What’s your preferred way of attaching sails to masts?

[Moab]

I’ve read the build logs and still have a bit of trouble attaching sails to masts AND HAVING THE CONNECTION LOOK GOOD.  So, which way works best for you?...Moab

[DSiemens]

I like to use a cow hitch on the hard arm and us the loose ends to tie it to the mast.  I find drilling holes weakens the mast so I try to avoid drilling holes where I can. 

[exwafoo]

A lot depends on the type, size and scale of the SIB, but I tend to try and give the impression of bending the sails to to the yards, etc, as they would be for real. For yards, I stab pinholes through the sail below the edge, the holes can be hardened with a spot of glue on the pin and then use thin thread with the end hardened with glue to 'sew' the sails on to the yard. Some dilute PVA holds everything in place. For staysails, I do the same, but around a length of brass wire of suitable thickness. The thread is stiffened in place with dilute PVA and then slid off when dry. The stays are threaded through these loops, this allows the sails to move on the stay until rigging is complete and can then be glued to the final position. For gaff rigged, I make the mast rings out of suitable stryene  tube, paint it and tie the sails to the rings with thread. The photos just manage to show these. Try it on a piece of dowel and paper first.

Stay safe

Alan

Edited February 24, 2021 by exwafoo

[Moab]

Thanx guys...Moab

[tazam0827]

On 2/24/2021 at 7:00 AM, exwafoo said:

A lot depends on the type, size and scale of the SIB, but I tend to try and give the impression of bending the sails to to the yards, etc, as they would be for real. For yards, I stab pinholes through the sail below the edge, the holes can be hardened with a spot of glue on the pin and then use thin thread with the end hardened with glue to 'sew' the sails on to the yard. Some dilute PVA holds everything in place. For staysails, I do the same, but around a length of brass wire of suitable thickness. The thread is stiffened in place with dilute PVA and then slid off when dry. The stays are threaded through these loops, this allows the sails to move on the stay until rigging is complete and can then be glued to the final position. For gaff rigged, I make the mast rings out of suitable stryene  tube, paint it and tie the sails to the rings with thread. The photos just manage to show these. Try it on a piece of dowel and paper first.

Stay safe

Alan

I love this!  Thanks, I was having trouble with the same thing.  I tried sewing the sails to the gaffs or the forward stays using a needle but the eye of the needle tore too big of a hole so I had to put the holes further from the edge of the sail and further apart.  Didn't look great.  Yours look like the perfect solution! Exquisite detail.

And Alan, may I ask, what is the edging and reefing lines you have on your sail?  Is that glued-on thread, and if so, how do you get it so straight and precise to the edge of the sails?

Edited March 4, 2021 by tazam0827

[exwafoo]

Those particular sails are made from craft paper, from memory its either 90 or 100 gm. It's slightly buff coloured (using pre-coloured paper usually gives the same colour through it, colouring printer paper leaves a white edge) with a random patchy finish of differing shades of light brown.  It gives the effect of salt stains, as sail canvas does not stay pristine for long. I print the sail shape, sewing lines, reef lines and edge rope, using light brown. Trial a couple of different shades and line thicknesses and choose what looks best. Some people use a sharp hard pencil, but I'm too lazy, so use a printer. With a bit of accurate positioning of the print (I use the top left corner on one side and top right on the other side of the sheet, details can be put on both sides of the sail. I have seen thread used, but on small scale it can look too thick, it also has a mind of its own.  When I did a miniature, I glued the stays onto the sail and let them dry before cutting out the sail.

Hope this helps

Alan

Edited March 4, 2021 by exwafoo