made at home, or £5 if a country carpenter is employed.

The seams should be made water-tight by a layer of brown paper, smeared with white lead on both sides, being placed between before they are screwed and nailed together.

If the reader is not sufficiently up in the use of tools to be able to comprehend the details,

which we have not space to give, let him refer to the little book, "Boat Building for Amateurs,"

published by the same publishers FIG. 38. BOTTOM OF SAILING as the present book. In it will

PUNT.

will be found the necessary instructions for building a punt, and the same may be applied to the design now given.

Of course a flat bottomed sailing boat can only be looked upon as a makeshift, but for all that she is a makeshift which will answer her purpose very well and give her possessor a vast amount of enjoyment, as well as initiate him into the first principles and practice of sailing, while the amusement will certainly not be an expensive one either to commence or sustain.

CHAPTER XXIII.

CENTRE-BOARD CUTTER FOR RIVER AND

SEA SAILING.

THE design in the last chapter was for pockets with but little in them; that which we are about to give is for those better lined. We were about to build a boat for single-handed sailing and for sea and fresh water purposes, also to compete with the sloopyachts of Norfolk, and we wrote to the Field with measurements of a three-ton yacht in order to obtain the opinion of some of their correspondents upon her. This led to a most kind offer from Lieutenant H. S. Tipping, R.N., to furnish us with a design, and he accordingly made a design and wrote letters, with the descriptions which this chapter contains, and he has further extended his courtesy by permitting us to make this use of them. Circumstances prevented us from carrying our building projects into execution, but the design was submitted to several practical authorities, and the general verdict was that "it could not very well be improved upon." We may state that we were much inclined to try the main and mizen rig with battens, but of this proposal Mr. Tipping did not approve for racing purposes. The size was restricted by us to three tons, and to get 4ft. 6in. of head room, which our length of body and limbs required, she had to have a high freeboard and hatch. The club limit (the Yare Sailing Club) was four tons. It will be most useful to our readers if we give the description in Mr. Tipping's own words:

"The draught of water you are limited to is the first thing to

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