shown in Fig. 59. After planing down the end boards until their edges laid
flush with the edges of the side pieces, the bottom boards were nailed on,
strips of cloth being inserted between them, as well as along the edges of
the side and end boards. To brace the bottom a 3/4-inch board was placed
at the center, inside the boat, and bent down against the floor, to which
it was nailed with wire nails. The nails were driven into the board from
the outer side of the boat and were clinched inside. Along the upper edges
of the side boards two strips 2 inches wide and 1 inch thick were nailed.
Two notches were cut in the inner side of each strip before it was nailed
on. The notches were 1/2 inch deep, 1-1/2 inches wide, 3 inches apart and
about 5-1/2 feet from the stern end. When the strips were nailed in place
these notches formed sockets to receive the row locks. A strip was also
nailed across the stern of the boat and formed with two central notches,
to receive the row locks for a steering oar. This strip, however, was 3
inches wide, and projected 1 inch above the end board, so as to lie flush
with the deck boards, which were later applied. Six thole pins, 1/2 inch
thick, 4-1/2 inches long and 2 inches wide, were cut out of an oak board.
The lower end of each pin was reduced to a width of 1-1/2 inches for a
length of 2 inches. The thole pins were then fitted snugly in the notches.
Two cleats, nailed to the side boards inside, 7 inches below the upper
edge, served to support a seat board 1 inch thick and 2 feet 10-1/2 inches
long. The aft edge of the seat was about 10 inches forward of the row
locks. The boat was completed by nailing on a couple of deck boards at
each end. The oars were made of 2-inch pine boards, 5 feet long and 5
inches wide. They were blocked out at Mr. Schreiner's sawmill and then
shaped and smoothed down with a draw-knife and spoke-shaved. They were
1-1/4 inches at the handle and 2 inches immediately below, tapering down
to a diameter of 1-1/4 inches at the top of the blade. The blades were 18
inches long, 5 inches wide, and planed down to a thickness of 1/4 inch
along the edges.