by William Dickey
A particularly shapely plywood utility runabout.
Chemical research, while usually not associated with boats or boat building, has made possible the construction of the boat presented herewith. In the construction of this boat, a special waterproof plywood has been used for planking, decking and for the transverse frames. This material is a rather recent development of the lumber industry and offers to the boat builder a new material with which to experiment and to utilize in various forms of work. This waterproof plywood must not be confused with the ordinary varieties of plywood on the market. The ordinary plywood is made with a glue which when subjected to extreme moisture conditions, as encountered in a boat, will let go and cause the plywood to come apart. The waterproof variety of plywood is bonded with a special adhesive which is impervious to water and can safely be used in boat construction. This waterproof plywood has been used in the construction of the original “Lark” and proves very satisfactory. The “Lark” is a general purpose utility boat having a tendency towards higher speeds. She is light in weight, due to the plywood construction, and of such form that she planes nicely with a motor of approximately 10 h.p. Speeds of from fifteen to twentyfive m.p.h should be obtained with the average outboard motor. “The “Lark” handles excellently in calm water and will stand a moderate amount of hard driving in heavy water, although she is not particularly designed or suited for rough water.
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