Grommets For a Sail?

[mikiek]

I've started the lateen rigging for Arrow. Sails are included in the kit and I plan to install them. In the lateen rig, the triangular sail is almost laced to the yard. This means a bunch of holes running the length of one edge of the sail. The instructions say to just poke holes. I think that would end up looking pretty bad. I'd like to reinforce the holes with something. Tiny grommets would be the ultimate - not sure if something like that is even available.

 

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

[Thanasis]

Hi Mike.
Make the holes on the sail-s.
Then insert the point of a pencil in every hole and give it some twists, marking this way the perimeter of each hole. Make the same in the other side and the result will give the illusion of a grommet.
After the marking on the holes, you can reinforce them by inserting a toothpick which you have soaked it a bit with ca glue and give it again some twists.
That's what I do.
Thx

[wefalck]

Good method and I have used it myself.

 

However, for the period of the ARROW there wouldn't have been metal grommets, but rather ones fabricated by the sailmakers by stiching around the hole. So, you may want to use instead of the CA some white glue on a toothpick that has been tinted a tad darker than the sail. You could also use a light dab of CA and then use some thick acrylic paint of a suitable colour to imitate the grommet. The dab of CA prevents the paint from bleeding into the fabric (which, I assume, is what you use).

[Thanasis]

I don't know what kind of grommets were being used on the sails of Arrow.
To my knowledge the grommets as sewn metal eyelet (not as hammered grommets) were known at that period.
Certainly wefalck's method could imitate also the sewn ones.
Thx

[mikiek]

Great ideas fellas and pretty easy as well. I wasn't necessarily expecting to add a real grommet to the sails. I just didn't want to poke a hole and leave it at that. I think it would have looked funny. I love the idea of hardening the holes with some colored glue. Solves 2 problems - a stronger hole that stays open and it'll look like something is there as reinforcement. Win, win.