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The Handsewn Sprits'l

by notjustsomeone on July 2, 2008

Table of Contents

intro: The Handsewn Sprits'l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 1: Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

step 2: Make a Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

step 3: Lay It Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

step 4: The Flat Stich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

step 5: The Round Stitch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

step 6: Patches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

step 7: Roping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

step 8: Finish Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
intro: The Handsewn Sprits'l
Demonstrates how I made a small Spritsail (around 40 sqft) out of natural materials.

I wanted a sail for my little scow

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Construct-a-Simple-Boat/
and while I do have a sewing machine I wanted to give it a try at hand sewing one. I've never made a sail before so I decided to go with a Spritsail because they're said
to be the simplest to make and use.

After making this I'll deffinately use a machine whenever I've got one.

Some illustrations were borrowed from the book "The Sailmaker's Apprentice" whose illustrator was Christine Erikson.

step 1: Materials
I gathered the necessairy instructions, dimensions, and other information from the book The Sailmakers Apprentice ($15-20 from amazon)

The materials for this project are:

Fabric - 4.25 to 6.1oz cotton with the tightest weave you can find ( I just used something called super muslin?) You could go with pre-treated cotton canvas from a marine
supplier, but I don't of know any that do canvas.

Thread - I used a thick cotton thread, traditionally a reddish-brown was used for the seams and white (or roughly the same color as the fabric) was used for the patches.
Also you could use synthetic thread (like polyester) on natural fabric, but you can't use natural thread on synthetic fabric.

Sailmakers needles - they usually come in a pack, just use the appropriate size for the thread you're using. Do not use the goofy shovel-shaped things you find in cheap
packages of hand-sewing needles. Real sailmakers needles are very strong and have a triangular shape. I think I used a number 16 for all the seams and a number 9 for
roping, I don't have any of them labeled.

Sailmakers palm (for really light work I use a little peice of leather around my middle finger)

Sailmakers hook - you can buy a real one, maybe they're better, but I just bent a large needle and threaded it with waxed twine then tied that to some cordage.

Rope - 25 ft of 1/4" manila and some cotton twine

Beeswax - I found some great stuff in Hobby Lobby, it comes in a one pound block.

some pins or nails to stick in the floor

enough floor space to lay out the whole sail, you could peice it together but for a beginner's project it's best to lay the whole thing out.

fabric pencil

scissors

batten - some thin material you can bend to trace off the foot curve, you could also use webbing.

straightedge - yardsticks work

carpenter's square - big metal square uaually around 18 inches on one side and 24 or so on the other. it helps when marking false seams.

To draw out your overall plan:

large peice of paper, 11x17 graph paper is usually easy to find

An architect's ruler, it's the funky 3-sided ruler with scales marked 16, 3, 1&1/2, 1, 1/2, 3/4, 3/8, 1/4, 1/8, 3/16, and 3/32.

compass, not the kind that points north.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. large needle used as a hook
2. waxed thread
3. cordage

Image Notes
1. leather tube for use when palm isn't needed
2. cotton thread
3. cotton twine
4. beeswax
5. the ugly sailmakers palm I made
6. fabric scissors
7. fabric pencil
8. chopstick I use to aid ropework
9. Marlinespike made from an old wrench
10. I used this one for the seams
11. I used this one for roping
12. I used this one for the eyelets
13. I don't think I used this one

step 2: Make a Plan

The first thing to do is to figure out exactly what you want to make.
There's a lot of mathematics and physics involved in designing a sailing rig properly, so I'm just going to present what I've made and leave you to decide what's right for
you. For my boat I designed a low-aspect, boomless, Spritsail. The dimensions-ratio formula is only for a low-aspect spritsail, other sail types will be different.

It's ok to make several drawings with each only presenting certain information, or just noting things without drawing them. Do whatever works for you, or get someone
that enjoys drafting to help you make your plan.
To sketch out your sail you need to know some basic measurements. For example I knew I wanted the luff, the side next to the mast, to be 6 feet tall. So, based on a
formula in my book, I can figure out the other measurements.

the formula, followed by my measurements.

luff - 1.0
leech - 1.365
foot - .944
head - .666
diagonal peak to tack - 1.555
diagonal throat to clew - 1.222

luff - 72 inches
leech - 98 1/8 inches
foot - 68 inches
head - 48 inches
diagonal peak to tack - 112 inches
diagonal throat to clew - 89 inches

knowing all these I used the 3/32 scale on my ruler and sketched my outline.
Start with the luff. then set the compass for the throat/clew diagonal and mark the arc. measure the distance from the tack to the clew and mark where it meets the arc.
Set the compass for the head measurement and mark down that arc. Then measure from the clew to the head and mark where it meets the arc, then connect that point to
the throat.
Next mark your foot curve. Again consulting my book I made a foot curve 2 inches, the deepest part of the curve being directly in the middle of the foot.

The next thing to decide is how you're actually going to sew it together.
For the edges I went with cut tablings(I'll explain it later), 1 1/2 inches on the foot, luff, and head and 5/8 of an inch on the leech. To draw these on measure in from the
edges.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
How wide will the cloth between seams be? Usually this is dictated by the width of your material, but on such a small sail there's room to tinker. Most commonly cotton
cloth is 36 inches wide, mine however was 44. I decided to make seams every 12 inches, I had to sew some false seams which complicated things a bit. The seams were
1/2 an inch wide. Draw these on your plan.

Will you be adding reefing points? I know it's pretty excessive and unnecessairy for a sail this small. But if you do, generally you'll want these to reduce the sail about
30%. For mine they would start 21 1/2 inches up from the tack and follow the curve of the foot.

Next thing to do is to design your patches. After looking at some different types I decided on traditional looking curved patches. A basic guideline is that patches should
be 1 inch long for every foot of sail edge it is applied to.

Then mark where any metal or other hardware will go. Along the luff I've got eyelets every foot. There would be eyelets in each reef point. There is a brail eyelet, 50
inches down from the peak in the leech.

Image Notes
1. Peak
2. head
3. throat
4. tack
5. clew
6. foot
7. reef points, I ended up not making these.
8. brail eyelet
9. leech
10. Luff

step 3: Lay It Out

Start by setting a line for the luff, just put a pin in the floor and stretch a line of string to another, 6 feet apart. In the same way you made the drawing you'll need to lay out
the pattern for the sail. If you havn't got two tape measures just measure the string from the last point you laid down to the right length and then measure the diagonal
with the tape to get the location of the pin. Measure 1 and 3/8 of an inch out from the leech and set another line, going just past the head and foot.
Once the sail outline has been set up on the floor, lay down your material. Start with the selvage edge against the outer leech string you laid out. Roll out the fabric until it
goes beyond the head and foot at least 6 inches. Then cut the fabric and lay the rest along the edge of what you just laid down.
Mark the Leech with a fabric pencil.

Using a carpenters square measure into the sail from the leech and mark a line from head to foot at 11 and 1/2, 12, and 12 and 1/2 inches. Fold along the 12 inch mark
so that the 11 and 1/2 and the 12 and 1/2 inch marks meet. Put pins in along the seam.
The other false seams will be measured, folded and pinned in the same manner.

Where the two peices of fabric come together make a 1/4 inch hem and overlap the two peices 1/2 an inch, pin them together.
Now that you have one big peice of fabric lay it over the outline and mark the other 3 sides.
For the bottom mark the straight line you laid down, then from the center measure down 2 inches. Use a batton or webbing to create a smooth curve.

Mark the space between the leech and the outer line at 1/4, 1/2, 1&1/4, and 1&3/8. Cut the material from the sail at the 1/4 inch mark. Then make a strip from the excess
by cutting at the 1 and 3/8" mark. Fold the strip on the marks and you should have a 5/8 inch strip with two 1/4 inch hems. This will be the tabling for the leech. Use the
fabric pencil and mark the sail and strip with the word leech.
In the same way measure out from the luff 1/4, 1/2, 2, and 2 and 1/4 inches and mark the lines. Cut the strip from the sail at the 1/4 inch mark and then at the 2 and 1/4
inch mark. Fold the strip on the lines and you should have a 1 and 1/2 inch strip with 1/4 inch hems. Label the strip and the sail Luff.

For the Head and Foot measure out 1/4 inch and cut off the excess. When you unfold the false seams the cut edge of the material will be jagged. Just move towards the
center of the excess and draw a straight line, keeping the fabric weave going the same direction as on the sail. From this line make a strip 1 and 1/2 inches wide with an
extra 1/4 inch on either side to fold under as a hem.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. A straight edge isn't necessairy, but it helps
2. carpenter's square
3. first false seam.
4. leech markings

Image Notes
1. This line is the leech.
2. This is where the sail will be cut it is 1/4" from the leech line and will be folded
over as a hem.
3. This is 5/8" in from the leech edge and is only a referance for sewing on the
tabling

Image Notes
1. When space is limited do the best you can. Most of what is bunched here is
excess.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
step 4: The Flat Stich
In stitching I'm assuming you're right handed, for you southpaws just do everything in the opposite direction. Adapt and overcome.

The first thing you'll need to sew is the seams. To do this use a flat stitch.
Attach the sailhook to something at your right about the same height or slightly lower than your thigh. Sit facing slightly away from the sailhook anchor, just out of reach of
the hook, don't want holes in your leg.
Take an end of your thread and draw it out about the distance from your work to where your hand is extended, double it. Cut off that peice of thread, thread your needle,
then pass the thread over beeswax until it's well coated, the two peices should stick together.
You'll be stitching from right to left. Start just outside of the seam, insert the needle and bring it up through the inside of the seam. Leave an inch or two of the thread
sticking out and sew over it as you progress. When you run out of thread, just leave an inch or two, rethread your needle, start about where you left off and twist your two
ends together, then sew over them. repeat. When you get to the end of the seam pass the needle back through the stitches (about a needles length) and then cut off the
thread.

step 5: The Round Stitch

The next thing is to sew on the tablings.
I've found it easiest to pin everything in place and then take out a few at a time as I go. But do whatever you feel comfortable with.

The tabling will need to be staggered around the sail to prevent too many layers piling up on top of each other.
Start the luff tabling 1 and 1/2 inches from the bottom and go up to the throat. Butt the head tabling against that and continue around the sail. For the head and foot just
make sure that the tabling doesn't end on top of a seam.
For a more traditional look you could even cut the head and foot tablings in 12 inche strips, with a 6 inch peice at each end.

To attach the tabling to the sail on the outer edge I sewed it on with a round stitch. Work from left to right, with the hook on the right. Just take your two peices and insert
the needle up through them, repeat. The tension of the thread in this stitch is much less than with the flat stitch. Shoot for 10 to 12 stitches per needle length. Starting,
ending, and connecting two peices of thread are the same as in the flat stitch.
When you get to the end of the peice of tabling you're sewing, just continue going around it and switch to a flat stitch.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. There aren't many layers of fabric yet and this fabric is really light, so instead
of a sailmakers palm I just used a little peice of leather.

Image Notes
1. You will need to stagger the tablings on the head and foot. This applies to any
other sections where two pieces of fabric meet.

Image Notes
1. seam
2. head tabling

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. This is the type of tabling we'll be using

step 6: Patches
The main thing about patches, no matter what shape you make them, is to make sure the cloth direction is all the same, or perpendicular.

For this sail all patches have 3 layers, except the reef points which only have two. Each patch is an inch smaller on all sides than the next largest in it's group. The largest
goes on top, the second largest goes on the bottom and the smallest in the middle. (my inner patches are kinda goofy in shape and size because the largest ones were
so small.) I measured the straight edges of the patches and then free-handed the curves, as is probablly quite noticable.

All layers of a patch will need to be sewn at once, so you'll probablly want to mark the largest patch so you know where the inner patches are. Use a round stitch on the
outside sail edges and a flat stitch on the inside edges. Once you go around the largest patch, flat stitch the remaing patch edges.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. To design my patches I traced the angle onto a peice of paper then drew the 1. As you can see my stitching not very good and I need to work on spacing.
outline of all 3 layers with a sharpie

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. smallest
2. second largest
3. largest patch with outlines for the two inner ones
4. the easiest way to use the pattern I've found is to trace the outline, cut the next
and trace that one, then cut out the smallest and trace that.

Image Notes
1. cloth direction
2. when cutting the outer patch remember that all sides need a 1/4" hem.

Image Notes
1. cloth direction on the tack is a little trickier than the clew because it's at a slight
angle.
2. Once you have the fabric set rub the pencil on the luff edge to get a referance
line to trace your pattern

step 7: Roping
Approximately 25 feet of 1/4" manila will be needed.

6 to 9 inches of each end on the sail will be pointed. This isn't entirely necessairy, but it improves the finished look.
To do this, create a whipping 6-9 inches from one end (see illustration). Then unlay the three strands down to the whipping. Take one of the strands and unlay the yarns.
Use a sharp knife and scrape the blade along the yarn until it is full next to the whipping and tapers down to nothing. Rub this with beeswax and retwist it in the same
direction it was. Do the same for the other yarn and then retwist the two yarns back into a strand. Repeat for the other two strands and then twist all three strands so you
get a pointed rope end.

This end of the rope will go at the peak.

About an inch from the whipping make a loop for the sprit, mine's about 3/4inch diameter. To do this just double the rope so a loop forms and then wrap thread around
the base of the loop. Finish it by wrapping vertically.

Now you'll need a bunch of small peices of thread. Start at the peak and tie the rope onto the corner. Stretch the rope and sail towards the head. The sail will stretch a lot
more than the rope. Move about a foot at a time and tie the rope to the sail. Continue around the sail edge to the clew and then cut the rope with enough to make the
same length pointed end.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
Beginning with the first pointed end you made start sewing the rope onto the sail with a round stitch. For the pointed ends just sew over the whole thing until it's wide
enough to only sew through about one strand. Continue around the sail and finish the other pointed end the same way you did the first end.

Image Notes
1. whipping

Image Notes
1. whipping
2. strand
3. strand
4. yarn
5. yarn
6. sharp knife
7. beeswax

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. a pointed rope
2. cutting board

Image Notes Image Notes

1. peak loop, also called a becket 1. even 1/4" manila is quite stiff and may not conform perfectly with the corners of
the sail.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
step 8: Finish Work
Metal hardware could be used. I made most of mine with twine, thread and rope, except for the brail eyelet-I cheated and just punched a brass grommet on.

The clew, tack, and throat all have cringles. The luff and brail eyelets are small grommets sewn onto the sail. See the illustrations for making a penny-sized grommets out
of twine, and for making cringles with one strand of your manila rope.

The becket, or loop, for the sprit can be reinforced by covering it with leather. Take a small strip just long enough to go around the inside of the loop and not quite wide
ehough to wrap around the rope and cut two semicircles out of the middle, leaving about 1/4 inch in the middle. Then punch holes along the edges to ease sewing it on, a
sewing awl helps here. Knot the thread and start sewing.

Image Notes Image Notes

1. worked eyelet- oversewn grommet 1. made with twine, finished size is about that of a penny
2. Cringle 2. small grommet, when sewn onto the sail it's called a worked eyelet.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 Image Notes
1. peak

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
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Comments
21 comments Add Comment

mattwoodbury says: Aug 21, 2008. 12:48 PM REPLY

This is great. Have you read the Sailmaker's Apprentice?

mattwoodbury says: Aug 21, 2008. 12:49 PM REPLY

Ha! nevermind. I need to read before I post. A great book, though.

notjustsomeone says: Aug 21, 2008. 8:37 PM REPLY

ya, it's a great book, I was a little dissapointed it didn't talk more about natural-fiber materials though.

mattwoodbury says: Aug 22, 2008. 8:43 AM REPLY

Yeah, I'm also interested in that, but it's hard to find the stuff they used to use. Have you read the Marlinspike Sailor or other books by Hervey
Garrett Smith? I wanted to find the tarred marlin he's always talking about, but was never able to. I haven't done much with sailors' arts in a while,
unfortunately. I have a great hunk of ebony to make into a fid that's been sitting around for years...

notjustsomeone says: Aug 22, 2008. 3:58 PM REPLY

no, I haven't read any of Smith's books. I learned some ropework in Boyscouts when I was little, and the rest I picked up from various online
sources. I really didn't get interested in ropework until I started climbing a few years ago.
I think I read somewhere that one or two people started making real sail-quality canvas again, but they're in europe somewhere. as for the
marline, I know www.sailrite.com sells some.

maf23 says: Sep 9, 2008. 4:53 AM REPLY

Sailrite is a good site. Jamestown Distributors has tarred marlin also. Good site to bookmark if you're involved in any kind of boatbuilding.
Also the Woodenboat store has marlin & other odds & ends for boats.

DainiusGB says: Aug 16, 2008. 8:29 AM REPLY

i sail optis and they have that exact same type of sprit sail, do you sail anything of the sort? the boat you made looks very similiar to a frosty with an opti sail,
is your boat fast? ive made sailing rafts but ive never made a sail that cvomplicated b4, good job !

notjustsomeone says: Aug 19, 2008. 1:19 PM REPLY

Actually I'd never neard of optis or a frosty until now. I don't really know if it's fast, I've only been able to sail it in extremely light winds so far, and the only
other boat I sail is a 16' hobie, so there's not much comparison.

racastro62 says: Aug 22, 2008. 7:19 AM REPLY

Hi notjustsomeone,
DaniusGB is talking about the Optimist Class, a.k.a. Opti. This an international well known categoy, including championships. I think they take part of
Olimpics as well.
The boats have the same shape as yours, and the mast / sail is the same. May be you took the general desing from a boat you saw previously.
Because the similarities (almost identical) cannot be something that just happened.
Best regards,
Raúl

tdem says: Aug 26, 2008. 11:00 PM REPLY

The sprit sail is a very old and widely used rig, that has been around a lot longer than the optimist class. It is hardly fair to claim all boats with a
spritsail are 'opti clones'.
Great instructible! Has given me some ideas to try out myself... I made a tiny sail for my canoe out of an animal food bag. Only about 1 square
meter but works great on a little canoe. Nothing beats the look of days gone by though.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 DainiusGB says: Aug 27, 2008. 8:29 AM REPLY
well the sail can really be for any small boat i was just saying the boat itself looks like either an opti or a frosty.

notjustsomeone says: Aug 22, 2008. 4:16 PM REPLY

Well castro, it was something that just happened. I'd never seen an opti before, not even online or on tv. I took a plan from the 1870's and a plan
from the 1930's used what I wanted to, and that's how my hull came into existance. Then I decided to make a sail for it, which came from the
book I mentioned in the instructable and there ya go, a world-class boat from a guy without an ocean - go figure.

Potroast says: Aug 22, 2008. 4:47 AM REPLY

Holy crap thats impressive! It makes me appreciate how much work goes into a traditional sail. I never realized how involved it was for something as simple
as a sprit sail. Thanks for sharing.

cantthinkof bettername says: Aug 18, 2008. 4:08 PM REPLY

Could you use an awning as a sail?

notjustsomeone says: Aug 20, 2008. 3:23 PM REPLY

you could use your girlfriends underwear if you were desperate.

DainiusGB says: Aug 20, 2008. 11:14 AM REPLY

i made an awesome sailing raft yesterday , i made it from 2 pontoons of foam a dagger board in the middle, a rudder made out of shingles, the sail was a
box sail with a sprit and i made it out of a sheet someone was throwing out. The entire project was made from recycled goods. Ive only had time to sail it in
white capping weather but its very hard to keep it going strait , i think the placement of the sail and the daggerboard are very VERY VERY important, where
did you put your daggerboard?

notjustsomeone says: Aug 20, 2008. 3:19 PM REPLY

You're right that daggerboard placement is very improtant to how the rig handles. Because my boat and your raft are flat-bottomed and have very
shallow draft they tent to rotate around the daggerboard. You want to place it close to or right under your center of sail area, which for a big rectangle will
be about dead center. If you go behind that point the forces on the daggerboard and rudder increase greatly and your boat tends to turn downwind. It is,
however, ok to place the board slightly in front of the center of sail area, it actually decreases the pressure on your rudder slightly and the boat will tend
to turn upwind, just don't stray too far from that point or the boat's just as hard to control. hope that helped.

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/
 oceannavagator says: Aug 16, 2008. 12:03 PM REPLY
Very good job! I personally would have used dacron, simply because it doesn't soak up water and become heavy.
I applaud anyone who attempts to explore the old ways of doing things and I am impressed by your rope-work.

omnibot says: Aug 16, 2008. 12:27 AM REPLY

That is a beautiful handmade sail. It would be the pride of any boatowner, me thinks. Good work.

gmoon says: Aug 15, 2008. 6:40 AM REPLY

Great 'ible! Thanks!

Ferrite says: Aug 14, 2008. 7:07 PM REPLY

I like you improvised marlinespike, that's a good idea to make one form a wrench. I didn't know that they still sold sail makers needles, I have read about
them but didn't know they were still made. Great Instructable!! (That looks like a good book from the pictures)

http://www.instructables.com/id/The_Handsewn_Spritsl/