Structural elements for water craft

Claim 1

FOR USE WITH A CYLINDRICAL DRUM HAVING AN ANNULAR FLANGE AT EACH END PROTRUDING RADIALLY AND AXIALLY THEREFROM: A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR RETAINING TWO OF THE AFORESAID DRUMS IN END-TO-END RELATION, COMPRISING AN ELONGATED ARCUATE MEMBER HAVING A FLANGE ALONG EACH SIDE FOR EMBRACING EXTERNALLY THE FLANGES ON ADJACENT ENDS OF TWO DRUMS IN END-TO-END RELATION, AN ELONGATED ARCUATE MEMBER OF THE SAME LENGTH AS AND NARROWER THAN SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER FOR SEATING AGAINST THE INTERNAL SIDE OF THE DRUM FLANGES, TWO BOLTS EXTENDING THROUGH HOLES IN SAID FIRST MENTIONED ARCUATE MEMBER AND THREADEDLY RECEIVED IN HOLES IN SAID SECOND MENTIONED ARCUATE MEMBER AND CONNECTING SAID ARCUATE MEMBERS FOR CLAMPING THE DRUM FLANGES BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS AND RETAINING SAID DRUMS IN FIXED END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP, A LUG ON SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER HAVING A FLAT UPPER SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING A STRINGER, AND SCREWS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER FOR SECURING SAID LUG TO THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED MEMBER.