CLYDE CANOE FITTINGS.
The diagrams in Plate XLV. to a great extent explain themselves. Fig. 146 shows details of the rudder arrangement, half full size.
The rudder mountings are all brass. The rod C is lin. diameter, and is shaped to the curve of the stern, and is made fast to the stern post by means of the flat and tapered pin A and the clamp B.
Two clips similar to D are fastened on the rudder top and bottom. These clips have a fin. hole bored in them, and a slot cut out to clear the flat pin A when the rudder is being shipped. The pin A is kin, full thick, and when shipped the clamp B keeps the rudder in the posi tion required. This is the simplest and neatest way in which rudders can be fitted on curved sternposts.
Figs. 147 and 148 show two very common methods of rudder connections.
In Fig. 147, A is a brass rod, which is dropped through the brass eyes B B, the eyes on the rudder being at a shorter distance apart than those on the sternpost, so as to prevent the rudder being lifted out of position by the waves.
Fig. 148 shows the common pintle arrangement.
Fig. 149 shows the Wren's stern squared. The false sternpost is shown by A, made fast to the stern by means of square pintles in square sockets at B B. The rudder can then be fastened to A, either according to Figs. 147 or 148. C and D are guards of sheet brass, placed so as to keep weeds from catching and entangling the rudder or false sternpost.
The rudder is worked by the foot steering gear, copper wire, brass wire cord, and brass chain having been tried in succession. At present
brass chain is in use between the rudder and foot yoke. It answers well, never kinks, and takes up little room when gathered up. The chain leads to the foot yoke under the deck, so as not to hamper the deck with extra gear lying exposed and in the way of often-used ropes.
The hatch or well covering was originally of wood, similar to those still in use on the Clyde. It was not fastened in any way to the well coaming, but had simply a counter coaming of elm, fitting over well coaming. This hatch is made in two pieces, which are joined by leather hinges, so that the whole well need not be covered in. If wanted, the whole hatch could be removed and placed either forward of the well on deck, or on top of locker aft. At present the hatch or apron in use is that used by the Mersey Canoe Club, and similar to that described on page 422. It is of waterproof cloth. This cloth is fastened to battens, in length equal to length of well ; and to keep the battens in position a strip of mahogany is nailed to the deck along both sides of the well, and the battens are jammed between these strips and the coaming. At the fore end of the well is an indiarubber cord lin. to }in. thick, which keeps the front portion of the apron close to the coaming at deck.