How To Build

POLLIWOG
An 18-foot cruising sailboat.
Beam: 6 feet 5 inches.
Draft: 2 feet 10 inches.

By William Garden
Naval Architect
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P OLLIWOG was designed for young
people who love cruising. Lively under
sail and roomy on deck and below, she's a
good type to acquire when thoughts of a
voyage of exploration begin pushing aside
studies and other trifles. While she is but 18
feet long (the size of the usual day-sailer),
she has adequate depth and enough out-
side ballast to enable her to make coastwise
passages in safety—and for exploring, the
draft of less than three feet is ideal.
For auxiliary power, we suggest install-
ing a one-cylinder, four or five-hp marine
engine. Several manufacturers make such
engines. Among them are the Kermath
Manufacturing Co., Detroit 8; the Nadler
Foundry and Machine Co., Inc., Plaque-
mine, La.; and Palmer Bros. Engines, Inc.,
Cos Cob, Conn.
The layout in the snug cuddy cabin has
been kept simple to allow maximum use of
the available room. A piece of netting runs
along each side for stowing clothes and
gear. A couple of air mattresses on the
flooring are ideal for sleeping or lounging.
Two shelves at the forward end of the cabin
take cooking utensils and food. The cock-
pit is long enough so that it can be con-
verted into an extra sleeping location by
rigging a tent over the boom.
Construction is not too difficult. After a
little study and thought, the general method
of procedure will become apparent. Since
standard boatbuilding operations are fol-
lowed, no specific instructions are needed.
We advise you to get a good book on boat-
building, such as Monk's Modern Boat-
building or Steward's Small Boat Construc-
tion, for answers to the problems that will
come up on the job.
All oak specified in the Lumber List as
being bending oak should be green when
purchased; it is impossible to impart very
Polliwog is built upside
down. Here, the stem and
the four sawed frames are
in place on the harplngs.
Stern will be added next.
much bend to oak that has been dried. The
hull is built on four sawed frames with
small intermediate frames bent in between.
Since sawed frames are ticklish to get right
(they require beveling and exact work to
make the boat fair up), we have kept them
to a minimum. The intermediate frames
can be bent in hot after the planking is on.
The ballast keel will require a pattern
so the foundry can make it the right size.
Cut the stock up into several pieces, glue
and fasten them together, and fair off
the forward and after ends as shown on
the lines drawing. Mark the locations
of the bolts on the top and bottom to
spot the cores. Be sure to plane a slight
taper from top to bottom and screw two
eyebolts in the top so the pattern can be
pulled out of the sand. Finish the pattern
by carefully sanding it smooth.
The photos show the boat being built up-
side down. By going at the job in this man-
ner, the'planking is easier to work and most
fastenings are driven at a downward rather
than an upward angle. After Polliwog is
planked, bore the keel-bolt holes; then get
a gang together and turn the boat rightside
up onto her iron keel.
Make the mast and boom from spruce or
fir. Spruce spars are preferable because
they are lighter and better looking. For fir
spars, find a stand of timber where the
young trees are bunched so they have had
to grow straight to get to sunlight. Cut one
that's about 4-1/2 in. in diameter and another
3-1/2 in. in diameter. For best results, they
should be cut in January, when the sap is
down. Skin off the bark, rub some tallow
on the exposed wood to slow the drying
process, and put the sticks out of the sun
in a shed or some other cool place to dry for
about three months. Then plane them down
to the right diameters by first squaring,
Mechanix Illustrated

then cutting to eight sides, then rounding
off. When smoothed up and sanded, apply
two coats of hot boiled linseed oil and finish
with three coats of varnish.
A detail shows the manganese-bronze
With planking completed and
deadwood in place, Polliwog
is ready to be flopped over
and bolted to her iron keel,
which is positioned nearby.
Here is the completed hull.
If you want a boat that will
last, apply at least three
coats of best-grade marine
finish to exterior of the hull.
Large-Scale Plans
will s i m p l i f y building.
Please specify Plan No.
B-210 and forward $3 to
MECHANIX ILLUSTRATED
Plans Service, Fawcett
Bldg., Greenwich, Conn.
headstay fitting. The foundry will require
a pattern. When making the patterns
for this and for the keel, shrink can be
disregarded since we aren't working to
close tolerances. •
Mechanix Illustrated
DECKTREAD" OR SIMILAR
COATING ON PLYWOOD DECK.