One Person Water Scooter

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With that done, measure and mark two 16-by-43-by-1/2-inch rectangles, and prepare to outline a cutting guide on each of these bulkheads-to-be — using the grid drawing provided here as a pattern.

Because of space limitations, the illustration has been reduced. Merely redraw the grid, in 1-inch squares, on a 17-by-20-inch scrap of paper, and carefully reproduce the design on this larger "graph." Then cut out your template and position it on the plywood, making sure that its rounded tip butts up against one corner of a scribed rectangle and that its straight lines are parallel with the quadrilateral's long sides.

Trace the pattern on the wooden surface, flip the template over, and repeat the procedure at the oblong's opposite end. Finally, use a straightedge to draw upper and lower "bridge" lines to join the two profiled sections. Go on to lay out the second bulkhead in the same manner, then find the midpoint of the long dimensions of each butterfly shape and draw a connecting line from top to bottom, perpendicular to the two parallel borders.

Now, set your saber saw back to a 90-degree angle and cut out both bulkheads from the plywood blank. Next, measure 6 1/2 inches down from the upper edge of one piece and an equal distance up from the lower edge of the other, and mark a 1/2-inch wide "channel" directly over the previously scribed centerlines, to the 6 1/2-inch limit on both boards. Remove each of these slots with your saber saw, andusing your malletpound the two bulkheads together, at right angles, in a tight half-lap joint.

The next step is to center the "cross" on top of the disk, making sure the platform's mitered edge is facing upward. Trace lines on the base by running your pencil along all the bulkhead edges, and take time to code the match so the two components can be repositioned correctly later. Using the marks on the disk as guides, center and drill twelve 3/16-inch holes through this circular floorboard-spacing them three per bulkhead half-then turn the platform over and countersink the openings. Invert the structural wall assembly and place the disk upside down over it so that the two parts mate as before. Drill 1/8-inch pilot holes into the partitions under each of the twelve countersunk bores, then apply a water-resistant glue (such as Weldwood plastic resin or Duro polyurethane glue) to the bottom edges of the bulkheads, and secure the base in position with a dozen No. 10-by-2-inch galvanized flathead wood screws.

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