Hi, Ya'll!
Just a Note: I do this almost with my eyes closed. But in my aging process I have forgotten the technical names for a lot of the lines. Just follow and get a book on sails for the names, Okay?
I am sure there's many of you out there that have tried or succeeded in building a sail Powered Vessel. That range is wide all the way from an Oyster Dredger up to a six or seven masted Schooner. Then, there's the "Ships of the Line" Then everything else.For Play, Business or Competition! Remember Sailing "Yachts" existed Long before their Engine Powered Successors or"Stink Pots".
One of the things that always gets me is the sails." The sail"- "An area of cloth manipulated by several control lines to catch the wind and drive a vessel forward" Now, early on and for hundreds of years they were made of Rough Spun Canvas material. Usually a dark creme color becauuse they were not Tinted or Bleached. Now to be accurate on a model and NOT the Molded plastic Thingies. You have to create them.
You can actually create them in a simple way that works for me. Take the plastic ones. Cut them out carefully. stick them to a work board loosely with double sided tape. Now, go to your Local Hobby Fabric store, be it Joanne's or Micheal's or whomever! Buy two Square yards, of the softest unbleached "Irish" type linen. Cut out squares ,Just slightly larger than your sails. Now drape them over those plastic sails. Spritz first with, Coffee or Tea (Strong) and let set twenty four hours. No Creme or Sugar Please! This effectively ages them. Now Next! Buy All your thread as Unbleached Dyed Cotton. Not Rayon or Silk!
Take the sails and very carefully Glue the lines to the edges of the sails to prevent unravelling! The lines MUST be very close or exactly the same color as the now tinted sails. These lines strengthen the sails, But, do not, nor are they intended, for fastening anything to. That's what the next step is for. Look at your yards. In plastic there's a wee bump on the yards in a very organized line. Punch a hole at each bump. Also punch a hole at the bottom outside corner for Clew lines! Make sure you do NOT rip the sails when you Punch these holes!
You can take your thread and "Sew" the sail on with a spiral of thread around the Yard, and that will suffice. Just make sure, you touch base at each bump and put a drop of white glue there! Or, and this is tedious, take your thread end go through the hole, around The yard and tie it in a knot leaving a wee ring of thread. Turn the little loop you've made and white glue that knot to the Bump. Carefully! Not to much glue now! Your sail should dangle straight down with a few gentle waves in it!
Did'ja notice the lines in the plastic sails? They denote the individual panels the sails were made from. In most models, DO NOT try to emphasize these lines, You'll see later Now fasten the lines 12" long to each lower corner with nice close little thread loops.. That's all for today. Put away your tools and Don't forget to clean the Nozzle on your White glue bottle, those things have a habit of clogging and not allowing fluid out, then harden the whole bottle into an unuseable Mess. Till Next time. This is T.B.s Sail Loft, signing off!