The American Boy's Handy Book/Chapter 12
Not so very many years ago I remember visiting, in company with my cousin Tom, a small lake at the head waters of the Miami. High and precipitous cliffs surround the little body of water. So steep were the great weather-beaten rocks that it was only where the stream came tumbling down past an old mill that an accessible path then existed. Down that path Tom and I scrambled, for we knew that large bass lurked in the deep, black holes among the rocks.
We had no jointed split bamboo rods nor fancy tackle, but the fish there in those days were not particular and seldom hesitated to bite at an angle-worm or grasshopper, though the hook upon which the bait squirmed was suspended by a coarse line from a freshly cut hickory sapling.
Even now I feel the thrill of excitement and expectancy as, in imagination, my pole is bent nearly double by the frantic struggles of those "gamy" black bass. After spending the morning fishing we built a fire upon a short stretch of sandy beach, and cleaning our fish and washing them in the spring close at hand, we put them among the embers to cook.
While the fire was getting our dinner ready for us we threw off our clothes and plunged into the cool waters of the lake. Inexpert swimmers as we were at that time, the opposite shore, though apparently only a stone's-throw distant, was too far off for us to reach by swimming. Many a longing and curious glance we cast toward it, however, and strong was the temptation that beset us to try the unknown depths intervening. A pair of brown ears appeared above the ferns near the water's edge, and a fox peeped at us; squirrels ran about the fallen trunks of trees or scampered up the rocks as saucily as though they understood that we could not swim well enough to reach their side of the lake; and high up the face of the cliff was a dark spot which we almost knew to be the entrance to some mysterious cavern.
How we longed for a boat! But not even a raft nor a dugout could be seen anywhere upon the glassy surface of the water or along its reedy border. We nevertheless determined to explore the lake next day, even if we should have to paddle astride of a log.
The first rays of the morning sun had not reached the dark waters before my companion and I were hard at work, with axe and hatchet, chopping in twain a long log we had discovered near the mill. We had at first intended to build a raft; but gradually we evolved a sort of catamaran. The two pieces of log we sharpened at the ends for the bow; then we rolled the logs down upon the beach, and, while I went into the thicket to chop down some saplings, my companion borrowed an auger from the miller. We next placed the logs about three feet apart, and marking the points where we intended to put the cross-pieces, we cut notches there; then we placed the saplings across, fitting them into these notches. To hold them securely we bored holes down through the sapling cross-pieces into the logs; with the hatchet we hammered wooden pegs into these holes. For the seat we used the half of a section of log, the flat side fitting into places cut for that purpose. All that remained to be done now was to make a seat in the stern and a pair of rowlocks. At a proper distance from the oarsman's seat we bored two holes for a couple of forked sticks, which answered admirably for rowlocks; across the stern we fastened another piece of log, similar to that used for the oarsman's seat. With the help of a man from the mill our craft was launched; and with a pair of oars made of old pine boards we rowed off, leaving the miller waving his hat.
Our catamaran was not so light as a row-boat, but it floated, and we could propel it with the oars, and, best of all, it was our own invention and made with our own hands. We called it a "Man-Friday," and by its means we explored every nook in the length and breadth of the lake; and ever afterward when we wanted a boat we knew a simple and inexpensive way to make one—and a safe one, too.
is another rustic craft, but it is of more ambitious dimensions than the "Man-Friday." Instead of being able to float only one or two passengers, the "Crusoe," if properly built, ought to accommodate a considerable party of raftsmen. Of course the purpose for which the raft is to be used, and the number of the crew that is expected to man it, must be taken into consideration when deciding upon the dimensions of the proposed craft.
All the tools that are necessary for the construction of a good stout raft are an axe, an auger, and a hatchet, with some strong boys to wield them.
The building material can be gathered upon any wooded bank of lake or stream.
For a moderate sized raft collect six or seven logs, the longest not being over sixteen feet in length, nor more than a foot in diameter; the logs must be tolerably straight. Pick out the longest and biggest for the centre; sharpen one end; roll the log into the water and there secure it.
Select two logs as nearly alike as possible, to lie one at each side of the centre log. Measure the centre log, and make the point of each side log, not at its own centre, but at that side of it which will lie against the middle log, so that this side-point shall terminate where the pointing of the middle log begins. (See Fig. 69.)
After all the logs needed have been trimmed and sharpened in the manner just described, roll them into the water and arrange them in order (Fig. 69). Fasten them together with "cross-strips," boring holes through the strips to correspond with holes bored into the logs lying beneath, and through these holes drive wooden pegs. The water will cause the pegs to swell, and they will hold much more firmly than iron nails.
The skeleton of the cabin can be made of saplings; such as are used for hoop-poles are the best.
These are each bent into an arch, and the ends are thrust into holes bored for that purpose. Over this hooping a piece of canvas is stretched, after the manner of old-fashioned country wagons (Figs. 70 and 71).
Erect a "jack-staff," to be used as a flag-pole or a mast to rig a square sail on.
A stout stick should be erected at the stern, and a similar one upon each side of the raft near the bow; these sticks, when their ends are made smaller, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 70), serve as rowlocks.
For oars use "sweeps"—long poles, each with a piece of board for a blade fastened at one end (Fig. 72).
Holes must be bored through the poles of the sweeps about three feet from the handle, to slip over the pegs used as rowlocks, as described above. These pegs should be high enough to allow the oarsman to stand while using the sweeps.
A flat stone placed at the bow will serve as a fireplace.
If the cracks between the logs under the cabin are filled up to prevent the water splashing through, and the cabin is floored with cross-sticks, a most comfortable bed at night can be made of hay by heaping it under the canvas cover in sufficient quantities.
The "Crusoe" raft has this great advantage over all boats: you may take a long trip down the river, allowing the current to bear you along, using the sweeps only to assist the man at the helm (rear sweep); then, after your excursion is finished, you can abandon the raft and return by steamboat or cars.
There can be but few boys who are not familiar with that large and useful tribe of flat-bottomed, perpendicular-sided boats called "scows." These crafts are used as coal barges, lighters, flat-boats, sail-boats, and row-boats; but it is only to the construction of the last named class that this chapter will be devoted.
To build a scow-shaped row-boat is not a difficult feat, even for a boy; and when it is finished he will find it to be a very convenient boat, roomy, and not hard to row.
The material necessary consists of eight or ten three-quarter-inch pine boards, one one-inch board, some fivepenny nails, and about a half pound of wrought-iron nails of the same size as the ones just mentioned.
A saw, a plane, and a sharp hatchet are requisite in the way of tools. Other tools, if not absolutely necessary, should not on that account be ignored, as they may come in very handy at times.
When selecting the lumber for the boat, pick out those pieces which are free from large knots and other blemishes. Reserve two of the best boards for the sides, and let them measure 11 feet in length and 12 inches in width when trimmed. Measuring toward the centre, mark a point 2½ feet from each end of one of the side boards upon the edge selected for the bottom. Measuring from the bottom edge toward the top, mark a point upon each end 8 inches from the bottom. Saw off the triangular pieces between these points (Fig. 73). Round off the angles with a plane, and make the other side board an exact duplicate of the one just described (Fig. 74).
For the ends of the boat use the 1½-inch plank, making of it two small boards to fit between the ends of the side boards.
The side pieces now measure 4 inches upon each end (Fig. 73), hence the end boards ought to be 4 inches wide; but to make sure of neat joints, it is best to allow ½ inch extra. Make the end pieces 3 feet long, 4½ inches wide, and I inch thick. Set the side pieces parallel to each other upon their straight or top edges, and between their ends fit the end boards (Fig. 74). After seeing that all the corners are square, nail the end boards in place. Plane off the protruding edges at the bow and stern, so that the bottom pieces overlapping them will make close joints; then nail the bottom boards on crosswise, as
shown in the illustration (Fig. 75). All nails must be driven in so that their heads are below the surface of the board, or as carpenters call it, countersunk, and the indentations made should be puttied up.
Turn the scow over, and upon the inside, at the middle of the bottom, nail a ¾-inch long bottom board (Figs. 76 and 77). Next cut two small boards of ¾-inch plank; make them 7 inches wide and about I foot 5 inches long; cut out a place in one end of each, as shown by A, Fig. 76; these are to serve as rowlocks,
and should be nailed with wrought-iron nails to the inside of the boat, so that the centres of the rowlocks are about 4 feet 10 inches from the end which will be the stern of the boat; this is the simplest style of rowlock, but a much neater one can be made by using thole-pins (Fig. 77, B).
Turn the boat upon its side and nail a strip 11 feet long, 2 inches wide, and I inch thick upon the upper edge of the side board; repeat the operation on the other side, using wrought nails and clinching them. If thole-pins are intended to be used,
before nailing the strips upon the sides, 4 feet 9 inches from one end of each strip cut, a notch in the side ½ inch deep and 1½ wide; 3 inches from this notch, or 5 feet from the same end, cut another similar notch. When these strips are nailed on the sides (Fig. 77) the notches cut in them form the rowlocks. Put in more nails near the rowlocks than elsewhere, to help to withstand the greater strain that that part has to bear. The end of the boat nearest the rowlocks is the stern. Of oak or some hard wood make four thole-pins to fit into the rowlocks (Fig. 77, B).
For a seat use a board about 1 foot wide; it should be 3 feet long to fit inside the boat; the seat rests upon two cleats set 6 inches below the top of the side boards (Fig. 77); the aft edge of the seat should be about I foot forward of the rowlocks.
A bow and stern seat should be made for passengers; these seats need not set so low as the one occupied by the oarsman, and may be made of boards nailed across the top of the boat at the bow and stern, and the space underneath them may be used for lockers.
If a chain "painter" is used, fasten it to the bow with an iron staple (Fig. 76); but if a rope is preferred, or is more easily obtained, run one end of it through a hole bored for the purpose in the bow seat, and knot the end so that it cannot slip out (Fig. 77). When such a boat is built with clean, close-fitting joints, and the cracks daubed with thick paint, it is often unnecessary to do any further caulking. A good method is to saturate pieces of woollen cloth with paint and place them between the different parts before they are joined. After the carpenter work is done, go to the paint shop and get a can of white paint, first telling the painter to weigh the can. After you have used what paint is necessary, return the can, have it weighed, and pay only for the amount used. If you are well known the painter will not hesitate to allow you to do this, and you will find it the most economical way. After the first coat of paint is dry put on a second coat; as soon as that is hardened, which will be in two or three days, according to the weather, your boat is ready for launching; it may leak at first, but after the seams have swelled it will be almost perfectly dry inside.
Flat-boats are essentially inland craft, having their origin with the birth of trade in the West before the puffing and panting steam-boats plowed their way through the turbid waters of Western rivers. They are craft that can be used on any stream large enough to float a yawl, but the St. John's River, Florida, is perhaps the most tempting stream for the amateur flat-boatman. The numerous inlets and lakes connected with the river, the luxuriant semi-tropical foliage on the banks, the strange-looking fish and great, stupid alligators, the beautiful white herons and hundreds of water-fowl of many descriptions—all form features that add interest to its navigation and inducements to hunters, fishermen, naturalists, and pleasure-seekers scarcely equalled by any other accessible river of the United States.
To build the hull of the flat-boat, use pine lumber. For the sides select two good, straight 2-inch planks, 14 feet long and about 16 inches wide. Take one of the planks (Fig. 78), measure 6 inches from the top upon each end, and mark the points A, a (Fig. 78); then upon the bottom measure from each end toward the centre 2 feet, and mark the points B, b (Fig. 78). Saw off the corners A, B and a, b, and round the
angles in the manner described on page 102 and illustrated by Fig. 74. Next take two 2-inch planks, 6½ inches wide and 6 feet long, for the stem and stern; set the side pieces on edge upside down, and nail on the two end pieces (see Fig. 79). Then, allowing 4 inches—the thickness of the two sides—there will be a space inside the boat of 5 feet 8 inches. Take three pieces of scantling about 3 inches thick and 5 feet 8 inches long; place one near the end flush with the bottom of the boat just where the sheer of bow and stern begins (see A and B, Fig. 79). After fitting them carefully, nail them firmly. Nail the other piece of scantling in place at the point C (Fig. 79), so that it will measure 6 feet from the outside of the brace A to the outside of the brace C. Plane off the protruding edges of the bow and stern.
A bottom may now be put on as described on page 102 and illustrated by Fig. 75, or a regular flat-boat bottom can be made by selecting good, straight ½-inch lumber a little over 14 feet long, to allow for the curve.
Nail an end of one of the bottom boards to the stern board (see Fig. 80); its side edge must be flush with the outer edge of the side piece. Bend the bottom board carefully along the curve to the first cross piece A (Fig. 80) and nail it firmly; nail it again at C and at the bow, being careful to make it conform to the curve of the sides. Follow the same plan with the next board, keeping it close up against the first board so as to leave no crack when the bottom is finished. Caulk up any accidental cracks with oakum; give the whole hull a coating of coal tar, and allow it to harden. The remainder of the work is comparatively easy.
After the coal tar has hardened, turn the boat over and erect four posts, one at each end of the cross piece A and one at each end of the cross piece C (Fig. 79 or 80).
The tops of the posts for this size boat should be about 3½ feet above the bottom of the hull. Put a cross piece on the top of the post at A and another at C, and the framework of your cabin is done. It may now be covered with canvas, or, as in the illustrations, with thin planks, in which case make the roof of ¼-inch boards, bending them in an arch so that the middle will rise about one foot higher than the sides.
The eaves should overhang about six inches beyond the cabin upon each side.
Board up the sides with the same material used for the roofing, leaving openings for windows and doors. Pieces of shoe leather make very good hinges for the door, but iron hinges are of course the best. The cabin can then be floored, a bunk or two may be bailt, and as many other conveniences as your taste or necessities may indicate, can be provided; a few clothes-hooks, etc.
Put in rowlocks; those used in the Crusoe raft are best for large flat-boats, but for this one make rowlocks on the same plan as the ones illustrated by Fig. 76, A (page 103). There should be three rowlocks, one for the steering oar and two near the front for rowing (see Fig. 81).
Set a seat in front of the rowlock with a hole in it for the "jack-staff" to pass through. The jack-staff should be made so that it can be taken out and put in at pleasure. This can be done by making a simple socket underneath the seat for the end of the staff to fit in.
The flat-boat is now ready to be launched, which should be done with appropriate ceremonies. Fig. 81 shows the side view of a 14-foot flat-boat; the cabin, to better show its construction, is increased in height in the drawing, and, according to the scale, it measures about five feet at the sides and six feet at the ridge-pole. Fig. 82 shows a front view of the same.
Fig. 83 shows a top view of a flat-boat as it would appear looking down upon the roof of the cabin.
The large diagram (Fig. 84) drawn in perspective shows how a cabin for a little larger boat can be arranged. The diagram is drawn on the scale of feet marked below it. The floor is about six feet long by six feet wide, and the side walls are five feet high. A cabin of these dimensions can be arranged with four folding berths, two upon each side, made of boards each two feet wide and fastened to the sides by hinges. The top berths may be supported by their hinges and a cross beam upon the inside, and by two broad
straps upon the outside; the straps button on to knobs in the ends of the berths. The lower berths can be provided with folding legs, as shown by the illustration (Fig. 84), which shows two berths down on the left-hand side and two folded up on the right-hand side. The lockers underneath the bottom berths can be used for storing away bed-clothes.
In the rear, under a looking-glass, can be seen a device for a folding desk, which is simply a square board attached to the wall, like the berths, by hinges, and which may be let down so as to hang flat against the wall, out of the way when the berths are to be used. The legs to the desk are hinged at the bottom, and as the desk is raised the legs fall forward, resting against the cleat upon the bottom of the top board, which holds it in the position shown by the diagram. Many other little conveniences may be added, such as a small cooking-stove, book-shelves, gun-racks, etc., but I shall not go into further details, my aim being only to suggest how it may be done, as every boy who is smart enough to build a flat-boat will have his own peculiar ideas about the manner in which it should be fitted up inside. The interior construction depends, in a measure, upon the number of persons who are to occupy the cabin, and whether it is to be used by a party of young naturalists upon a collecting tour, or for fishing and shooting excursions, or simply as a sort of picnic boat for a few days' enjoyment, such as most boys in the country are quite well able to plan and carry out unaided.
Although a rude home-made flat-boat does not possess speed, yet with a square sail rigged on the jack-staff, and with a good wind over the stern, it will make good time; and as this sort of craft draws only a few inches of water, it can float in creeks and inlets where a well-loaded row-boat would drag bottom.
The advantages of a flat-boat consist in the fact that it is a comfortable, cosey little house in which one could spend a month very pleasantly hunting or fishing, or visiting the various points of interest along the shores of the river and inlets, and, whenever the floating home drifts in sight of a pleasant place to stop, all that is necessary is to make fast to the bank, thus escaping the nuisance of moving bag and baggage.
During a cruise the members of the party will have frequent occasion to put in practice all manner of devices for saving labor, and making the hunter as far as possible independent of a mate when, as often happens, two boys cannot be spared from the boat to go foraging together. One of these "wrinkles," as they are termed, is a floating fish-car, adapted for minnows or large fish, which being fastened to the fisherman's waist, floats behind as he wades. This arrangement not only saves much weariness in carrying finny spoils to camp after,
perhaps, a long and trying day, but it helps to keep the fish fresh; and when not in active use it may be towed behind "The Ark."
Many hints of this same kind might be given, but this one will suffice to show that a boy with his wits about him can lighten very materially the fatigues inseparable from camping out and flat-boating. Endurance of hardship is noble in itself, and there is call enough for it in this rough-and-tumble world; but the fellow who most enjoys "roughing it" in a trip outdoors is he who is quickest to save himself unnecessary exertion by using the simplest means at hand.
From the saw-mills away up among the tributaries of the Ohio River come floating down to the towns along the shore great rafts of pine lumber. These rafts are always objects of interest to the boys, for the youngsters know that when moored to the shore the solidly packed planks make a splendid platform to swim from. Fine springing-boards can be made of the projecting blades of the gigantic sweeps which are used to guide the mammoth rafts, and, somewhere aboard, there is always to be found a "Yankee Pine." Just when or why this style of skiff was dubbed with such a peculiar name I am unable to state; but this I know, that when a raft is to be broken up and carted away to the lumber yards there is, or always used to be, a good, light skiff to be had cheap.
However, all boys do not live on the bank of the river, and if they did there would hardly be "Yankee Pines" enough to go round; so we will at once proceed to see how to build one for ourselves. Although my readers may find the "Yankee Pine" a little more difficult to build than the blunt-ended, flatbottomed scow, it really is a comparatively simple piece of work for boys familiar with the use of carpenters' tools.
For the side pieces select two straight-grained pine boards free from knots. These boards should be about 13 or 14 feet long, a couple of inches over a foot in width, and as nearly alike as possible in texture. Besides these, there should be in the neighborhood of a dozen other ¾-inch planks, an inch or two over a half foot in width. A small piece of 2-inch plank for
the stern piece is also necessary. Upon the bottom edge of the side board measure off from each end toward the centre 4 inches, mark the points, and saw off the corners shown by the dotted line in Fig. 85. Next take a piece of board 4 feet long and a foot wide, saw off the corners as you did on the side board, making it 4 feet on the top and 3 feet 4 inches on the bottom. This board is to be used only as a centre brace while modelling the boat.
Out of the 2-inch plank make a stern piece of the same shape as the centre brace; let it be 1 foot wide, 14 inches long on the bottom, and 20 inches long on top. Set the side boards on their shorter or bottom edges, and place the centre brace in the middle, as shown by Fig. 86; nail the side boards to it, using
only enough nails to hold temporarily. Draw the side boards together at the bow, and against the stern board at the stern (Fig. 86). Hold the side pieces in position by the means of ropes. A stem should be ready to fix in the bow (Fig. 87). This had better be a few inches longer than the sides are broad, as it is a simple matter to saw off the top after it is fitted. Make the stem of a triangular piece of timber, by planing off Image missingFig. 87. the front edge until a flat surface about ½ inch broad is obtained; 2 inches from the front, upon each side, cut a groove just the thickness of the side boards (¾ inch). Trim the stem so that the side pieces at the bow fit the grooves. snugly, and nail the side boards to the stem and to the stern piece (Fig. 86).
Turn the boat upside down, and it will be discovered that the outlines of the bottom form an arch from stem to stern. If left in this shape the boat will sink too deep amidships. Remedy the defect by planing the bottom edge of both side pieces, reducing the convex form to straight lines in the middle. This will allow the bow and stern to sheer, but at the same time will make the central part of the bottom flat, and by having less to drag through the water make it easier to row. Nail the bottom boards on crosswise, and as, on account of the form of the boat, no two boards will be of the same size, they must be first nailed on and the projecting ends sawed off afterward. The centre brace may now be taken out and a long bottom board nailed to the centre of the bottom upon the inside of the boat (Fig. 88). Cut a small cross piece (B, Fig. 88) so that it will fit across the bow 3 inches below the top of the side boards. Nail it in place, driving the nails from the outside of the sideboard through and into the end of the stick B. Saw out a bow seat, and, allowing the broad end to rest on the cross stick B, fit the seat in and secure it with nails (Fig. 88); 3 inches below the top of the stern piece nail a cleat across. At the same distance below the side board put a cross stick similar to the one in the bow. This and the cleat on the stern piece form rests for the stern seat. Five feet from the stern, saw a notch 2 inches deep and 1½ inch long in each side board (A, A', Fig. 88). Saw two more notches of the same size 3 inches from the first; these will make the rowlock when the side strips have been fastened on.
These strips should each be made of 1-inch plank, 2 inches wide and an inch or two longer than the side boards. Nail the strips on the outside of the boat flush with the top of the side boards, making a neat joint at the stern piece, as shown in the illustration (Fig. 88). Cut two short strips to fit upon the inside
at the rowlocks, and fasten them firmly on with screws (Fig. 88, A). Next cut two cleats for the oarsman's seat to rest upon. Nail them to the side boards amidship a little nearer the bottom than the top, so that the seat, when resting upon the cleats, will be about half the distance from the top edge to the bottom of the side boards. Let the aft end of the cleats be about 6 feet 2 inches from the stern. Make thole-pins of some hard wood to fit in the rowlocks, like those heretofore described and illustrated by Fig. 77, B, page 104.
The Yankee Pine now only needs a keel board to complete it. This must be placed exactly in the centre, and is fastened on by a couple of screws at the thin end and nails from the inside of the boat. It is also fastened to the upright stick at the stern by screws (Fig. 89).
If the joints have been carefully made, your Yankee Pine is now ready for launching. Being made of rough lumber it needs no paint or varnish, but is a sort of rough-and-ready affair, light to row; and it ought to float four people with ease. By using planed pine or cedar lumber, and with hard-wood stem and stern, a very pretty row-boat can be made upon the same plan as a Yankee Pine, or by putting in a centre-board and "stepping" a mast in the bow, the Yankee Pine can be transformed into a sail-boat. But before experimenting in this line of boat building, the beginner had better read the following chapter on how to rig and sail small boats.