Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/321

After procuring a suitable piece of cloth, spread it out upon the floor and tack it there, then spread yourself out on the cloth with your arms extended at right angles to your body, and your feet spread apart. While in that position, have some one mark on the cloth the points where the crown of your head, your wrists, and ankles come. With a chalk or pencil connect these points by lines, and, allowing for the hem, cut the sail out according to the pattern made.

Turn the edges over and make a strong broad hem all around the sail, sew in straps or bands at the ankle, waist, wrists, and head. When the sail is to be used, adjust the head-band around the forehead, fasten the waist, wrist, and ankle straps, and the ship is rigged. By spreading the arms, the sail is set; when the arms are folded the sail is furled. It would become exceedingly tiresome to hold the arms outstretched from the sides for any length of time without support; to obviate this, a stick may be carried, which, when thrust behind the back, will make a support for the hands as they grasp it near the ends. The man-bat steers with his feet, using his legs and arms for sheet-lines. Skaters rigged up in this novel style present a most grotesque appearance as they flap their wings about in going through various evolutions.

is a double sail, and might be called a schooner rig. It is in many respects superior to the somewhat cumbersome single sails, the chief advantage being the fact that the crew can see in every direction, and thus avoid running foul of any other craft or skater. Another improvement is the double main spar which, without increasing the weight, affords a stronger support for the cross pieces, or fore and main masts. The main