For the toy boats our boys may desire to make, a medium between these two types will probably be found preferable in practice.
The center-board may be ruled out at once, as both itself and the well in which it plays would require more time and patience in their construction than most boys would care to give.
It is much better to have your boat too wide than too narrow, as a capsize is far more disconcerting to the average young yachtsman, than a slight inferiority of speed.
For a sloop yacht, the greatest width should be about one-third the length; and the point of greatest width, or beam, should be somewhat nearer the stern than bow.
Probably the best way to make a toy yacht is to procure a piece of wood, which is about three times as long as it is wide and deep, and whittle out your hull as your judgment or fancy may dictate; keeping in mind a few essential points, however, to insure ultimate success.
First, draw a line from the middle point of one end to the middle point of the other end of the top of the block; this will serve as a guide to the bow and the center of the stern. Care should be taken not to make your vessel too blunt at the bow; as a sailor would say, “the lines at the bow should be _fine_ when they meet the water.”
The elegant appearance of the boat is increased by giving an overhang to the stern, instead of running it up vertically; and if the young builder is confident in the use of his tools, a sheer, as it is called, of the lines at the top, or the gunwale, will add greatly to the grace of its appearance. For the benefit of those who do not understand the meaning of the word sheer, it may be explained that it is the gradual and graceful downward curve from bow to stern, noticeable in the bulwarks of vessels when seen from one side.
It is perhaps superfluous to add that great care should be taken to have each side of the craft alike, for if a preponderance of weight is on one side, the vessel will tip; while if the curve is unequal, she will not sail evenly.
The hollowing out of the inside is most conveniently accomplished with a sharp gouge and mallet, while the hull is secured firmly in a vise. When this is finished, a hole should be made in the bottom to receive the lower end of the mast, and care should be taken not to bore _through_ the hull, as it would be difficult to stop the ingress of water through it.