Sails or no sails

Donnie

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Sjors, I was just reading about this subject the other evening. Now I cannot remember where I read it --- :roll:

The subject was all about "what do you do with the running rigging now that you do not want sails" If I find that article, I will let you know. Also, with a ship that has no full sails, the yards are lowered (except for the main yard).
 
I have mixed feeling about sails. Often I'll furl sails on a build because the ship is static anyway. IMHO saggy sail lines dont look that good I've tried stiffening them up by putting a fan on the sails to bellow them, then I painted the lines with CA to stiffen them, doesn't always work though. I keep the bellow in the sails by spraying the sails with hairspray, but only if the lines renain taunt.
 
This is an older thread but the question is very valid. Many refuse to add sail because of the sail provided with the kit or the available material is out of scale..resulting in bulky, over stiched sails. Causing the otherwise fine scale model to appear toyish.

I've experimented over the course of many years the use of paper sails. Simple copier paper.
Fist by drawing on the sail(both sides) the scale panel lines. Then make many copies(both sides) of this master to make your sails from.
Then measure out your sail, remembering to allow the sail to be slightly longer from head to foot to allow for the billow you are going to form into the sail.
Here are some images of my process.

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You then must add the clews and any points of contact prior to painting the sail.
Once painted the shade you are wanting..then rig the sail with the buntlines.

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Jumping ahead....you then bend the sail to the yard. I simply glued the sail using good wood glue.
Once the sail is set....support it with a cotton tip applicator from below pushing the sail outward so the sail head will be more at the proper angle from the yard..then straight down. This aids the sail in retaining that billowed effect.

At this point you can run your sheets and add buntline blocks to the buntlines.

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Moving further ahead, as you progress down the yard adding the larger sails..the same process is used to make and attach these sails....remembering all the control lines needed for each particular sail.(This is an altogether different subject).

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In my view...sails are the main attraction on sailing ships, and unless you are modeling your model as it would appear in port in lay-up, where the sails are completely removed...sails are just as much an important part of your model as is the cannon...the ships wheel, or the masts.
Paper is an inexpensive and easy medium to use and once painted it becomes rigid enough to easily hold its own form.

Once cut and the sail has its bands glued on and it is rigged with its hardware and painted.not much more then an hour has passed. they are quite easy and take very little time to make. Reef points are added after the sail is bent to the yard.

Stay and jib sails are done differently, only that you need to add the hanks as part of the sail hardware before fixing the sail to the stay.

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To add or not to add sails should be based solely upon the setting you want your model to be depicting. In lay-up/dry dock...no sails. In port awaiting cargo...furled, and when at see...with sails set and this in of itself lends to many configurations dependent on the weather.
 
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