Issue 53 April 2026

6 Miniature Time Traveller We will pause here for a moment. Step 6 has two options. If you are able to bend two pieces of 5x3mm balsa so they fit inside the top edge of your row boat this is better. Otherwise see below. Step six: Option 1. Glue the bent pieces of balsa wood around the inside edge of the sides, One end butting against the transom and the other finishing against the prow support. The main purpose of this framing is to be able to insert your rowlocks for the oars. Option 2. If you are unable to bend the wood, two small pieces of wood with the eyelets already screwed into them, can be glued inside the sides just forward of the front line of the middle seat. Think what would be comfortable for a 5.5” little rower pulling on his oars. Step seven: Finishing details. Using the strips on page three, glue these to the outside of the hull to look like a clinker built dinghy. That is — overlap them slightly. Start at the bottom of the boat and work upward. The last one should be white which will look neat and shipshape. Step eight: For mooring — make some loops of wire, one inserted in the bow, and perhaps one at each corner of the transom for mooring purposes finish things oƯ nicely. To make these take a length of soft wire about 2 cm long, fold in half, over a skewer, and twist the ‘legs’ together. Step nine: Oars. The best option is to use two ice cream sticks as shown. Make the slanted cuts first to prevent the wood splitting along the full length. Now cut down from these slanted cuts to the end of the stick. Sand the handle as round as you can and slightly sand the paddle parts more flat. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. Showing the tabs folded in and glued in place. The second piece of card can then be glued over these, hiding them, before the seats are glued in place. All ready for messing around on the river. Don’t forget the picnic basket!