June 21, 2024

DIY Sailboats

DIY sailboats are a fantastic summer project that combines creativity, learning, and outdoor fun. Camp Counselor Mari is leading us through the step-by-step guide for this super fun and adorable DIY.

As a coast guard family, and dad being a marine inspector, our love for ships and all things boats are a big part of our daily lives.

What you'll need:

2 Driftwood pieces– one for the hull and the other for the mast
Slightly heavy weight fabric, we used canvas
Twine
Paper to make sail pattern outline
Glue gun & glue sticks
Wood glue
Scissors
Eyelet screws
Stop fabric fraying adhesive
Fiskars eyelet setter or hammer

Instructions:

Drill a hole in the center of the driftwood piece large enough to ﬁt the long stick that will be the mast.
Squeeze wood glue into the hole and push the stick in. Let it dry completely before moving onto the next step.
Use a pencil to draw a triangle shape with a right angle on paper for the two sails. Pin the pattern onto the fabric to cut out. Apply fabric fraying adhesive sparingly along the edges of the fabric.
Once the fabric is completely dry, cut a tiny slit close to the corners of the triangles and push the back side of the eyelet through. Turn the fabric over (the unﬁnished end of the eyelet facing you) and ﬁrmly strike the top with a Fiskars eyelet setter or hammer to ﬂatten the unﬁnished sides.
String twine through eyelet openings leaving enough twine to tie the two sails to the mast and hull.
Once the mast is attached to the hull and it is completely dry, attach one eyelet screw towards the top of the mast, leaving enough room for a ﬂag. Screw the rest of the eyelet screws onto the mast (4 total) and two on the sides of the hull (see image below). If needed, use pliers to screw on eyelet screws.
String the twine that is attached to the sail (the biggest triangle) through the top most eyelet screw on the mast leaving enough room to attach a ﬂag later on. Repeat the process 3 times until the sail is completely attached to the mast and the hull. Attach the smaller sail to the opposite side of the mast, slightly lower than the other sail (see image below). Cut off extra twine from the knots, leaving about a quarter of an inch. Dab a bit of fraying adhesive to prevent it from unraveling in the future.
Cut 7 little triangle pieces to make a decorative ﬂag banner. Cut twine long enough to tie across the sail from the top most eyelet screw on the mast to the eyelet screw on the hull. On a ﬂat surface, lay the little triangles down and line the twine along the top of the edge triangles. Apply hot glue and fold over the edge to secure together. Repeat steps until all triangles are attached.
Attach the ﬂag banner to the sailboat. String twine through the top most eyelet screw on the mast and make a simple knot. Add fraying adhesive to the ends of the twine on the knot. Repeat the process to attach the banner to the eyelet screw on the hull.
Cut a small piece of fabric to make a triangle for the decorative ﬂag. Using hot glue, attach to the top of the mast.