blacksmith and let him make you the iron shoes for them. They should be of 1-2 or 3-4 inch square iron, with the rear end turned up and a hole drilled and counter sunk in each end, so they can be fastened to wooden shoes. The iron should be bent to take the shape of the wooden shoe, and made with the sharp corner down and slightly rocker-shaped. After irons are fastened on they must be filed down and made sharp and smooth so they will not scratch. The two forward runners are now placed in the guides and a hole bored through both guides and runners and a 1-2 inch bolt put through for a pin to work on. The rudder-post, for rear runner, will have to be all iron and have the lower end all spread out, both sides, so it will straddle the runner and have a bolt through it the same as for the forward runners. The stem will pass up through the keel and have a square head for tiller to fit on, and long enough above tiller to have a thread cut and a nut to screw down to hold tiller firm. Between top of rudder and bottom of boat there should be a piece of rubber to take up the jar, but some leave this out and have a shoulder welded on rudder-post instead. The tiller can be made of pipe and wrapped with cord.
Provide the forward end of keel with a square strap and run side stays to forward sides or runner plank, to prevent keel from bending.
When boring holes through the runners see that they clear the runner plank about 3-4 of an inch, and so that they swing freely. Where rudder post passes through keel have an iron plate put on top of keel, also under body of boat for post to pass through.
Before starting to build boat, study all the accompanying drawings carefully and look over all the measurements and little points, as every necessary figure is given to complete the ice yacht. The writer has built several boats of this kind, and though there are numerous other designs this is the most satisfactory, as is proved by a practical test and experience.
