Here is a duck boat that is reasonably easy to build. The frames are made from the full-size sections developed after the fore and aft lines have "been laid down. The planking and decking thick­nesses, ½inch on the sides and ¼inch elsewhere, must be deducted from the sec­tions in order to have the frames of cor­rect size, because the lines for small boats are drawn to the outside of the planking. Bevels on the side and bottom frames are picked up from full-size lines and sawed or planed on the frame material edges.

To keep weight at a minimum the frames, cockpit sides, the side frame and deck beam have been simply designed, each to be cut from a single piece. Intermediate bottom frames, between regular frames to support the floor boards, can be fitted after the bottom is planked.

The deck beams and the top edge of the transom are all sawed to radius of 6 feet 6 inches. Assemble the bottom and side frames, and the deck beams where re­quired, with 1-inch No. 8 flathead screws and waterproof glue.

Make the transom with cheek pieces to take some of the side planking screws since the end grain of the cedar transom will not hold fastenings too well. Notch the transom for the keelson; allow enough material on the forward side for the edge bevels so the planking will bear correctly. The finished transom will be slightly larger inside the boat than it is outside. The tran­som knee, to take the thrust of an out­board motor, is shaped as shown and screwed or bolted to the transom.

This 13-foot 8-inch duck boat is perfect for the man who is both hunter and amateur boat builder.

Cut the stem from a piece of white oak or mahogany and rabbet for the ½-inch thick side planking. The stem rabbet will be of the same section throughout.

  The side planks are to be of ½-inch thick white cedar and the upper edges are straight in accordance with the lines draw­ing (sheer). The chine edge can be marked out by tacking a long batten on the deck line of the full-size lines and marking each station and the stem rabbet on the batten.

When the batten is lifted you will have the true length of the side plank. Lay the batten along the sheer edge of the side planks and transfer the station points. Draw station lines by squaring down from the sheer edge. Then measure on the sec­tions the depth of the chine line below the sheer and transfer the measurements to the side planks. A batten faired through the points will enable the chine line to be drawn on the plank. Temporarily fasten the side planks together to cut the bottom edge, but don't saw closer than ⅜ inch of the line to allow for beveling later.

The boards for the keel should be prepared square edged, and the width of the bottom-planking overlap marked from each edge with a butt gauge. As the angle of deadrise of the bottom is constant, the amount of bevel for the planking rabbet can also be marked on the edges and the bevel planed. Pare off the keel edges for­ward to a neat fit between the side planks. This cut, too, can be made from the lines drawing. The bottom of the stem must be notched for the fore end of the keel.

Assemble the side planking, transom, stem and frames of this hull upside down on two or three carpenter's horses ad­justed to keep the sheer edges of the side planks parallel. There is no twist in the sides so the forward edge of the planks can be cut to the stem rabbet angle from the full-size drawing. All seams that could admit water into the boat must be liberally coated with a sealer. The glue must go on the edges of the transom, in the stem rab­bet, between keel and keelson, both edges of the side planks, on the batten for the decking seam on the centerline of the boat, etc. Apply it after the parts have been trial-fitted, before final assembly.

Start the assembly by fastening the side planks to the transom and the planking to the side frames. Use l¼-inch No. 10 flathead screws for this. Countersink the heads slightly and putty them over later. Now one man can stand at the bow and pull the ends of the side planks together as the other places the side frames, clamps them while alignment is checked, and then fastens each in turn, working from the transom toward the bow. The most difficult job will be making sure that the boat is not twisted. Do this by working in the keel at the same time. Fasten the keel in the transom notch with screws, then clamp it to the frames while lining up the hull. The keelson is added before the bottom is planked with one 3/16-inch flathead bolt through the keelson, keel and frame at each station.   Fit and fasten the skeg.

Prepare for bottom planking by placing one end of a straightedge in the rabbet formed by the keel and keelson and laying the edge across the side planks so the edge can be planed to correct bevel and to the chine line at the same time. The bottom planking, of ¼-inch waterproof fir ply­wood, is fastened to the rabbet, side planks, transom and frames with ⅞-inch No. 6 flathead screws. Drill carefully for the screws and countersink the heads for puttying. Space the screws not more than 2½ inches apart. If an outboard motor is to be used, fit a hardwood motor board as shown and bolt it through the transom. Turn the boat over, paint the inside of the hull, install the cockpit header, center-line decking seam battens, then fit and fas­ten the decking same as the bottom. Add the intermediate bottom frames and floor boards, coamings and rails to hold grass, and the sheer and chine guard strips. Paint the boat "dead grass" or other fa­vorite ducking color, but first coat the plywood with sealer or plywood primer.

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