The rudderless amphibious ice yacht called the "scooter"' is a product of the sailors of the Great South Bay, Long Island. In former years, when the bay would freeze over solid, the regular ice yacht was a very familiar sight. Recently, however, the mild winters produced so little ice fit or safe for sailing that the sport almost died out. The conditions caused by these winters have been met successfully in that new and ingenious type of ice boat, the scooter. Roughly, the scooter is a Barnegat "sneak box" mounted on runners.

This craft will sail in the water as well as on ice, consequently the sailor does not fear soft ice or air-holes, but sails merrily along taking ice or water, whichever happens to be in his course. It is sailed without a rudder by simply trimming the sails and shifting position in the boat so that the point of contact of the rockered runner upon the ice is just under the center of effort of the sails. A single occupant sailing the boat sits about amidships, and holding the jib sheet in his hand pulls in or slacks out until the boat heads just as desired. When two are in the boat they spread their weight about an equal distance from the center; one shifts as required, while the other tends the sails.

A pole with a spike and a hoe is carried, a slight scratch of the former being sufficient to get the boat on her course, while the latter is used to pull the boat out of the water in case the wind dies out. An oar is also carried to steer while in the water, but this is not necessary when crossing an air-hole less than forty or fifty feet, as the speed of the scooter, with a good wind, is sufficient to carry her across and out on the ice again in jig time. This ability to pop in and out of the water constitutes a novel sensation and makes scootering a very fascinating sport.

Notwithstanding appearances to the contrary, the scooter is a very speedy little craft and can make 30 miles an hour in a good steady breeze, running up to over 50 in a heavy puff.

The cost of a scooter is between $100 and $125, but it could be built at home by an amateur for about $50.

The scooter shown in the accompanying plans is 14 feet in length and 4 feet beam. The sail area may be from 80 to 130 square feet, according to speed required and local weather conditions. The sail area in the plan is 114 feet and should make a good average rig. The construction is fairly heavy, making a serviceable boat. For pure racing it could be lightened considerably. Study the plans carefully before beginning work.

The first step in constructiog the boat is getting out the side planks and spring them around "molds," which are simply temporary forms, to hold the elemental construction in place until it can stand alone and keep the boat in shape. The inner side planks are of 7/8-inch white pine and of the dimensions shown in Fig. 344 at A. The molds are next made, of 7/8-inch pine, and dimensioned according to Fig. A. The curves are arcs of circles and care should be taken to get the sides perfectly plumb, or else they will throw a twist in the side planks, and the upper edges will not lie in the same plane. The transom is 7/8-inch oak and the stem of oak, size as shown in Fig. B. It has a double rabbet, the inner for the inside plank and the other for the outer or covering plank. Screw the side planks to the stem and spring them around the molds and screw to transom. The molds are spaced 2, 4, 7, 10, and 12 feet from the stem head. This gives the rough form. Put the boat upside down on three saw horses and spring on the oak keel, which is 4 inches wide and 5/8 inch thick. This makes a fair line for the frames, which are next put in. Make them of oak 1 1/4 inch thick and 1 1/2 inch deep, increased to about 2 inches along the center line of bottom in cockpit. They are spaced 10 inches on centers. Beginning, start the spacing 5 feet from the bow and 3 feet from the stern in order to come right for the cockpit opening. Then turn the boat over and put in the deck beams by the same method. They are 1 1/4 by 1 1/2-inch spruce spaced 10 inches and fastened to the side and ribs by oak braces 3/4 by 4 inches, securely screwed together. Fig. C shows this clearly. A sill or stringer of 1 1/4 by 1 1/2-inch spruce is run along cockpit side and a backing piece at the forward end is put in to take the curve of cockpit coaming. Posts are put in at the places marked P, to bind the deck and bottom together. The mast step is now put in. It is of oak, 2 inches deep and 5 inches wide, jogged over and 1/2 inch into four frames and securely fastened thereto. A backing piece of oak 1 1/4 by 8 inches wide is also put in between two deck beams to take the strain of the mast. Now turn the boat bottom up and proceed to plank her. The planking is of white cedar 1/2 inch thick laid in straight strips 4 inches wide. It is fastened to the frames with either brass screws or 1 1/2-inch galvanized nails countersunk and puttied. The bottom is then carefully planed and sandpapered smooth, the seams calked with two threads of candle wicking and the whole given three coats of good lead paint. The runners are next put on. and with these be very careful. See that they are absolutely parallel and of the correct rocker and bevel. The distance between centers of runners should be 2 feet. They are of oak and shaped as shown in Pig". 345. The runner commences 3 feet from the bow and runs aft 8 1/2 feet. It is 2 inches deep amidships and reaches up at the ends. The middle 6 feet of the runner should have a rocker which is the are of a circle with 1/2-inch curve in 6 feet. Referring to Fig. F, the outer edge of the oak stands plumb and is 2 inches wide at planking, tapering to 1 inch at face. The runner plank is fastened on with 1/4 by 4-inch iron bolts set up on top of every frame. Carefully face up the runners by laying a straight edge across them both and fitting a bevel board. The bevel of the runners is 1 1/4 inch in 6 inches or about 11 1/2 deg. Put on the shoes, which are of 1/4 by 1-inch steel and 7 feet long. Bend them at ends so there will be no undue strain upon the screws, which are 1 1/4 inch, No. 10 size. The screws should be countersunk until they are flush with the runners, and their sluts lie fore and aft. The steel shoe should be very smooth, with sharp, square edges.

Fig. 344 - Construction.

Plan Of The scooter.

Fig. 345 - Dimensions of the runners.

346 - Sail plan of the scooter.

Now turn the boat right side up and start finishing up the deck and cockpit. An oak partner piece 1/2 by 5 inches is laid on center line of deck. A 3-inch hole is bored for the mast 4 1/2 feet from the bow. The bowsprit is next put in. This is of spruce, of the dimensions shown, and fastened with three bolts as indicated in the plan.

The deck is now laid. This is of 1/2-inch white pine or cedar laid in about 4-inch strips fastened and treated same as the bottom. Next the cockpit coaming is sprung in. It is of oak scant 1/2 inch thick, 4 inches wide, and stands 2 inches above deck. Fasten to stringer with 1 1/2-inch No. 10 brass screws countersunk and plugged with oak plugs. Lay a light flooring of pine in the cockpit in 2 1/2-inch strips 1/2 inch apart.

Now plane up the edges of the bottom and deck flush with the inner side plank and then put on the outer side plank. This is of 1/2-inch oak and comes flush with the deck and bottom. It is also carried around the transom, thus covering up the raw edges of the ends.

Now for the rig. All spars should be of straight-grained spruce. Mast 10 1/2 feet from step to truck, 9 feet 8 inches above deck, and 9 feet 3 inches from deck to center of band at top. To be 1 3/4-inch at head. 2 1/2 inches at gaff, and 3 inches at deck. Make all the spars with a swell or barrel taper. Room 14 feet, 1 3/4 inch at ends, 2 inches along middle. Gaff 6 feet 2 inches, 1 1/2 inch at ends, 1 3/4 inch in center. Jibboom 8 feet 2 inches, and about 1 1/2 inch tapering to 1 1/4 inch at ends. Fit wooden jaws to gaff and boom and use six mast hoops. A sliding rig is neater, but would cost a little more. Use a single 1/4 -inch wire shroud with turnbuckles, the chain plate of steel 1/4 by 1 by 7 inches long, to be fastened with rivets through the side planks. Eight small gage, cut about fourteen pieces into lengths about 7 inches long, bend one end at sharp right angles, which will just go through the ruler ribbons marked B and can be riveted with a small hammer so that it will not draw out. The other end is bent into a small eye. which is closed around a small screw. The screw has a groove filed around to receive the wire. It is best made out of a screw hook, the hook being cut off, and just above the groove you have filed, flatten and drive on a small knob, which makes a thumb-screw like that illustrated. In manipulating the device, lay the batten on the boat frames so that it lies free and natural and take about three little clamps to hold it there. The ruler ribbon is engaged with the bottom edge of sheer strake and its entire length is easily held in place by connecting rods and thumb screws. This is very quickly and accurately done. The whole thing is removed, placed on a flat cedar board, and is quickly outlined along the ruler ribbon with a pencil. This gives an accurate joint for your plank. The usual way of determining the sweep of the plank is by laving on the thin batten and measuring distances along the edge of the sheer strake with dividers or a foot rule, which is a little complicated, not nearly as accurate, and considerably slower.

3/8-inch bronze yacht blocks are needed and can be obtained from a yacht chandler. Rigging to be of 3/8-inch rope. The sails should be of about No. 4 yacht duck. The mainsail to be fitted for two reefs, the first taking off 22 inches and the second inches. Have a permanent forestay and put the jib on with snap hocks. For reefing, get two extra jibs as shown in sail plan and set them with a small sprit, if necessary.

The boat may be finished all over with three coats of spar varnish or painted white with buff-colored decks and varnished cockpit and coaming, which makes a very good finish. - 50 A SIMPLE METHOD OF TAKING SPILINGS

A good device fop taking spilings may be made by taking a thin batten marked A 1/4 inch thick and 4 inches wide, 12 or 15 feet in length or more. Make a ruler ribbon the same length, 3/8 inch thick and 1/2 inch wide. Next take some brass wire II or 12

Fig. 347 - A device for taking spilings.