171. A Cleat.]
[Illustration: Fig. 172. The Jib-sail.]
[Illustration: Fig. 173. The Ice Boat Completed.]
The jib-sail was now cut out to the dimensions given in Fig. 172. The foot
of the sail was lashed to a jib-boom 3 feet 4 inches long. The jib-boom
was attached to the backbone at its fore end by means of a couple of screw
eyes. The eye of one of these was pried open, linked through the other
and then closed again. One of the screw eyes was now screwed into the head
of the jib-boom and the other was threaded into the end of the backbone.
The upper corner or "head" of the jib was tied to a jib-halyard, which
passed through a block at the top of the mast, and was secured on a cleat
on the backbone. On the jib we used two sheets. They were attached to the
end of the jib-boom and passed on opposite sides of the mast through
blocks on the crosspiece to the stern of the boat, where separate cleats
were provided for them.
This completed our ice boat, and a very pretty little boat she was. It was
with great reluctance that we furled the sails, unstepped the mast, and
stowed away the parts in our attic until old Jack Frost should wake up and
furnish us with a field of smooth ice.
The Sledge.
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