Constitution Build Log, 10 March

I have the head sails installed. This consists of (starting from the bow and working aft) the flying jib, the jib, and the fore topmast stay-sail. Before mounting the sails, I reinforced the stays with .2mm spring/music wire. It looks like thread after being painted flat black, and keeps the weight of the sails from creating an unnatural sag when the sails are hung, which also keeps the stays that don't have sails on them from sagging. The sails mostly hide the fact that the stay is wire lashed to thread. The sails are made from a $5 cotton bed sheet we found at Walmart that was about the right color. For the flying jib and jib, I used the plastic preformed sails as a pattern. The model did not include the fore topmast stay-sail, so I used the 1803 sail plan I found on line as a pattern. The sails are hemmed all the way around, but I used fray check (a special glue that you run along the edge of cut fabric to keep it from fraying) and hemming glue. On the first test sail I discovered that pencil marks don't go away, even after washing, so instead of sewing the seam and reefing point lines, I just penciled them in on both sides of the sail. In the photo, you can see the main topsail is also hung temporarily. Close examination will show a couple of hairpins holding it on. Since sails on the yard arms will restrict access to running rigging lines they will wait until almost everything else is done before they get set up. I also have all of the yard arms on the foremast completed.

I am now working on patterns for the rest of the sails. I will need to get the rest of the yard arms rigged and on the ship. Spanker gaff and boom still need to be installed. I may also start taping up the hull of the Cutty Sark to get it ready for painting soon.