How To Make Camping Shoot-the-chute
By Daivd Z, Sat Dec 10th

Shoot-the-Chute

A "Shoot-the-Chute" is great fun and one should be built inevery camp visit and "Swimming Hole." The one described belowhas stood the test of several years in many different camp sites.

The plan drawn is for a chute 40 feet long, 3 feet wide and 18feet high. These dimensions can be changed in length and height,but not in width.

The chute is built of 7/8-inch matched pine boards, to the samewidth as sheet zinc, usually 3 feet; the boards being firmlycleated together on the under side by 2 x 6-inch cleats 5 feetapart, throughout the length of the chute.

Boards should be screwed to the cleats from the face of thechute with 1-1/2-inch screws, the heads being counter sunk.

The several lengths of zinc are soldered into one piece, thejoints being on the under side (as shingles on a roof) fastenedto the boards with 8-oz. tacks; set in from the edge about 1inch and about 6 inches apart.

The side strips of maple (soft wood will not do on account ofthe danger of splintering) 2 inches wide and 3 inches high,rounded slightly on upper edge, are placed directly over theedge of the zinc and covering the

tacks.

Screw the strips firmly to the chute with 2-inch screws from theunder side. These ought to be placed not more than 2 feet apart.Probably each will have two or more strips in making a piece ofsufficient length. If so, care should be taken to have thepieces joined on a bevel with a slant from outer edge towardbottom of chute, so as to leave no edge.

The utmost care should be used to have a perfectly smoothsurface on the inside of the chute. A pump or bucket is neededat the top of the chute to wet the surface before the swimmerstarts his slide.

The supports should be firmly braced with 2 x 4-inch timber, andlower end of chute should extend over the pier at least 1 footand not nearer the surface of the water than 3 feetperpendicularly, allowing the swimmer to enter the water as in adive.

The chute can be fastened to the supporting braces throughtimbers, into maple side strips with a good heavy log screw. Aplatform 3 feet wide and 4 feet long near the top of chute, andset just waist deep from the top of chute will make startingeasy.

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