The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-04-27

A Paner Boat.


During one of my summer vacations
among the lakes of Central New York,
resolved to make, if possible, a 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 I first
made framework on which to stretch
the paper
For this latter purpose.I bought about
| eighteen yards 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-
| ing made in long rolls. it could be OBJ
tanned of almost any length desired. 1t
was only about yard 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 few minutes in water
then turned the frame upside down
and fastened the edges of the two strips
of paper to it, by tapping them careful
ly on the under side of the bottom board
| and tacking them to it, SO that the pap
er hung down loosely on all sides. It
was then trimmed, Tapped, and doubled
over as smoothly as possible at the ends
of the frame, and heldin place by means
of small clamps. Along the edges it
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
er, 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 OF joints of the
paper were covered with pieces of mus
lin stuck on with the unthinned varnish.
The loose strips of ash were now remov
ed, and anSther 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 a smooth, shin
ing surface, [ covered the whole boat
with unbleached muslin, sewed at the
ends and tackled along the gunwa1es
1t was then tightcned by shrinking, and
finally received three coats of a mixture
of Yarnish and paint. then took some
split rattan, and. after wetting it, wound
it firmly around both gunwale and in
side strip, passing il through small holes
punched in the paper just below the gun
vale, until the inside and outside strips
were bound together into one strong
gunwale.
A double-bladed paddle was at first
used TO propel it, and answered the pur
pose, but was found TO be awkward, the
boat being rather too wide. 1t was af-
terward rugged with wooden, and final
ly with iron. rowlocks and light oars.
[ also put IN movable seat. With
these improvements it was so satisfactory
that have since made no changes. For
carrying the boat, l also used a sort OF
yoke, which brings all the weight upon
the shoulders, and in that way lightens
the labor.
During the two years that have used
my boat, have often landed it, through |
heavy breakers, on a stony shore, be- |
sides running 1t against a fair number |
of Submerged snags and stones, some |
times with considerable force, but. owing |
to its lightness and toughness, it never
received the slightest injury l have
been out in it in very heavy seas, and
have found it much easier to manage at
such times than a heavier boat In
rowing parallel to high waves it is apt |
10 snip little wafer occasionally, unIeSs |
managed, but all small boats |
with low sides experience this difficulty. |
The approximate cost of the materi- |
ais used in the construction of the canoe |
was as follows:
qts Varnish, 81 90; IS yds. Paper, |
81 20; yds. Cloth, - cts; Bottom |
board. 60 cts. Gnnwales. so cts; Cross |
boards % cts; Paint, 30 cts. Split rat |
tan. p cts; Nails. screws. wire, ETC., |
25 cts. Total, S6.l7.-St Nicholas.