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How to Build an Ice Yacht

the roped edges, there should be holes for lacings worked in, and an extra row of holes worked three feet above the boom for reefing, when there is too much wind. The rear edges or leach of each sail should be fitted with a strong, small line to tighten up with, so the sails will not flutter while sailing. These lines should be only tight enough to hold the sails steady and not so they will be baggy, as that holds the boat back. These lines, or leach ropes, are run inside of the hem and the ends fastened to the boom and gaff. The sails are intended to be laced around the boom, gaff, mast, jib-boom and head-stay, but rings can be put on mast and head-stay if preferred. The head-stay should be 5-16 inch wire rope and fastened to eye in top of mast and pass through hole in forward end of keel, and then pass back under runner plank and cock-pit, about 4 or 5 feet, and be fastened with a bolt up in the keel. A small block about 3 inches deep should be placed between runner plank and wire, thus pressing it down and giving it a greater purchase.

The side-stays fasten to ring in top of mast, the same as head-stay, and lower ends have a turn-buckle, or lanyard, to tighten up with, and are fastened to eye-bolts in runner plank. These stays hold mast in position and should always be kept tight. In setting mast see that it pitches forward slightly, as an ice-boat sails better with mast in that position. Pulleys are necessary for hoisting the sails. A single one at mast-head for jib, a double and single one for the peak-halliard, two single ones for the throat-halliard, two double and one single one for the main-sheet rope and two single ones for the jib-sheet. All these pulleys can be lashed on with rope, but it would be much better to have little iron straps fitted to spars and eyes welded in for pulleys to fasten to. Now we come to the most important item in the whole boat, “the runners;” the easiest to make will be described. Cut out the wooden shoe according to the length and shape wanted and 1 5-8 inches thick. Along the bottom edge cut out a V-shaped groove the whole length of runner, then take runners to a