How to Build a Tall Ship in a Bottle
One of the oldest hobbies is model construction. Recreating the majesty of sailing ships provided a creative outlet for many people. Before the invention of pre-cut model kits, hobbyists had to be creative and use items collected from a variety of sources when making models. To preserve these handmade models of ships, hobbyists would seal their work in a bottle to protect it from the elements. Building a ship in a bottle is a process that requires patience and attention to detail.
Things You'll Need
- Raingutter Regatta kit
- Three bamboo skewers or 1/8-inch dowel
- Clear bottle
- Black quilting thread
- Florist's wire
- Straight pins
- Blue paint
- Paintbrush
- Tape
- Glue
- Epoxy
- Knife
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Pin vise drill
Instructions
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1
Clean the bottle if it has been used. Attach a paintbrush to the end of a dowel with tape. Paint a rectangular portion of the bottle's interior with blue paint to simulate water. As you wait for the paint to dry, construct the ship outside the bottle.
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2
Cut the Raingutter Regatta kit hull with the knife so that it will fit through the mouth of the bottle. Shave a portion of the bottom of the hull to give the impression that the ship is floating in the painted water.
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3
Cut the dowel from the Regatta kit into two pieces with your knife. One piece should be 3.75 inches long and will be the mast of your ship. The remainder will form the bowsprit at the front of the ship.
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4
Use the pin vise drill to drill a hole at the bottom of the mast and two holes in the center of the model ship's hull. Thread a piece of florist's wire through the holes and bend the excess under the hull. The mast should pivot on the wire.
Using the pin vise drill again, drill a hole at the end of the bowsprit that protrudes over the painted water. Glue the bowsprit to the front of the hull.
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5
Cut three sails from the cloth provided in the Regatta kit. Fold a minute portion of each edge over to create a seam and glue the seams together. While the glue dries, cut a bamboo dowel into three lengths. The spar should measure 3.5 inches while the boom should be 2.5 inches and the gaff 1.5 inches. Drill a hole in the bottom of the gaff.
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6
Tie three black threads 0.5 inches away from the top of the mast such that three lines are on each side of the mast. Tie another black thread to the top of the mast and thread it through the hole in the bowsprit. This is known as the stay. Tie the spar to the front of the mast near the top, and tie the gaff behind the mast just below the spar. Tie the boom to the base of the mast. All three sticks should be able to move freely.
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7
Push eight straight pins into the hull of the ship. Three of the pins should be placed on either side of the hull just behind the mast. Place a pin in the back of the hull on each side. Pull the stay line through the bowsprit until the mast is vertical but do not tie the stay line in place. Pull the three threads on either side of the mast down to the straight pins and tie them in place. The lines should be tight and the mast should remain in place.
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8
Secure the spar by running a piece of thread from one end of the spar to the corresponding straight pin at the back of the hull, then cross over to the other straight pin and run the thread up to the other end of the spar. Tie thread so that the line is tight. To secure the boom and gaff, run a thread from each end to the top of the mast and run two more threads to the straight pins in the back of the hull. Again, tie the thread so that each line is tight.
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9
Glue the sails in place and allow to dry overnight. Once the sails are dry, release the stay line to collapse the mast and attached sails.
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10
Using the paintbrush (cleaned of paint) attached to the dowel, apply a thin layer of epoxy to the painted water in the bottle and slide the model into the bottle stern first. Allow the stay line to remain outside the bottle as the epoxy dries. Pull the stay line taut so that the mast and sails rise up. Glue the stay line to the bottle and allow the glue to dry. Cut off any excess of the stay line.
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Tips & Warnings
You can add depth to your model by constructing a bulwark from cardboard and painting details into the hull of your ship.
