Things You'll Need:
- 2-by-4-inch piece of balsa wood, 8 inches long
- Drill with ¼-inch drill bit
- Sandpaper
- Waterproof glue
- Wood dowel, ¼-inch diameter
- Scissors
- Canvas, cotton sheeting or paper (to use for sail)
- Staple gun
- Box cutter
- Hand saw
-
Step 1
Shave the wood to create the shape of the hull of the sailboat. Using a box cutter, trim off pieces of wood to form a point on one end of the wood. Shave wood off the sides along what will be the bottom of the sail boat. You want to create an angled shape.
-
Step 2
Sand all sides of the wood hull using sandpaper. Sand the point smooth to better define its shape. Sand the angled bottom to create a more rounded edge.
-
Step 3
Drill a hole for the sail support mast. This hole should be centered in the bow of the sail boat hull and should be at least a half-inch deep.
-
Step 4
Cut the dowel to 6 inches in length using a hand saw. Make the cut straight and even.
-
Step 5
Sand the dowel. Make sure that there are no splinters or rough edges that could snag on small hands.
-
Step 6
Install the mast of the ship. Apply a generous amount of glue in the hole in the hull. Insert the dowel mast. This may cause glue to squeeze out of the hole; just wipe it off. Allow the glue to set. This can take 20 minutes to 24 hours. While you are waiting, create the sail.
-
Step 7
For the sail, cut the canvas or other material to form a 4-inch equilateral triangle.
-
Step 8
Glue the sail to the mast along one edge. Apply a small amount of glue to the dowel mast. Wrap the canvas around the mast so the edge of the cloth does not show.
-
Step 9
Create your boat's rigging. Glue the string to the side of the sail that is glued to the mast. Using the staple gun, attach the other end of the string to the hull.
