the top, which is the
breadth of beam of your canoe; it should be 24 inches high, which is the
depth of the craft; and the side lines of the section, which will
determine the lines of your canoe, should be gracefully rounded, so that
the boat when finished will appear as in Fig. B. Now, then, fasten your
section upright on the keel, and with the bow, the stern, and the
breadth of beam thus settled, all you have to do is to nail your two
pine strips (12-3/4 ft. by 2 in. by 3/4 in.) to the bow and the stern.
They will get their spread from the mid-section. The skeleton of the
canoe is now complete, and the inside ribs may be bent on.

In order to make the oak strips pliable, boil them in water until you
can twist them into any shape you choose. Then nail them to the keel at
their middle point and to the gunwale boards above, sawing off the
protruding ends. These strips form the ribs, and when they dry out they
will keep the form they assumed when nailed on. All the nails should be
of copper, and clinched when driven in; this is done by holding a flat
iron against the points as they come through. There should be six inches
of space between each rib. Next take your thin pine strips, which are of
about the same length as your sheer planks, and plane them on one side
only. These are now fastened to the ribs lengthwise, the unplaned side
out, parallel to the gunwales, about two inches apart. This brings all
the planking on the outside of the ribs. Be sure to have the protruding
lines (after the canvas is put on) run fore and aft, and do not forget
that the planking is brought down to a fine point at the stem and stern,
and is securely clinched.

[Illustration: Fig. C.]

The canoe is now ready to be decked. Fig. C shows about where the deck
pieces should be fixed to form the cock-pit. They ought to be inserted
about a quarter length of the boat from each end. The deck beams should
be of one-inch square spruce, and as soon as they are clinched in you
can saw out your mid-section, which is now of no further use except as
lumber. As such it will come in handy for braces, etc. On top of your
deck beams lay the cock-pit combing of 2 in. by 3/8 in. pine, putting in
braces of triangular-shaped pine underneath as a support to and from the
ribs. After all the ribs are thus securely fastened, turn your boat
bottom upward and lay on the canvas.

This is by no means an easy matter, as you will soon find out, but
patience and care will