he hickory strips had been bent up at the forward end, as
shown in Fig. 191. Each runner was shod with a strip of brass, fastened
on with flathead screws, which were countersunk, so that the heads
should not project below the brass. This virtually made a sledge out of
the old scow, and didn't spoil it for use on the water.

A SPRIT SAIL.

[Illustration: Fig. 192. Mainsail of Scooter Scow.]

[Illustration: Fig. 193. The Snotter.]

[Illustration: Fig. 194. Jib-sail of Scooter Scow.]

A sprit sail and jib were rigged up. The dimensions of these sails,
which were taken from a book in Mr. Van Syckel's library, are given in
the illustrations. A sheet of heavy muslin was made to measure 7 feet
square, as indicated by dotted lines in the drawing; then the corners
were cut off along the full lines shown in the illustration. The edges
were now hemmed all around, and the lower edge of the sail was lashed to
a boom, 7 feet 6 inches long. To the luff were attached a number of mast
rings, which were slipped over a stout mast projecting about 5 feet 6
inches above the deck of the boat. The peak of the sail was held up by a
spar called a sprit. The sprit was sharpened at each end, and the point
at the upper end was inserted in a loop of heavy cord fastened to the
peak of the sail, while the lower point of the sprit rested in the loop
of a rope on the mast, called a "snotter." The snotter was a short piece
of rope with a loop at each end. It was wrapped around the mast, as
shown in the drawing, with one loop holding it in place, like a slip
knot, and the other supporting the end of the sprit. A single halyard
was used to raise this sail. It was attached to the boat and passed over
a block in the mast. When raising the sail it was first partly hoisted,
then the sprit was hooked in the loop and the snotter, after which the
throat halyard was drawn taut. Then the snotter was pulled up the mast
as far as it would go, flattening out the sail. The jib-sail was made
out of the large corner piece left when cutting the mainsail. The
dimensions of the jib-sail are given in Fig. 194. It was such a small
sail that no boom was used with it. In place of a rudder the steering
oar had to be used. This was made of a rake handle with a large trowel
blade fastened to the end of it. The sharp blade cut into the ice, and
so steered the scow when it was running as an ice boat, and in the water
the blade offered sufficient resistance to act as a rudder.