The catamaran is the original and
oldest type of boat. It was the first crude attempt of
primitive man to control the direction of the log upon which
he desired to float. Later, perhaps hundreds of years, the one
log affair developed into a craft that consisted of three logs
lashed together and pointed at the fore end, just like a
gigantic toy boat that a ten-year-old boy would whittle out of
a shingle as big as the side of a woodshed.
The plan shown here is copied after
the ancient idea and is intended for use at a summer camp or
swimming hole. The main part of the craft is two logs ten feet
long and fourteen inches or more in diameter. If you camp near
a lake or river it is probable that you can find fallen trees
conveniently located for the purpose. Taper them down with an
ax and lay them on a low bank two feet apart. The manner of
placing the cross-braces is shown by Fig. 2. Spike them
well and then drill holes with a long bit one inch in
diameter. Into the holes drive tight-fitting wooden pegs. You
can make it very strong and rigid this way, for all the
old-time houses in this country were built with wooden nails.
In Fig. 3, there is represented a lee board nailed to
the end of the fore brace or thwart. The boards, there is one
on the other end of the same log, dip down into the water and
serve the same purpose as the centerboard of a sailboat, that
is, to keep it from drifting sideways or capsizing. An oarlock
on the rear cross-piece serves as a seat for the rudder oar.
This oar may also be used for sculling. Fig. 6 shows
the detail.
Fig. 4 shows the sail plan and
dimensions clearly. Fig. 5 shows the cleat by means of
which the boom of the sail swings on the mast. A heavy wire
ring directly above this cleat is marked X. The mast is a
hickory pole eight feet long and four inches in diameter. The
lower end of it is squared and sunk into a square hole, a few
long nails being toed in to steady it. The mast is then braced
with wires leading from the top to the log platform.
There is a world of fun in this homely
craft, but, it is needless to say, you must be a good swimmer
if you want to go into deep water with it.