How to Build Model Sail Boats

Make your own model sailboat by following these simple steps.

A toy sailboat is a simple craft that take a just a few hours to make, providing wonderful outdoor entertainment for all. Creating your own model sailboat requires several common woodworking tools that you can find around your household or improvise by using other techniques. This simple sailboat plan is fit for a novice's introduction to model sailboat building, and the plan easily can be changed to add more design detail depending on your skill level.

Things You'll Need

• 2-by-4-by-8-inch piece of pine or spruce
• Pencil
• Jigsaw
• Coarse and fine grit sandpaper
• Cordless drill and 1/4 inch drill bit
• Measuring tape
• Dowel rod, 1/4 inch width, 8 1/2 inch length
• Dowel rod; 1/4 inch width, 4 inch length
• Canvas
• Scissors
• Polyurethane
• Paint brush

Instructions

1. Draw the pattern. Place the 2-by-4-by-8 wood brick on the table. Trace the shape of the boat's body on top of the wood brick, creating a pointed bow.

2. Cut out the body. Saw along the line you drew, using the jigsaw, to cut off excess wood and give the wood brick the shape of a boat's deck and bow. Once you've finished, use the jigsaw to cut deeper angles into the sides of the boat, so that it is more narrow on the bottom than on the top.

3. Sand away any rough angles using coarse sandpaper. Follow up by sanding the boat's body with fine sandpaper to create a smooth, even finish.

4. Draw a line down the center of the boat's body, running from bow to stern. Measure three inches down from the bow and make a mark.

5. Insert a 1/4 inch drill bit into your cordless drill. Drill a hole into the center of the mark, making sure that the drill is perfectly perpendicular to the deck.

6. Attach the mast and boom. Cover the end of the 4-inch dowel in waterproof epoxy. Place it perpendicularly onto the main 8 1/2-inch mast, roughly 2 inches from the bottom. If desired, you can make the joint more sturdy by using a small metal joint to secure the two dowels.

7. Create the sail. Cut out a triangular piece of canvas so that it is slightly larger the dimensions of your sail's frame. Draw a long bead of waterproof epoxy along the sides of the mast and boom. Lay the triangular piece of canvas on top of the glue and press the canvas lightly into the epoxy. Allow the epoxy to dry completely before continuing to the next step.

8. Cover the bottom 1/2 inch of the mast with waterproof epoxy. Place it into the mast hole you drilled on the boat's deck. Adjust the mast until the boom is perfectly parallel with the line you drew in the center of the boat, running from stern to bow. Allow the epoxy to dry completely before continuing onto the next step.

9. Paint all wood on the boat with polyurethane, and allow to dry completely before covering with two additional layers.

Tips & Warnings

• Supervise children when using power tools.

References

• SimplicityBoats: Modelmaking
• MadeManual: How to Make a Model Boat