The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-29
A PanRr Scat.


among the lakes Of Central New \ DIRK,
| resolved to make, if possible, 4 paper
boat which should be easy to row and
paddle, light enough to be carried short
distances with comparative ease, and, at
the same time, safe and even durable If
managed with reasonable care.
1t was to be twelve feet long, | first
made framework on which to stretch
the paper.
For this latter purpose bought about
eighteen wards of very strong wrapping
paper 1t was of light cream color,
smooth on the surface, and very tough,
but neither stiff nor very thick; and, be-
inc made in long rolls, it could be OBJ
tanned of almost any length desired. 1t
was ONLY about a ward wide, so that it
required two breadths to reach around
the frame in the widest part. cut
enough off the roll to cover the frame,
and soaked itfor w,minutcs in water.
then turned the frame upside down
and fastened the edges Of the two strips
of paper to it, by tapping them careful
| " on the under side of the bottom-board
and lacking them to it, so that the pap
er hung down loosely on all sides. 1t
was then trimmed, Tapped, and doubled
over as smoothly as possible at the ends
of the frame. and held in place by means
of small clamps. Along the edges 1t
was drawn tight, trimmed. and doubled
down over the gunwale, where it was
firmly held by slipping strips OF ash just
inside of the gunwale The sinkage
caused by the drying stretched the pap
or, thus fastened, tightly over the frame
work. As soon as thoroughly dry, it
was vanished, inside and out. with as
| phaltum varnish thinned with turpen-
tine, and, as soon as that had soaked
in. a second coat of the same varnish
was applied. but with less turpentine.
and. finally, the laps or joints of the
paper We're covered with pieces of mus
lin stuck on with the unthinncd varniSh.
The loose strips of ash were now remOy
ed. and an.ther LAYER Of paper was put
on. and fastened along the edge OF the
boat by replacing the strips as before.
When the paper was dry and the whole
outside of the boat vanished several
times. until it presented Il smooth, shin
inc surface, | covered the whole boat
with unblpachrd muslin, sewed at the
ends and tackled along the gnnwales
twas then frightened By shrinking. and
finally received three coats OF Il mixture
of Varnsh and paint then took some
i split rattan, and, after Wetting it, wound
it firmly around both gUnwale and in.
side strip. passing it through smarl hole:
punched in the paper just below the pun
vale, until the inside and outside strips
were bound together into one strong
, gunwalc
A doube-bladcd paddle was at frs
used to propcl it, and answered the pur
] pose. but was found to be awkward, thu
t boat being rather too wide. Ii was at
terward rugged with wooden, and final
" with iron, rowlocks and light oars
, ] also put in movable seat. Wit
these improvements it was so satisfaction,
that | have since made no changes. 70
carving the boat, also used a sort 0
, yoke, which brings all the weight upol
the shoulders, and in that way Tighten
the labor.
: During the two years that have uset
: my boat, | have often landed it, through
p heavy breakers, on q stony shore, be
sides running it against a fair numbe
I of submerged snag5 and stones, some
a times with considerable force, but, OWN
to its lightness and toughness, it neve
{ received the slightest injury. / hav
= been out in it in very heavy seas, an
q have found it much easier to manage Il
o such times than IA heavier boat. l
r rowing parallel to high waves it is al
n to ship little water occasionally, unles
a carefully managed, but all small boat
! with low sides experience this difficulty
4 The approximate cost of the mater
- ais used in the construction of the cana
" was as follows:
, 5 qts. Varnsh. Sl9O; IS yds Paper
S120; 8 yds. Cloth. u cts; Bottom
board, 60 cts; Gunwales 30 cts; Gross
boards, % cts. Paint, 30 cts. Split ra
tan, % cts; Nails, screws, wire, etc
25 cts. Total, So. 17.-.St. Nicholas.