A. S. Whittemore.

When a boy builds anything he generally wishes to know how to construct it at the least expense. In building an ice-boat he would like it strong, durable, and at the same time to cost little. The following plan for building an ice-boat is from actual experience, and if used will enable any one of but little skill to build a very serviceable boat. In building the boat from this diagram, the lumber required is : a spruce plank, A, 4" x 5" and 13' long, for the backbone, a spruce plank, B, 2" x 5" and 10' 4" long for the crossbar, three pieces spruce, 2" x 3" and V 6" long for the braces, E and C and ; C being 4' long and C being 2' 6" long. Also four boards, D, 4" wide and 1" thick for the edging of deck, D being 4/ 9" long, D' 2' long and D" each 5' 2" long. The boards for the flooring should be of match pine 3/4" thick, and 35 running feet of 6" width will be needed. Three 4" x 4" oak blocks V long are required for runner-blocks. These should have grooves cut 1/4" wide and 2" deep length-wise through the center for the steel runners. This can be done at the mill when the lumber is purchased. There will be needed six bolts, 8"xl", four large eye-bolts, eight 4" lag-screws, seven pulleys, three of which are double, six large screw-eyes, wire nails and spikes.

The plank A for the backbone should be ta- serving as the bowsprit. This should also be pered from a point 5' from the bow end down to done at the lumber mill, a thickness of 2" x 2" at end, this tapered end The work of framing begins with attaching the crosspiece B to the backbone. Find the middle of crosspiece B, then, placing it on its wide side under the backbone A, bolt it on at K, the center of which is 6' from the bow end. With lag-screws screw the planks E, which have been properly beveled, to the crossbar B at M, M, 3' from the backbone, and again to the backbone and to each other where they meet beneath A at stern end. These two planks greatly strengthen the body of the boat and should be carefully fitted.

Next fit the crosspieces C and C and firmly attach to pieces E and A with wire spikes, taking care not to spring the pieces E while doing it. C is V 11" from B, and C' is V 8" from C. The flooring is then sawed out and nailed to pieces C and E, leaving §" lap beyond C through which to nail the side pieces to deck. The side pieces D are then nailed together and then attached to deck by being nailed through the flooring. The frame should be turned over or supported on horses to do this. Eight inches forward from the crossbar B attach a spruce block with lag-screws to the backbone. This should be 8" long, 4" wide and 3" thick, and have in the center a hole 2" square in which to step the mast.

For the runners procure three pieces of carriage spring steel, each 18" long, 21/2" wide and 3/16" thick. In the middle have a |" hole punched or drilled, the center of which is 3/4" from the upper edge. Grind two of them down as shown in Fig. 3 with the cutting edge outside. The third one should be ground on each side to give a V-shaped edge, this being for the steering runner. The front ends should be rounded like a sled runner. If a spring steel cannot be obtained, old skates ground as directed will answer the purpose. A 3/8" hole is bored in each runner-block, the centers being 1" from lower edge, to receive the bolts holding the runners. The runners are then bolted into the blocks. At each end of the crossbar B, bolt the front runner-blocks, seeing that they are parallel with the backbone.

For the tiller take an iron bolt 1" in diameter and 12" long, having a square head, which should be tightly fitted into a hole cut in the block of the steering runner and put in before placing the runner in position. Bore a 1" hole down through the backbone, the center being 5" from the end. Insert the bolt of the steering runner. For the handle of the tiller, a piece of 1" iron water-pipe 2' long is required. On the end of the pipe have a thread cut and an L connection fitted, which latter will also lit the end of the runner bolt. A 1/4" hole should be drilled through the bolt and L, and a small bolt inserted to prevent the tiller from turning on the bolt. Three cleats are fastened to the backbone at H for the halyards, and one eye-bolt at the end of the bowsprit A, and one each on the crossbar at O and O.'

For the mast, secure a spruce pole 12'long and 3" in diameter at the base. For the boom, a spruce pole 11' long and 21/2" in diameter at the mast end. For the gaff, a spruce pole 8' long and 2" in diameter. Fit strong V-shaped oak jaws at the throats of boom and gaff. The sail is of unbleached cotton, 11' on the boom, 10' on the mast and 8' on the gaff. It should be hemmed at top and bottom, and also along the mast edge if the seams are run parallel with the slant of the outside edge of sail. It is desirable to have a stout line, clothesline will do, inside the hem to prevent the sail from tearing. Have the gaff peak up an angle of 60 degrees. The sail is fastened to the boom and gaff with loops of rope run through eyelets in the sail, and to the mast by rings of wood or heavy wire tied to eyelets in the sail. Make a jib 4' 3" on the base and 9' high. This will run on the jib stay by stringing on the jib 1" iron rings about 1' apart. Make the mast stays of hemp clothesline running from the eye-bolts O O O to the top of the mast, fastening them in screw-eyes there placed, though an eye-band would be better if it can easily be obtained. Lash two pulleys 6" from the top of the mast, one on the stem side for the throat halyards and one on bow side for jib, and another at the top for the peak halyard. The halyards are tied to the jib and gaff, and are the ropes used to hoist the sails, the peak halyard being the one running to the peak of the gaff, and the throat halyard the one running to foot of gaff. The jib requires but one. Cotton clothesline will do for the halyards.

To the backbone at the base of the mast drive in two staples, to which tie one single pulley for jib halyards and one double pulley for main-sheet halyards. To the piece D' at stern, a horse for main-sheet traveler may be attached. (Fig. 4.) This is useful when beating to windward. The pulley or traveler ring should be tied on to facilitate unshipping the rigging.