A RAFT THAT WILL SAIL
And a Home-Made Catamaran. The Raft is Just the Thing for Camp Life. Pleasurable Occupation for a 
Camping Party Where Wood is Plentiful. You Will Need Axes and Hatchets and a Few Other Civilized 
Implements.

FIRST we will select two pine logs of equal length, and, while the water is heating for our coffee we will sharpen the 
butt or larger end of the logs on one side with the axe, making a "chisel edge," as shown in Fig. 171. This gives us 
an appetite for breakfast and makes the big fish in the lake, as they jump above the water, cast anxious looks
toward our camp.

Breakfast finished, we will cut some cross-pieces to join our two logs together, and at equal distances apart we will
bore holes through the cross-pieces for peg-holes (Figs. 172, 173, and 174). While one of the party is fashioning a 
number of pegs, each with a groove in one side, like those shown in Fig. 175, the others will roll the logs into the
water and secure them in a shallow spot.

Shoes and stockings must be removed, for most of the work is now to be done in the water. Of course, it would be 
much easier done on land, but the raft will be very heavy and could never be launched unless under the most 
favorable circumstances. It is better to build the craft in the element which is to be its home.

Cut two long saplings for braces, and after separating the logs the proper distance for your cross-pieces to fit, nail
your braces in position, as represented by Fig. 171.

This holds the logs steady, and we may now lay the two cross-pieces in position and mark the points on the logs
carefully where the holes are to be bored to correspond with the ones in the cross-pieces. Bore the holes in one
log first; make the holes deep enough and then fill them with water, after which drive the pegs through the ends of
the cross-pieces and into the log. The grooves in the pegs (Fig. 175) will allow the water to escape from the holes 
and the water will cause the peg to swell and tighten its hold on the log and cross-pieces.

Now bore holes in the other log under those in the cross-pieces and fill them with water before driving the pegs 
home, as you did in the first instance. Fig. 176 is a Man-Friday raft.

The Deck.
Before placing the bow in position we must go ashore and make a dry deck. Selecting for the springs two long
elastic ash or hickory poles, trim the ends off flat on one side, as shown by Fig. 177. This flat side is the bottom, so
roll them over, with the flat side toward the ground, and if you can find no planks or barrel staves for a deck, split in
half a number of small logs and peg or nail them on the top side of the springs, as in Fig. 178.

Now all hands must turn out and carry the deck down to the raft and place it in position, with the flattened sides of 
the springs resting on top of the logs at the bow. Prop it up in this position, and then bore holes through the springs 
into the logs and peg the springs down. Over the flat ends place the heavy bow cross-piece, bore the peg holes, 
and fasten it in position (Fig. 179).

In the centre of the bow cross-piece bore several holes close together and chip out the wood between to make a
hole, as square a one as possible, for the mast to fit or "step" in. With the wood from a packing box or a slab from a 
log make the bench for the mast.

Bore a hole through the bench a trifle astern of the step or hole for the mast below. It will cause the mast to "rake" a 
little" aft." You have done a big day's work, but a couple of days ought to be sufficient time to finish the craft.

The Sail.
Turn over the raw edges of the old sailcloth and stitch them down, as in Fig. 180 that is, if you have the needle and
thread for the purpose; if not, trim the cloth to the proper form and two inches from the luff (the side next to the 
mast). Cut a number of holes; these should be stitched like buttonholes, if possible, but if the sailcloth is tough and 
we have no needle, we shall have to let them go unstitched. A small loop of rope must be sewed or fastened in 
some other manner very securely to each corner of the sail.

From spruce pine or an old fishing pole make a sprit, and of a good, straight piece of pine manufacture your mast 
somewhat longer than the luff of the sail (Fig. 180). Through the eyelets lace the luff of the sail to the mast, so that 
its lower edge will clear the dry deck by about a foot.

Through the hole made for the purpose in the bench (Fig. 181) thrust the mast into the step or socket that we have 
cut in the bow cross-piece. Tie to the loop at the bottom corner of the sail a strong line about twelve feet long for a 
sheet with which to control the sail.

Trim the upper end of the sprit to fit in the loop at the upper outer corner of the sail, and make a notch in the lower 
end to fit in the loop of the line called the "snotter." Now, as you can readily see, when the sprit is pushed
diagonally upward the sail is spread; to hold it in place make a loop of line for a "snotter" and attach the loop to the 
mast, as in Figs. 180 and 181. Fit the loop in the notch in the lower end of the sprit, and the sail is set.

The Keelig.
We need anchors, one for the bow and one for the stern. It takes little time to make them, as you only need a 
forked stick, a stone, and a piece of plank, or, better still, a barrel stave. Figs. 186, 187, 189, and 190 show how 
this is made.

Down East the fishermen use the "keelig," in preference to any other anchor. Make fast your lines to the "keelig"
thus: Take the end of the rope in your right hand and the standing part (which is the part leading from the boat) in 
your left hand and form the loop (A, Fig. 182). Then with the left hand curve the cable from you, bringing the end 
through the loop, as in B, Fig. 183; then lead it around and down, as in C, Fig. 184. Draw it tight, as in D, Fig. 185, 
and you have the good, old-fashioned knot, called by sailors the " bow-line."

To make it look neat and shipshape you may take a piece of string and bind the standing part to the shaft of your 
anchor or keelig (keelek, killick, killeck, kelleck, kellock, killock, etc.), as you may choose to spell it. A paddle to 
steer with and two pegs in the stern crosspiece to rest it in complete the craft; and now the big bass had better use 
due caution, because our lines will reach their haunts, and we are after them!

A Home-Made Catamaran.
Possibly after you have built and sailed on the rude catamaran described above you have grown ambitious and 
wish to try a real catamaran. In this case it is, of course, necessary that you should be in some locality where you 
can have access to ordinary building materials and tools.

In place of the two unwieldy logs substitute two narrow boats. If such boats can be found already built, so much the 
better. Two old-fashioned dugout canoes make most excellent hulls for a catamaran, but unfortunately dugout
canoes are now few and far between. In these modern days we must look for something more up-to-date, and
probably the shortest way out of the difficulty is to build two long, narrow boats. This is not a difficult piece of work. 

Any boy who has successfully built either of the preceding craft, or is sufficiently skilful to build even a rude skiff, will 
be able to put together two long water-tight boxes, and it does not require much additional skill to make boxes 
pointed at each end.

Make each side of the boat of one straight-grained white pine board, twelve or fourteen feet long, and put the boat 
together after the fashion shown in Figs.160a, 161, 162, 163, and 164 (Rough and Ready), with this difference:
You must make the bow and stern just alike, and leave the four stretchers or moulds in their places, to add strength
to the hulls. This, of course, divides the hulls into five compartments, each of which is liable to hold water. To 
prevent this saw a triangular notch in the bottom of each mould to allow the water that may leak
in free passage from bow to stern; then it may be all bailed out from one trap or hatch. Particular attention must be 
paid to making the two side boats exact duplicates of each other. If white lead is applied to all seams and joints 
before they are fastened together, it will make them very nearly water-tight, but a new boat will leak until the water 
has caused the wood to swell.

A Trap-Door or Hatch,
large enough to admit one's hand and bailer, should occupy an accessible position near the stern of each boat.
The trap should be built to fasten as tightly as possible to prevent any water that may splash over the boats from
leaking in through the openings in the deck. Make each deck of a single board, trimmed to conform with the lines
of the boat, and make holes in the deck for the bands to pass through. With bolts and bands, that have been made 
for you at the nearest blacksmith shop, you fasten the crosspiece supporting the deck to the moulds in the boat. 

Fig. 193, A, shows one of the bolts. It is understood that these bolts are securely fastened to the moulds before the 
hulls are decked. The holes are then bored in the deck, and the screw ends of the bolts come up through the deck 
and through the holes made for that purpose in the cross-pieces supporting the deck. A piece of india-rubber from 
an old hose can be used for washers to fit under the bolts. The nuts are then screwed home. The deck is now 
floored, as shown in Fig. 191, and ...

The Rudder and Mast
benches are put in place, the latter at the forward and the former at the after end of the deck. Underneath the deck
a keel-piece is securely bolted on. If you wish a sloop rig, a bowsprit is fastened to the keel-piece, but in regard to
sails, you may make your own choice of the many styles.

A good lateen will look best and is easily made, as described in the chapter on rigs. If one sail does not work to suit 
you, a dandy or a jigger may be added. This style of craft may be built as large or small as you choose to build it. In 
a very small catamaran that would only hold one boy he could probably steer it with a paddle or an oar, but in the 
larger ones a somewhat more complicated steering apparatus is necessary.

Steering Apparatus.
Evidently it would be a most difficult undertaking to steer the catamaran with independent rudders, and we must 
devise a method by which one tiller will control both. Fig. 201 shows how it may be done with a system of pulleys or 
blocks and tiller-lines, or you may make a short oaken stick of the form shown in Fig. 194, A. Bore a hole through 
the centre, as is shown in Fig. 195, B. Trim off the top to fit the tiller-handle (Fig. 196, C). Saw into all the four 
corners of the square stick to form a shoulder to rest on the bench. Fig. 197 shows the shoulder at S. Plane off the 
square corners of the wood below the saw cut. After this it is quite a simple matter to round it off below the shoulder 
(Fig. 197, E).

After slipping the rudder-post through the two holes bored for the purpose in the rudder bench, drive through the 
post a good, strong oaken or hickory peg (Fig. 198, F), and bind the cross-pieces tightly with tarred twine. The end 
of the cross-sticks should be firmly lashed with tarred or painted twine. A large screw-eye may be now put in each
end of the cross-stick or near the ends, allowing the screw ends of the eye to protrude far enough to screw on a 
nut.

Now we must have two long, strong hoop poles to connect with the rudders by means of bolts and rings, as shown 
in Fig. 191. All that is now necessary is to fit your tiller-handle over the top of the rudder-post, and the steering
apparatus is finished. Fig. 201 shows another plan for steering with a helm like Figs. 202 and 203.

The mast is stepped in a bench at the bow similar to the rudder bench. Each consists of board benches bolted to 
heavy plank supports and bolted to the deck. The material used should be as light as possible, consistent with
strength. The dry deck can be made of neatly planed boards, and the whole craft may be as neat and well done as
the skill of the maker will admit. Hulls with a swell on each side jam the water between them and retard the boat; so 
if you build the catamaran with half hulls you will do away with this objection. Fig. 200 shows diagram of hull; Fig. 
202, plan of craft; Fig. 203, the helm.

A Tom Thumb Catamaran
could be built just large enough to hold one boy. The dry deck may be made with bamboo poles, in the form of a 
seat for the sailor, and if a foot-rest is added below, he may sit perched in his dry seat like a horse-jockey in a 
sulky, where he can manage his little craft in weather that no other small boats could stand. Some people say that 
under a heavy sail and a hard blow this style of boat will rear up at the stern and go end over end. If this is true, it is
because the craft is too short and dumpy, or has too large a spread of canvas. Even full rigged ships have been 
known to run their bows under.

There was a good-sized catamaran wrecked in Flushing Bay the same day that the writer upset in his canoe, but
from the looks of the wreck, with its sails torn to ribbons, it seemed probable that the sails had been carried away,
and the craft had then drifted ashore. The wreck showed no signs of having turned somersaults.

Two old single shells would make a beautiful Tom Thumb catamaran, and they would be far more likely to sail up in 
the air than to stand on end, but all these gymnastics on the part of the boat can be avoided by not venturing out
during a gale or by shortening sail when the wind is strong.

Never be misled into thinking it seamanlike to carry full sail when other boats are reefed. Too much sail retards the 
boat as much as too little. In all yacht races the skippers never hesitate to take in sail when it is necessary any 
more than they do to shake out a reef when more sail is thought to be beneficial.

Danger of False Pride.
Learn to manage a small sail first and then a larger one. Do not be ashamed of blunders. Why should you? Is a
baby ashamed to creep before it learns to walk? On the contrary, the baby is very proud of its newly acquired
powers of locomotion. Nobody is a born sailor. The best seaman was once a land-lubber.

End of Excerpt.
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