The garboard plank will be 6in. or 8in. wide at the broadest part, and the other planks will be as broad as the shape of the canoe will admit of being worked, and will of course vary in breadth and shape.
The construction of the section of slot in the keel and centre board case is shown by Fig. 122.
The most convenient mode of " laying off " a canoe for building will be obtained by working in the following manner : Take a sheet of common wall paper of 14ft. length, and on the reverse side draw in, with a straight edge, a strongly marked and straight "load water-line ;" then, by measurements from the scale drawing and from the table (page 414) draw the " sheer plan " at full size. On similar paper, and in like manner, draw the " body plan," and from the body plan cut out moulds of stiff brown paper from which to make the wooden building moulds, taking of a margin from the paper or from the wood mould to allow for the thickness of the planking. As before said, the load water-line must be carefully marked across each mould ; or, better still, a batten should be nailed across the mould to represent the load water-line. (See "Boat Building" in the Appendix.) The mast steps, centre-board case, bulkheads, coamings, rudder, and centre-board can all be laid off on the sheer plan ; and provided the points of measurement are correctly placed—no matter how rough the drawing—the builder will have a clear eye to his work, and the trouble of laying her off on a mould floor will be avoided.
The diagonals form an angle of 55° to the middle line ; or diagonal A cuts the L. W. L. at lft. 5iin. from the middle line measured on the water-line ; diagonals B and C are each parallel to A, and 5in. apart.
It may be again mentioned that all the body plan measurements are to the outside edge, so that plank, deck, &c., must be allowed for in making the building moulds.
The general features of the design may now be reviewed. In the first place, in the design just described, sailing requirements were given the chief attention; secondly, it will be well to bear in mind that the word " design" includes both " model " and "fittings," and the same model can be fitted either for pleasure sailing or for sailing cruises by arranging such fittings as centre-boards, bulkheads, mast cases, &c., conformably to the use the boat is to be put to. Sleeping accommodation, for instance, does not demand that the model shall be altered, but requires a 6ft. space in the centre of the canoe ; therefore two small centre-boards, having a joint area equal to the larger single board, become a necessity, and by this means an effective lateral resistance is maintained; still, a considerable amount of weatherliness is sacrificed unless the after-board is constantly and carefully worked.
Limited by the club rules, the leading dimensions of the model have been fixed upon, viz. : length, 13ft.; beam, 2ft. 104in. A model 12ft. by 3ft. would give greater sail-carrying power, and would be more adapted for quick turning and eating to windward; but the " floor " would be considerably shortened, and the boat generally cramped as to the fore and-aft arrangement of her fittings ; 14ft. and 15ft. length give better results as to speed in running and reaching, and, to some extent, as to speed and ease in rough water; but the necessary reduction of beam to 2ft. 74in. for 15ft. length takes away a considerable amount of initial stability, which, on account of the existing club rules, cannot be com pensated for by increasing the depth of hull, and thereby lowering the weights ; the increased length also comparatively retards the vessel's turning, unless her keel and floor line are considerably rockered.
The dimensions given provide good beam for stability, sufficient length for fine lines with good length of floor, and not too great a length for quick turning.
The fore-and-aft positions of the various fittings have been settled in compliance with the following requirements : The weights must be crowded as near midships as possible, so as to give easy performance in rough water; consequently the after end of the centre-board and the fore side of the man must be brought as close together as possible, allowing, however, sufficient room between them for the shifting ballast to cross the floor. The centre-board must not come much abaft amidships, because the centre of lateral resistance would thereby be thrown so far aft that a large unhandy wizen would have to be carried to properly balance the centre of effort of the sails with the centre of lateral resist ance of the hull. The man must not sit too far aft, as that would necessitate very full lines aft; at the same time the weights would be separated, and being nearer the ends, bad performance in a seaway would be the result. The performance, governed by the longitudinal position of the centre of buoyancy and the distribution of the weights, is not that of power to carry sail, nor even sailing or steering performance in smooth water, provided the normal trim has not been altered; but it is the per formance of the canoe in a sea—whether she takes kindly and dryly to a head sea or a following sea without plunging and diving violently. The masts, in order to get spread for the sails, have to be placed far forward and aft ; but their weight is small compared with that of the man, centre board, and ballast.