Senior ole salt Posted March 7, 2014 Share #1 Posted March 7, 2014 Has anyone here made sails of wood ? I made this little model with wooden sails. It was of a 27' gaff rigged cutter I built for the family. Through years ( the model) took on several storms. I took the model apart to facilitate the needed repairs to make the model whole again. The dust was pretty thick and the rigging rotted away. The bowsprit was broken off as well as the cross trees. ( That's a 6" ruler in the background.) Here is a picture of what the boat looked like under the sail taken in 1960. This time I plan to put the model in acrylic case with a sea of some kind. I like sails of wood. you can make them look like they're full of wind. S.os Piet, yvesvidal, DSiemens and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
druxey Posted March 7, 2014 Share #2 Posted March 7, 2014 I'ev seen old models with wood sails. I've also seen sails made of tin or copper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mott Posted March 7, 2014 Share #3 Posted March 7, 2014 What a great project I look forward to seeing the restoration, then I am rather partial to the cutter design. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBlack Posted March 7, 2014 Share #4 Posted March 7, 2014 Old Salt, Wooden sails? Maybe a solution for those of us who have no access to a sewing machine, let alone know how to use it. Maybe you could give us a tutorial on how to manufacture and shape a wooden sail? I love the real boat. Neat looking craft. Did she have a topsail as well? Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Lad Posted March 7, 2014 Share #5 Posted March 7, 2014 Never seen wooden sails on a modern model. This looks like a very nice restoration project. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainbob Posted March 7, 2014 Share #6 Posted March 7, 2014 What a lovely boat. Looks like a fine sailer. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted March 7, 2014 Share #7 Posted March 7, 2014 Restorations are some of the best logs. I look forward to your progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jud Posted March 7, 2014 Share #8 Posted March 7, 2014 I have an old Burch Bark canoe that came into the family about100 years ago, it sat at various places over the years just drying out and was very dry and brittle when I got it. Gave it a good bath in Linseed oil and it came back to life including the lacing which was also Burch Bark strips. Maybe you wooden sails would benefit from such a treatment, does not need to be Linseed Oil, I used it because there is always some around to oil handles and gun stocks. jud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior ole salt Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted March 10, 2014 Well I'm making progress on my project to repair the model sailboat. This boat I built and was used by my family back in 1960. The model was built in 1963, which makes it 51 years old. The model did not take much damage in the intervening years. The cross trees were completely destroyed so the image now shows the repaired top and cross trees.I decided not to repaint the sails they have a patina that can make the model more charming. I did add reef points on the main sail. I also want to make the model in a sea where there is a hazard. This can make a more interesting to look at diorama. I think I'll call it " Ready about ." The reason for this will be obvious when the diorama is completed. Unfortunately in the image shown here. The curvature of the wooden sails cannot be seen. This will be better apparent in the completed display. Yes T black, the boat had topsails. Here is an image of what she look like with this sail set and will be included in the diorama. S.os Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior ole salt Posted March 11, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted March 11, 2014 Took the model out side to get a little sunshine. There is a lot more to do on the model but this is what I got done so far. Since the model is skipper less, it looks like the cutter got too close to the rocks. Perhaps when it tacks things might look better. Wax paper is attached to the model so she won't get stuck to forever sail like the Flying dutchman looking for Senta. I still have to attach three more sails to do, all the supporting rigging plus some crew aboard. Much more work needs to be done on the sea which so far is just modeling plaster. S.os omarcs, hexnut, JMaitri and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mott Posted March 12, 2014 Share #11 Posted March 12, 2014 I really like what you are doing with the little gem, I think your choice to leave the sails alone and not repaint them is the right and wise one. Michael druxey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainbob Posted March 12, 2014 Share #12 Posted March 12, 2014 What a nice boat. I hope the skipper can keep her off the rocks. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted March 12, 2014 Share #13 Posted March 12, 2014 Those sails look great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior ole salt Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted March 17, 2014 Making progress on this little restoration. For the pix, I took the model off of the construction bar and placed it in the sea for a photo shoot. I still have to raise the topsail, do some more rigging work, sculpt and paint the sea around the model some, especially the wake. Presently the cutter has no rudder, skipper or crew. perhaps that's why she has come so close to the rocks. I blasted away one that showed up in previous images. S.os mtaylor, GrandpaPhil, Mirabell61 and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Lad Posted March 17, 2014 Share #15 Posted March 17, 2014 That's looking really good! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mott Posted March 17, 2014 Share #16 Posted March 17, 2014 Very nice I do like the way the water looks as well. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sailor1234567890 Posted March 18, 2014 Share #17 Posted March 18, 2014 Very nicely done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainbob Posted March 18, 2014 Share #18 Posted March 18, 2014 If you need a crew I volunteer. The sea and the boat are just right. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senior ole salt Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share #19 Posted March 27, 2014 Got the topsail up and drawing. Still got some small details to do. Also I am working on making crew, at least the skipper. S.os mtaylor, SailorGreg, Bindy and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bindy Posted March 27, 2014 Share #20 Posted March 27, 2014 Gasp! That is terrific S.os! I would never have believed the sails were made out of wood without reading this thread, but the whole model and diorama is a work of art. And even more meaningful given it's history! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captainbob Posted March 28, 2014 Share #21 Posted March 28, 2014 Fantastic ! I agree with everything Bindy said, I couldn't have said it better. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael mott Posted March 28, 2014 Share #22 Posted March 28, 2014 Ditto, what Bindy and Bob Said. Michael Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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