eyelets for model yacht sails

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Eye screws, also known as eye bolts or ring bolts, were common fasteners on sailing ships. They had a threaded shank with a loop or eye at one end, serving as attachment points for ropes and rigging. They secured lines to deck fittings, masts, and beams, allowing for adjustable connections and efficient operation of the rigging system. Eye screws were versatile and essential components, ensuring the proper functioning and handling of sails and equipment on board. Wooden Model Ship Fittings Eye Screws come in a range of sizes and shapes.

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Eye Screw – Brass – 5/64″x5/16″ (2x8mm)

Eye screw – brass – 13/64″ x 23/64″ (5mm x 9mm), eye screw – brass – 15/64″ x 15/32″ (6mm x 12mm).

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Home >> Build your Model >> Small Hardware >> Eyelets

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Brass Eyelets

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• Masting, rigging and sails

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Source for eyelets

By Laggard September 6, 2021 in Masting, rigging and sails

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I need some eyelets for suitable for 3 mm blocks for my 1:48 longboat.    

1.  I cannot make them myself.   Two hours of trying only lead to some blood from being stabbed by the wire.  I have a vice, hemostats, needle nose pliers, etc.  I simply cannot do it.   

2. An hour of Google only lead to one place that carries them but they are in England.  Shipping cost and time is crazy.    

I have checked every resource available here and can find no sources.    

Anyone have a supplier?  Thanks. 

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If you are referring to tiny wire rings, you can make them by wrapping a  piece of wire around a shaft of a drill bit (of suitable thickness) fastened in a vise, to look like a spring. Than stretch this spring a bit and cut off individual rings. If you want to, you can solder the ends of each ring together with a tiny soldering iron.

If you are referring to small thimbles, you can make them from a piece of small brass tubing, by cutting off short lengths on a small table saw (I have the PREAC) and than gently hammer each end out with a nail that has its end shaped (filed) like a funnel.

• RichardG and mtaylor

4 minutes ago, Dziadeczek said: If you are referring to tiny wire rings, you can make them by wrapping a  piece of wire around a shaft of a drill bit (of suitable thickness) fastened in a vise, to look like a spring. Than stretch this spring a bit and cut off individual rings. If you want to, you can solder the ends of each ring together with a tiny soldering iron. If you are referring to small thimbles, you can make them from a piece of small brass tubing, by cutting off short lengths on a small table saw (I have a PREAC) and than gently hammer each end out with a nail that has its end shaped (filed) like a funnel.

Thanks.  I need these.   

Model Expo and Historic Ships both carry eyebolts. I'm sure just about any hobby outlet catering to model boat builders would carry them. They are pretty easy to make. Use silver wire (26 guage should work in your scale) for metal fabrication (eyebolts, ring bolts, hooks, etc.) as it is stronger and holds a shape better than craft wire which bends to easy. I silver solder my metal work but for eye bolts you probably don't have to unless you are going to have them under a lot of tension. I just use two needle nose pliers without a form such as the drill bit mentioned above but doing them on a form would give you more consistency.

Completed scratch build: The armed brig "Badger" 1777

Current scratch build: The 36 gun frigate "Unite" 1796

Completed kits: Mamoli "Alert", Caldercraft "Sherbourne"

I don't know what size of these eyelets you need?

In any case, I once found a plastic box of tiny eyelets (I think they were 1/8 in.) on Amazon for dirt cheap (their shafts were threaded though, and not smooth).

But, if you have a pin vise, get a short length (about an inch) of wire, the thickness of which is the same as the size of your eye on the eyelets you need.

Shape its end into something similar on the pic you attached above (but do not close the hook completely!). Take a similar length of the wire for your eyelets and bend it into "U". Clamp both ends in a vise and catch the "U" with your hook mounted in the pin vise. Twist the pin vise in your hands until the wire will clamp tightly around the hook. Cut off ends for desired lengths. Release the eyelet from the hook. 

If you want to have smooth shaft, cover the twists with a melted solder, otherwise left alone, they will act like a thread and pushed into a hole and CD glued, will sit there tightly.

In addition to those places mentioned by Barkeater, there's places like Ages of Sail, possibly Blue Jacket,.  As for the 3mm blocks, you'll have to size the eyebolts for your needs.   Are you looking for the bolts that go into the ship or into the block?

BTW, how many do you need?   I look in my stash and see what I have.  I'll need the diameter of the ring.  I think I have some very tiny ones both wire and photo etch.

Mark "The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me Current Build:                                                                                              Past Builds:   La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans                               Tri ton Cross-Section    

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CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                      Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0  (Abandoned)           

What is CD glue?  Maybe it's a typo, but if not, just curious about it.  😄

I use tapered round nose pliers to form the eye bolts from brass wire or sometimes copper wire although copper tends to be too soft in some situations.

• bruce d and mtaylor

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These are easy to make:

Take a piece if small wire and fold it over.

Make yourself a small hook our of piano wire and chuck it in a pin vise. Then just twist it.

• allanyed , Bob Cleek and mtaylor

Current Build:  HMS Winchelsea 1764 1:48

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2 hours ago, PRS said: These are easy to make:   Take a piece if small wire and fold it over.   Make yourself a small hook our of piano wire and chuck it in a pin vise. Then just twist it.    

Wow thanks!  That is easy.  I was trying to do it with 28 gauge wire that is just impossible to bend.  Tried some lighter gauge brass stuff and it’s quite easy.  I need an open eyelet which is easily created by snipping the loop.  Thanks again!

Another easy place to find them without having to pay shipping, are places like Walmart, Michaels and Hobby Lobby.

Look in the jewelry crafting department.

It is easy to resize them if you need to..

• mtaylor and Laggard

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17 minutes ago, Gregory said: Another easy place to find them without having to pay shipping, are places like Walmart, Michaels and Hobby Lobby.   Look in the jewelry crafting department.       It is easy to resize them if you need to..

Cool. Spent a lot of time at Michael’s and didn’t look hard enough.  Thanks!

6 hours ago, allanyed said: Dziadeczek What is CD glue?  Maybe it's a typo, but if not, just curious about it.  😄 Laggard, I use tapered round nose pliers to form the eye bolts from brass wire or sometimes copper wire although copper tends to be too soft in some situations.  

Should be CA. Sorry...

Thanks  Dziadeczek,  I thought that might be the case 

Keep in mind your scale.   28 gage is too thin for 1:48.   Assume an eye of 3/4" rod forming a 3" ID for example, this is about 26 gauge wire bent to a  1/16" ID eye.   Huge eyes are often seen on kit models similar to the chubby belaying pins and take away from on an otherwise fine model.  If your eyebolts are supposed to be bigger than 3" , the material gauge should be proportionally bigger in diameter.  

If you find brass to be too stiff, heat it until it is red and it will be as pliable as copper wire.  To heat it, a propane torch (or a cheap propane cigar lighter) does the job.   Stainless steel or steel wire are not necessary and are more difficult to bend and blacken.   Copper eyes can be blackened in situ with thinned liver of sulfur and brass can be pre- blackened before being installed with a number of agents such as Birchwood Casey liquids.   

• Bob Cleek , mtaylor and Gregory

Chuck Seiler

44 minutes ago, allanyed said:  Copper eyes can be blackened in situ with thinned liver of sulfur

    Won't that stain the wood?

Chuck Seiler San Diego Ship Modelers Guild Nautical Research Guild   Current Build:: C olonial Schooner SULTANA (scratch from Model Expo Plans), Hanseatic Cog Wutender Hund , John Smith Shallop Completed:  Missouri Riverboat FAR WEST (1876) Scratch, 1776 Gunboat PHILADELPHIA (Scratch 1/4 scale-Model Shipways plans)

1 hour ago, Chuck Seiler said:     Won't that stain the wood?

Not according to what I've read here on MSW.  

2 hours ago, allanyed said: Thanks  Dziadeczek,  I thought that might be the case    Laggard, Keep in mind your scale.   28 gage is too thin for 1:48.   Assume an eye of 3/4" rod forming a 3" ID for example, this is about 26 gauge wire bent to a  1/16" ID eye.   Huge eyes are often seen on kit models similar to the chubby belaying pins and take away from on an otherwise fine model.  If your eyebolts are supposed to be bigger than 3" , the material gauge should be proportionally bigger in diameter.     If you find brass to be too stiff, heat it until it is red and it will be as pliable as copper wire.  To heat it, a propane torch (or a cheap propane cigar lighter) does the job.   Stainless steel or steel wire are not necessary and are more difficult to bend and blacken.   Copper eyes can be blackened in situ with thinned liver of sulfur and brass can be pre- blackened before being installed with a number of agents such as Birchwood Casey liquids.      Allan  

The problem was I purchased some .20 inch piano wire.  I was simply unable to work with it as it was so stiff.  I switched to .20 brass wire and it’s a breeze to work with.  Eyelets came out the perfect size.   

I have so much to learn about when it comes to material.  

• Gregory and mtaylor

The liver of sulfur should be watered down a little and it will NOT stain the wood.  Apply, then rinse with water with a brush.    Do a search on Ed Tosti's build logs here at MSW for the Naiad and/or Y oung America.  He teaches how in some detail.   It works beautifully with copper, but not with brass in my experience.

• mtaylor and Chuck Seiler

Excellent!!  I was thinking about using VERY thin copper wire for nails in my Sea of Galilee boat.  I will look into it.  Many thanks.

GrandpaPhil

I like to use annealed steel wire from the hardware store.  It bends easy, but holds its shape.  Plus, it’s already blackened.

• PRS and mtaylor

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Thanks,  I found black annealed in diameters  down to .014" at McMaster Carr so there are lots of sizes available.  BUT when you cut it, is the end black or steel color?   If steel grey is the case how do you blacken it and otherwise prevent it from rusting after blackening?

Thanks again for the tip.

• GrandpaPhil and mtaylor

It’s steel.  I usually just paint them.

I’ve never had a problem with corrosion. Although, I tend to clear coat everything, too.

The twisted wire method of making eyebolts pictured above works wonderfully for  small  eyebolts. I find, however, that as the wire size increases, the twisted shaft's diameter increases as well and can easily require a drilled hole much larger than you want on your model. (Sometimes too large to work on a slim spar, making them too weak and likely to break.) Really, what you will find easier, and useful for many purposes, is a jeweler's round-nosed pliers such as Allan pictured in his post above. They are not expensive at all, although I'd urge you to buy the best tools you can afford because they will last you a lifetime and these will get used a lot. They come in various sizes, some with very slim points.

They are also made with stepped points which will ensure that you easily make the same sized diameter loop at each step.

And, last but not least, there are pliers which have a round point and a concave anvil point for making perfectly half-round bends which are really handy for making hooks:

Having the right tools for metal work is pretty important. This last tool is really what you want for eyebolts that are open. Cutting the "twisties" may work, but you'll probably end up with twisted shanks that are too fat and you don't need them, anyhow.

Check out online jeweler's tool and orthodontic instrument retailers. You can get these various pliers for as little as five or six bucks apiece, on up to fifteen or twenty bucks in brushed stainless steel for the fancy ones. "He who dies with the most tools wins!"

• mtaylor , scrubbyj427 , AJohnson and 1 other

14 hours ago, Bob Cleek said: The twisted wire method of making eyebolts pictured above works wonderfully for  small  eyebolts. I find, however, that as the wire size increases, the twisted shaft's diameter increases as well and can easily require a drilled hole much larger than you want on your model. (Sometimes too large to work on a slim spar, making them too weak and likely to break.) Really, what you will find easier, and useful for many purposes, is a jeweler's round-nosed pliers such as Allan pictured in his post above. They are not expensive at all, although I'd urge you to buy the best tools you can afford because they will last you a lifetime and these will get used a lot. They come in various sizes, some with very slim points.       They are also made with stepped points which will ensure that you easily make the same sized diameter loop at each step.     And, last but not least, there are pliers which have a round point and a concave anvil point for making perfectly half-round bends which are really handy for making hooks:     Having the right tools for metal work is pretty important. This last tool is really what you want for eyebolts that are open. Cutting the "twisties" may work, but you'll probably end up with twisted shanks that are too fat and you don't need them, anyhow.   Check out online jeweler's tool and orthodontic instrument retailers. You can get these various pliers for as little as five or six bucks apiece, on up to fifteen or twenty bucks in brushed stainless steel for the fancy ones. "He who dies with the most tools wins!"

Excellent post!  The twisties work really well but as you mentioned the end diameter is to wide for some drilled holes.  Going to buy some round pliers.  

• Bob Cleek and mtaylor

Wow!  Michael’s is a goldmine of eyelets, wire and useful tools!  

3 hours ago, Laggard said: Wow!  Michael’s is a goldmine of eyelets, wire and useful tools!  

The deeper you go into this hobby, and the more time you spend at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. (including fabric stores) the more stuff you'll find you can use.  

• Bob Cleek and Laggard

For the size of city I live in (L.A) there are very few hobby shops.  It’s crazy. 

34 minutes ago, mtaylor said: The deeper you go into this hobby, and the more time you spend at Michael's, Hobby Lobby, etc. (including fabric stores) the more stuff you'll find you can use.  

And the hobby-oriented retailers frequently have lower-quality less expensive things which, if you search on line, you can find in much higher quality versions for sometimes even lower prices.

Consider these online retailers for "ideas." Note also that if you sign up for the email advertisements and catalogs, they are frequently running quite deep discount sales:      Micro-Mark - The Small Tools Specialists ⚙️ (micromark.com)      Model Expo - Historically accurate wooden model kits made in the USA (modelexpo-online.com)

Check out jewelers' supply houses like:  OttoFrei.com - Jewelry Tools & Findings Since 1930    Rio Grande Jewelry Supply    Jewelry Tools | Jewelry Making Supplies | Wholesaler | Stuller    Esslinger Watchmakers Tools and Watch Parts    Contenti Jewelry Making Tools | Contenti  (Watch for the sales. Prices are often cut drastically, especially around inventory tax time.)

Also, check out eBay for any of the things you are looking for. There are often close-outs and tons of Asian knockoffs (buyer beware on those, though.) The Used dental and medical tools on eBay are often great bargains, particularly for tweezers, forceps, dental burs, scalpels and such. One surprisingly fertile area to mine on eBay is the manicurists' supplies. Small paintbrushes for painting women's nails can be had at amazingly low prices compared to the art supply stores. The same goes for abrasive boards and rotary tools. The drafting instrument section on eBay is also excellent for finding useful used drawing instruments such as scales, straight edges, ruling pens, and proportional dividers, often for pennies on the dollar for what they originally cost. While eBay is full of junk, if you know what you're looking for, there are great bargains to be had. I just scored a brand new  Buffalo Model 16 dental lab engine   and handpiece, a total retail value of close to $1,000.00 for  seventy-five bucks  on eBay. It was listed as a "steampunk decor item" with the caveat that it was not operational. Knowing they were still in production, I took a chance it might be repairable. It turned out the motor brushes, which are shipped  uninstalled  with the new units, were never installed and lost, and the belt and one of the pulley wheels was missing. Buffalo is shipping me the missing parts for $45.00. Life is good!

EquipmentCatalog_2013.pdf (buffalodental.com)    Home - Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Co. Inc.

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13 hours ago, Bob Cleek said: And the hobby-oriented retailers frequently have lower-quality less expensive things which, if you search on line, you can find in much higher quality versions for sometimes even lower prices.   Consider these online retailers for "ideas." Note also that if you sign up for the email advertisements and catalogs, they are frequently running quite deep discount sales:      Micro-Mark - The Small Tools Specialists ⚙️ (micromark.com)      Model Expo - Historically accurate wooden model kits made in the USA (modelexpo-online.com)   Check out jewelers' supply houses like:  OttoFrei.com - Jewelry Tools & Findings Since 1930    Rio Grande Jewelry Supply    Jewelry Tools | Jewelry Making Supplies | Wholesaler | Stuller    Esslinger Watchmakers Tools and Watch Parts    Contenti Jewelry Making Tools | Contenti  (Watch for the sales. Prices are often cut drastically, especially around inventory tax time.)   Also, check out eBay for any of the things you are looking for. There are often close-outs and tons of Asian knockoffs (buyer beware on those, though.) The Used dental and medical tools on eBay are often great bargains, particularly for tweezers, forceps, dental burs, scalpels and such. One surprisingly fertile area to mine on eBay is the manicurists' supplies. Small paintbrushes for painting women's nails can be had at amazingly low prices compared to the art supply stores. The same goes for abrasive boards and rotary tools. The drafting instrument section on eBay is also excellent for finding useful used drawing instruments such as scales, straight edges, ruling pens, and proportional dividers, often for pennies on the dollar for what they originally cost. While eBay is full of junk, if you know what you're looking for, there are great bargains to be had. I just scored a brand new  Buffalo Model 16 dental lab engine   and handpiece, a total retail value of close to $1,000.00 for  seventy-five bucks  on eBay. It was listed as a "steampunk decor item" with the caveat that it was not operational. Knowing they were still in production, I took a chance it might be repairable. It turned out the motor brushes, which are shipped  uninstalled  with the new units, were never installed and lost, and the belt and one of the pulley wheels was missing. Buffalo is shipping me the missing parts for $45.00. Life is good!   EquipmentCatalog_2013.pdf (buffalodental.com)    Home - Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Co. Inc.   As you may have guessed, I like to shop for tools like Imelda Marcos likes to shop for shoes.  One thing I've learned, though, is not to buy a tool until you need it and then, unless it's something relatively disposable, buy the best quality tool you can afford, and never pass up a good deal. You usually have to buy a cheap tool twice. A good tool should last a lifetime, or close to it and they are a joy to behold. It's certainly true that many a model has been built with the most basic of tools and very few of them, so don't let collecting tools get in the way of your modeling. Just start picking them up as you go and before you know it you'll have more tools than time to use them.   Start saving now for your JimSaw!  Byrnes Model Machines Home Page    

If my wife catches me on these sites I’m finished!

• mtaylor and Bob Cleek

3 hours ago, Laggard said: If my wife catches me on these sites I’m finished!

I'm sure you can figure out how to avoid getting caught. Most model-building husbands acquire those skills early on. If you have trouble figuring it out, just study how she buys clothes and kitchen gadgets on line!

• Laggard and mtaylor

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No 28 Sail Eyelets (Pack of 100)

£ 17.46 Incl. VAT £ 14.55 Excl. VAT

Description

Additional information.

• Reviews (10)

Typical uses include:

• Sail repair
• Leather work
• Arts & crafts
• Plus many more

*An eyelet consists of two parts: the eyelet “front” and a “washer” the material is tightly griped in a sandwich between them when fitted by the tool.

We make our eyelets from high quality solid brass NOT brass plated steel, therefore they don’t rust. They’re made to the original BS3102 standard and so are produced from suitably thick enough brass not to distort when put under strain and to not feel “flimsy” or lightweight.

10 reviews for No 28 Sail Eyelets (Pack of 100)

RawlyP (verified owner) – 14th November 2023

The transaction was pleasant from start to finish. The eyelets and the fitting tool were delivered promptly and we well packed. Both were of excellent quality and the instructions were simple and clear. It took a couple of practice attempts to get it right, but once mastered, the secure fitment of the eyelets was a doddle. I used them to replace some poor quality eyelets on a canvas backpack and the Hanolex items have breathed new life into the bag. Not the cheapest to buy and order (eg the postage) but it was worth it to ensure a quality product and service, and to ensure a one-time fitment of the eyelets. Well done.

Susan (verified owner) – 10th May 2023

Perfect for making the drainage holes in the gazebo roof having used them for a few years am delighted that they continue to be a high standard. I have also used them in my crafting of bags with good results

Martyn Pearce (verified owner) – 29th November 2022

We’ve been using these eyelets for many years on our wrestling ring canvases and turnbuckle pads. Fantastic products.

Kate – 29th June 2022

These eyelets are brilliant. We have used them on flags for any festival twice now and the flags were still holding up even though they had been blown about all weekend. The first lot also worked well and were re used the following time- 3 years later. Delivery was great – received next day as promised when we ran out and needed them quickly. Thankyou new will be using you again .

Jane (verified owner) – 28th June 2022

Good quality strong eyelets. keep their shape and provide a strong hold. Bought the sail eyelet closing tool as well which works really well with them. Will buy again from Hanolex in the future

Donald Watt (verified owner) – 28th March 2019

Delighted with all aspects of the transaction…cept the delivery charge .but I have read and understand your explanation Many thanks 37 years at sea!!!!!

Paolo (verified owner) – 11th May 2018

I ordered the number 28 kit absolutely spot on came the next day as ordered. The only slight gripe is the size of the hole punch 11mm seems a little on the small side for a 14mm size eyelet. Still very pleased with the service!

Alex Pearce (verified owner) – 5th December 2017

Product is actually good if you can get them to send it out / deliver it. Just don’t expect the next day delivery you pay for to happen – 3 days and waiting.

hanolex – 5th December 2017

Hi Alex, I’ve checked the status of your order and as you had placed it on Friday after our cutoff time and after we closed the order was processed and dispatched on Monday (the next working day) and was delivered today Tuesday at 1:30 (the day after), this would be within our expected timeframe for this situation.

fred weaver (verified owner) – 2nd December 2017

Perfect for what i needed fixing eyelets on a camping tarp

Ian – 9th October 2015

The eyelets did the job as intended though they were made of somewhat thinner metal than I had expected for Sail Eyelets. As this was the only item I needed the whole transaction was over expensive because of the high cost of using a courier for all deliveries. They could have been sent by post at much lower cost which would have reduced the cost a bit. I appreciate that Brass is expensive but deliver need not be.

hanolex – 13th October 2015

Thank you for your feedback, the design of our sail eyelets is from the original BS3102 specification and as such the thickness has remained unchanged since the original specification was laid down in the late 1950’s. Sail eyelets are suitable for a wide range of high performance uses and have been tried and tested over many years.

I appreciate our minimum delivery charge of £4.90 may seem high when applied to a small order however it is important that we are able to track orders and provide proof of delivery so we use only reputable couriers and Royal Mail charges are comparable for small packages using next day signed for services as.

Kind regards Hanolex

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Home  |  Online Models  |  Model Ship Fittings  |  Caldercraft Modern Fittings  |  Eyebolts

Eyebolt M1 BallØ:2mm L :10

OUT OF STOCK

• Eyebolt M1 BallØ:2mm Thread Length:12mm
• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 3mm, distance across eyebolt flats 1mm

NOTE: SHIPPING TO UK ONLY

Eyebolt M1.2 BallØ:2.3mm Thread Length :10mm

• Eyebolt M1.2 BallØ:2.3mm
• Thread Length:12mm
• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 3mm, distance across eyebolt flats 1.2mm

Eyebolt M1.4 BallØ:2.6mm Thread Length :10mm

• Eyebolt M1.4 BallØ:2.6mm
• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 3.4mm, distance across eyebolt flats 1.4mm

Eyebolt M1.6 BallØ:3mm Thread Length :10mm

• Eyebolt M1.6 BallØ:3mm
• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 4.5mm, distance across eyebolt flats 1.6mm

Eyebolt M2 BallØ:3.8mm Thread Length :14mm

• Eyebolt M2 BallØ:3.8mm
• Thread Length:14mm
• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 5.5mm, distance across eyebolt flats 2mm

Eyebolt M2.5 BallØ:4.5mm Thread Length :14mm

• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 6.1mm, distance across eyebolt flats 2.5mm

Eyebolt M2.5 BallØ:5mm Thread Length :14mm

• Eyebolt M2.5 BallØ:5mm
• Thread Length:14mm: Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 6.6mm, distance across eyebolt flats 2.5mm

Eyebolt M3 BallØ:5.5mm Thread Length :14mm

• Eyebolt M3 BallØ:5.5mm
• Eyebolt height (excluding threaded fixing pin): 7mm, distance across eyebolt flats 3mm

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Eyelets - small - 100/pack

Product code: 078

Eyelets - small - 100/pack. Sail eyelets, nickel plated brass, 1.5 mm ID, 2.0 mm OD, 3.5 mm flange OD, 3.3 mm overall length, 3.0 mm under flange, 100/pack.

Clench using eyelet punch, ref. 090 . Look in the tools section.

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Washers - small - 100/pack

Product code: 079

Washers - small- 100/pack, nickel plated brass, 2.2 mm ID, 4.8 mm OD. Use with sail eyelet ref. 078-030 . Use one per eyelet. 100/pack

Eyelets - medium - 100/pack

Product code: 080

Eyelets - medium - 100/pack. Sail eyelets, nickel plated brass, 3.2 mm ID, 3.8 mm OD, 5.5 mm flange OD, 3.3 mm long, 100/pack.

Clench using eyelet punch, ref. 091 . Look under tools.

Washers - medium - 100/pack

Product code: 081

Tamping tool - for medium washers

Product code: 081-TOOL

Punch - for small eyelets.

Product code: 090

Punch - for small sail eyelets, ref. 078-030.

Use with eyelets, ref. 078-030 , and washers, ref. 079 .

Punch - for medium eyelets

Product code: 091

Making Model Yacht Sails - Larry Robinson's method of building in shape

Product code: BK-38

Tapered battens - 65 - 10 sets/pack

Product code: BSET-65

Tapered battens - IOM, thin - 10 sets/pack

Product code: BSET-THIN-IOM

Deck patch material - 0.1 m^2

Product code: DP-MAT-0.1

140 g/metre², black self adhesive Dacron, for cutting your own marks, 315 x 315 mm, 0.1 m2.

Deck patch material - 0.5 m^2

Product code: DP-MAT-0.5

140 g/metre2, self adhesive Dacron, also suitable for sail reinforcement, 1370 x 375 mm, 0.5m2.

OTHER SIZES to suit your cutter are possible - contact the SAILSetc office for prices.

Set of deck patches for SAILSetc boat

Product code: DP-SET-65

Mylar film - 35 micron - 320 mm x 10 metre roll

Product code: FILM-035

Mylar film - 35 micron - 320 mm x 10 metre roll, translucent. 52 grams per square metre. Suitable for sails on 65 Class, Footy and similar. Suggested use: No 1 suit and No 2 headsails. Use 50 micron for No 2 mainsails and lower sails.

Mylar film - 50 micron - 500 mm x 10 metre roll

Product code: FILM-050

Mylar film - 50 micron - 500 mm x 10 metre roll, translucent. 72 grams per square metre. Suitable for No 1 sails on IOM, M, 10R and similar.

Mylar film - 75 micron - 625 mm x 10 metre roll

Product code: FILM-075

Mylar film - 75 micron - 625 mm x 10 metre roll, translucent. 108 grams per square metre. Suitable for No 2 and lower sails on IOM, M, 10R and similar.

Headboards - M, 6M & 10R class - 10/pack

Product code: HB-10

Hook and loop - self adhesive twin Velcro - 25 mm

Product code: HL-25

Discs - 20 mm Ø self adhesive discs x 50

Product code: S-DISC

Discs - 20 mm Ø, sets of 50 self adhesive white Dacron discs.

Sail reinforcement/repair material, for repairs and reinforcement of sails especially over the end of battens, at the luff where eyelets will be added, and at the tack and head of foresails/mainsails over the ends of the luff tape.

Sail reinforcement - self adhesive discs & strips

Product code: S-REIN

Self adhesive discs & strips - sail reinforcement/repair material in a handy sheet. For repairs and reinforcement of sails - and also useful to keep in your tool box for use on hull and rigging.

Deck patch material tape - 25 mm wide. Self adhesive.

Product code: TDP-25

Choose from dark blue, blue, white, yellow, pink, orange, red.

Mylar tape - 50 metre rolls - various widths

Product code: TM

Mylar tape - 50 metre rolls - various widths. Ultra-thin, transparent, self adhesive, 50 micron, for sail edge and seam reinforcement. 50 metre roll.

Use 2 and 4 mm wide for leech tapes of sails for very small, medium and large boats. Use 10 and 12 mm wide for luff tapes for small and medium boats. Use 12 and 20 mm wide for adding reinforcement to panel seams.

Luff tape - 18 mm wide - per metre

Product code: TP-18

Luff tape - 18 mm wide - per metre. Icarex Polyester headsail luff tape, 18 mm wide. Choice of lengths and colours.

Also available in 20 metre rolls, see ref. TP-18 . Apply using double sided tape ref. TS-06 .

Luff tape - 18, 30 or 40 mm - white

Product code: TP-WHITE

Luff tape - 18, 30 or 40 mm. Polyester headsail luff tape, 18, 30 or 40 mm wide. White only. For coloured tapes please see ref. TP-20 .

The wider tapes are useful for forming the luff of pocket luff mainsails.

Apply using doubled sided tape ref. TS-06 .

Double sided tape - 6 mm x 100 metre roll

Product code: TS-06

Double sided tape - 6 mm x 100 metre roll. Double sided self adhesive tape for sail seams and luff tapes. Per 100 metre/roll.

This super thin double sided tape is only 50 microns thick including both thicknesses of adhesive. This makes it the best product for use with the thicknesses of sail film that are used on rc yachts. Double sided tapes available from sail maker suppliers and from other sources are typically twice or more times thicker.

Double sided tape - 10 mm x 100 metre roll

Product code: TS-10

Double sided tape - 10 mm x 100 metre roll. Double sided self adhesive tape for sail seams and luff tapes.

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• Bluenose Canadian Schooner

Making Sails for Model Ships

December 3, 2017

On my Model Shipways Bluenose build , I debated whether or not to make the sails.  Many (most?) ship models do not include full sails.  The Model Shipways kit was designed with sails, and includes the sail cloth as part of the kit.  The inclusion of sails was actually one of the factors that led me to select this kit for my second build.

With the booms and gaffs rigged and installed, I would basically be finished with the build if I omit the sails.  The remaining rigging is all attached to sails, so I’d leave it off if I didn’t include sails.  However, the sails really do add something to the model, especially for a schooner like this.

So, I decided to make sails.  I’ve never made sails before, so this will be a learning experience.  Here’s how I ended up doing it…

Choosing How Sails are Displayed

An important decision to make before you start is how you’ll be displaying sails.  There are three different ways you can go:

• For Display

(I made those last two names up).

Furled sails are sails that are lowered.  Many modelers choose to do furled sails on their ships.  The advantage is that the sails don’t cover everything up and make a model look like a bunch of cloth.  When doing furled sails, you typically don’t make the full sail, instead making smaller version.  The sail is put in place, but is bunched up and tied to the appropriate boom or gaff.

Realistic sails try to show the sails rigged and set as they would be while the ship is actually at sea.  Ships adjusted their sails depending on the situation.  In most cases, some sails would be raised while others would be lowered.  Some sails might be set off to one side.  Realistic sails would try to show the ship in some kind of ‘real’ sailing state.

Making sails simply ‘for display’ is what I’m doing.  I’m making all the sails, and installing them all in their raised state.  I’m not going to set any sails off to the sides – everything is just going to be installed straight and even.  You’d probably never see a ship at sea actually set like this, but I think it works well for a model.

When to Make Sails

From what I can tell, the general practice is to make the sails  before rigging and installing the booms and gaffs.  Several of the sails need to be laced onto the booms and gaffs, and that is nearly impossible to do directly on the ship.

The standard process seems to be:

• Build the booms and gaffs.
• Make the sails based on the plans.
• Attach sails to the booms and gaffs as appropriate.
• Install and rig the booms and gaffs.
• Add the additional rigging for each sail.

I’m not confident that all my booms and gaffs are 100% accurately sized, and I suspect that the dimensions of my sails might need to be adjusted to fit my particular ship.  So, I intentionally put off making sails until I had installed all the booms and gaffs.

Once I had everything installed on the ship, I could make templates for the sails that take into account both the plans and the size/shape of my actual build.

Of course, this means that I had a bunch of rigging for the booms and gaffs that would need to be un-done so the booms and gaffs could be removed.  That was fine with me, because I had avoided the use of glue when securing the rigging.  Everything was either tied off (easy to un-tie), or attached with a hook or shackle (easy to remove).

So, my process is:

• Build the booms and gaffs .
• Install and rig the booms and gaffs .
• Make the sails based on the actual layout of my ship.
• De-rig the booms and gaffs, and remove them from the ship.
• Re-install the booms and gaffs, and their rigging.

For me, this approach (while more work) has several advantages:

• Initially, I’m able to focus on getting the booms and gaffs properly installed and rigged, without the sails getting in the way.
• I can start with sail templates based on the plans, and adjust as necessary to fit the exact size/shape of my ship.
• Once sails are ready to install, I can quickly get them rigged without spending any time on the other rigging for the booms and gaffs, since those runs are already done and just need to be re-tied/attached.

Paper Templates

Making the actual sails starts with making paper templates.  Some of the sails were too big to use normal paper, so I picked up a roll of white craft paper.

For each sail, I took a piece of paper and laid it over the plans.  I marked the corners of the sail, then used a ruler to draw lines between the marks, giving me the outline of the sail.  Some sails have curves that I had to hand-draw.

Once the shape was laid out on the paper, I cut the paper to shape.

A paper template for the jib sail.

Next I positioned the paper template on the actual ship in the correct spot.  I took note of anything that didn’t fit just right, and adjusted the template as necessary.  Some sails needed to be made slightly smaller, while some had to be made slightly larger.

To help me visualize the sail, I also marked where the hems on the edges will go, along with any other key elements of the sail.  For the edge hems, I’ll be folding the fabric over and sewing it.  I’ll be shooting for a 1/16″ hem, so I used that size for the markings on the template.

The actual sails on the ship were made from strips of cloth, not one big piece.  To simulate this, I’ll just be sewing lines onto the cloth.  For some of the sails, I went ahead and marked these lines on the template since they need to be oriented correctly according to the plans.

The main and fore sails also have  reef bands , which run horizontally along the lower portion of the sail.  These were marked as well.

Preparing the Sail Cloth

Once I was satisfied with the template, I got out the sail cloth.  Model Shipways includes sail cloth with the kit.  This cloth is a medium weight cotton cloth in an off-white color.  The kit includes enough to make all the sails, assuming you get everything right on the first try.  I knew that wasn’t going to work, so I ordered two more packages of sail cloth from them.  It was relatively inexpensive – about $7 for each package of cloth.

Sails on a ship were rarely bright white.  I’ve seen that many modelers will dye their sail cloth to get a desired shade.  There are many tricks for this, like dipping the material in coffee.  I felt that the off-white color of the Model Shipways cloth was fine, so I didn’t dye my cloth.

If you’re wanting to use other sail cloth, look for something lightweight.  Almost all fabric is going to be too thick and out of scale, so just do the best you can.  I actually used some fabric from a local hobby store for a few ‘test runs’, and learned a few things.  Look for fabric with a tight knit, so the fabric doesn’t start to come apart as you cut it.  Also look for something without too much stretch, as stretchy fabric can distort the shape of the sails as you sew them.

Ideally, you want to wash, dry, and iron the sail cloth before you start.  Most fabric will shrink a little during this process, so you want this out of the way before you start cutting things to size.  Doing this will also release any wrinkles in the fabric.  (I was too excited to get started, and didn’t do this.)

Once you’ve got your fabric ready and your template sized, you’re ready to cut some fabric.

I used a fabric marker to do all the markings on the fabric.  I picked this up at a local hobby store in the sewing section for a couple dollars.  This marker uses special ink that disappears as it evaporates.  This means I can draw all over the fabric, and within a few hours the ink is gone.  I found this to give much better results than using a pencil and trying to erase markings.

The paper template is used to mark up the fabric being used for the sail.

A note on marking fabric…since I’m going to be folding over the edges of the sail to create hems, one side of the sail is going to look better than the other.  Often, you pick a ‘display side’ of the ship, and put ugly stuff (like the worse sail side) so it isn’t visible from the display side.  I found that with the way I was marking, folding, and sewing the cloth, I wanted the markings on the display side.  Making sure I marked the display side ensured that I as I worked I ended up with all the ugly stuff on the back.

First the outline of the sail is marked on the fabric.  Be sure to leave extra space on all sides outside of the sail.

A second outline is made 1/16″  outside of the first outline.  This is the hem that I want to end up with on the finished sail.

A third outline is made 1/2″  outside of the second outline.  This one doesn’t have to be perfect…this is just a guide for cutting the fabric.

You can also mark the reef lines and strips at this point if desired.  I typically didn’t mark the strips, since I was able to position those accurately using my sewing machine.

The fabric is trimmed, leaving excess material around the edges.

Once everything is marked, I cut the fabric along the outer-most outline.  I used a rotary cutter (like a pizza cutter), which gave much better results than scissors.

To make sails you have to do a lot of sewing.  I have no experience sewing.  Doing all this by hand with a needle and thread was not practical, so I bought a cheap little ‘hobby’ sewing machine.  That machine was junk, and broke within the first 20 minutes.  Since I’m hoping to keep this hobby going for a few decades, I decided to go ahead and invest in a real sewing machine.

At my local hobby store, the staff helped me select a good quality machine.  I got it for under $200.  The advantages of a real machine include:

• It won’t jam.
• Variable speeds.
• Selectable stitch length and width (critical for trying to get the stitching remotely close to ‘scale’).
• Many different computer-controlled stitch types, so you can do more than just a simple straight stitch.  This would end up making the reef bands much better.

It took me a few hours to get the hang of using the machine, but my skill level increased quickly.  While I certainly couldn’t sew a shirt or a pair of pants, by the second or third sail I was flying along like a pro.

Since you’ll be sewing, you’ll need thread.  There are three main considerations with the thread.

First is the color.  This is a matter of personal preference.  I’ve seen some models where the stitching on the sails was very high-contrast (dark brown thread on white cloth).  I’ve also seen some where the thread was the same color as the cloth.  I felt like the stitching shouldn’t stand out  too much , and I wanted to rely on the texture of the thread to define the lines rather than the color.  So, I went with a ‘natural’ color thread that ended up being really close to the color of the cloth.

The second consideration is the thread material.  A hobby store will likely have hundreds of different kinds of thread.  There are synthetic materials and natural materials.  I went with a cotton thread.  Why?  No really good reason except that all my rigging lines are cotton and the sail cloth is cotton, so it seemed like a good idea.

The final consideration is quantity.  I have no idea how to predict the amount of thread that will be needed (there may be some ‘trick’ to it that the pros know).  Initially I bought one spool of the thread.  That only made two sails.  When I went back to by more, they were out of that exact thread, so I had to order more online.  That caused a week delay in making sails.  Obviously you wan the thread to be the same on all the sails, so buy a lot of  the same thread up front.  Thread is cheap, and it is better to have some leftover than to run out.

Sewing the Edges

On to sewing.

The first step is to sew the hems on the edges.  I start with the longest edge first, then do the opposite edge, continuing on until all edges are sewn.  The cloth is folded over at the first outline (the line that defines the actual edge of the sail) and pinned into place.  The 1/16″ line that indicates the edge of the hem should be inside the sail.  Since the cloth was cut 1/2″ past that line (on that third outline), there is some extra material here that makes pinning easier.  I’ll cut that off later.

The edges are folded over to create a hem and pinned in place.

The hem is sewn on the edge.

The cloth then goes into the machine and gets stitched up.  I used the machine’s reverse feature to double-stitch the first couple stitches to secure the thread, then just ran a straight stitch down the edge, staying between the edge of the sail and the 1/16″ hem marking.  I used a small stitch length so things weren’t  too out of scale.

My machine lets me set the position of the needle, allowing me to get really close to the edge.

Once the stitch was complete, the extra thread was clipped off.  I used a pair of sharp scissors to carefully cut off the extra cloth along the 1/16″ hem line.

A completed edge hem, about 1/16″ wide.

This was repeated for each edge.

Two edges meet in a corner.

Adding ‘Strips’

To simulate the strips of material, some modelers simply draw lines on the cloth.  I decided to run a stitch for each strip instead.  It is more work, but it goes pretty fast

The ‘strips’ of sail sail cloth are simulated with stitches.  Each sail has a unique strip layout shown on the plans.

The width of the strips is indicated on the plans, as well as the layout of the strips.  It turned out that the width of the strips matched with space between the needle on my sewing machine and the edge of the ‘foot’.  So I didn’t need to mark the strips on the fabric – I just positioned the fabric under the foot and ran the material through the machine.

Reef Bands and Points

The large lower sails (main sail and fore sail) have  reef bands .  These are horizontal bands across the sails.  My sewing machine has a setting that creates a stitch that looks like a ladder (or railroad tracks?).  I adjusted the stitch length and width to get the desired size, then ran this stitch across the sail to create the reef bands.

I ran this right  over the strip lines.  This is easier than doing the reef bands first and trying to start/stop the strip lines at the bands, and you can’t really tell the difference.

Reef bands were sewn in using a different stitch pattern on my machine.

At each point where a strip line crosses the reef band, there is a short rope that goes through the sail.  These ropes were used to secure the sail when it was lowered and bundled up.  I cut a bunch of 1″ long pieces of 0.008″ tan rigging line and punched them through at the appropriate spots.  I used a small bit of fabric glue on each side to keep these ropes flat against the sail instead of sticking out.

Corner Attachment Points

The sails typically have rigging lines attached to the corners of the sails.  This means you need something in each corner to attach a rigging line to.  From my research, it looks like most sails had a rope that ran around the outside edge of the sail, and that rope would form an eye at the sail corners to create the attachment points.

I decided not to add this rope.  I wasn’t confident I could make it look good, and I thought the tan line would stand out too much.

So, I simply sewed brass rings (made from wire) into each corner.  This was done manually with a needle and thread.

Anchor points in the corners were made from brass wire and sewn in.

Finishing Up

Once everything is sewn and I’m happy with the results, there are a few final steps.

I do a final pass to trim anything that looks bad (edges of hems, loose threads, etc.).

After all my disappearing fabric markings have evaporated and disappeared, I iron the sail to flatten it out and remove any remaining wrinkles.

Finally, I use some fabric glue along any exposed fabric edges (like the hems) to keep them from fraying.  I also use a little fabric glue on the ends of stitches to ensure they don’t come loose.

Then the sail is ready to install!

A few completed sails on the ship.

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• Description
• Item consists

other recommended eyelets and hooks for attaching rigging: PE-LH3/B – 2x PE-LH6/B – 1x PE-LO1,5/B – 1x 

Link to the kit  HERE Link to complete accessories for this model  HERE

Instructions and workflow can be found  HERE

Boat hooks lenght 6mm/w.0,5mm/10pcs - black patination

Eyelets diameter 1,5mm/w.0,3mm/50pcs - black patination

Boat hooks lenght 3mm/w.0,3mm/12pcs - black patination

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• Cutty Sark, Thermopylae - IMAI 1:120
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• CSS Alabama - Revell 1:96
• USS Kearsarge - Revell 1:96
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• Mayflower - Revell, Heller, Airfix 1:96
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• Sea Witch, Swordfish - Marx Model 1:96
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• Chebec - Heller 1:50
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• Golden Hind 1:96, Heller, Revell
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• HMS Victory, Revell 1:225
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COTTON SAILS - 92 years NYLET. The Oldest Established International Master Sailmakers. Fine Products ~ Quality First. 92 years. Finest Heritage 'vintage' style cotton sails explored in detail. 1932 ~ 92 years of sailmaking (including full size sails until 1966) ~ 2 generations and 107 years of experience ~ Quality First. Innovation alongside Tradition. We strive for perfection. The Very Finest Cotton Sails made by special Commission for Private Collectors and Museums. Makers of Model Sails to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Long established World-wide Mail Order Service.

The oldest established professional model sailmakers in the world ~ the only professional makers of the very finest cotton sails replicating our "1930's" style ~ perfect cut and finish ~ "Quality First." Full size sailmakers and model sailmakers since 1932. This year Frank Parsons celebrates 58 years of model sailmaking. Comprehensive sailmaking service, world-wide.

Using technological advances in materials coupled with innovation, expertise, and tradition, over 400 years to bring you the very finest model sails.

Some photos of Nylet 'vintage' style cotton sails, and see photos, click on link 'Sail Gallery', also 'Moonbeam'.

Place your order or enquire . . .

See photos of a moonbeam rigged with nylet vintage style cotton sails, sewn fully seamed, tabled & detailed., some 118 years of combined experience - 2 generations. nylet 'vintage' model sails created in quality cotton cloth for exhibition/static & museum models & private collectors, working yachts, fishing vessels, cutters, schooners, yawls and barges, class racing yachts, and for classic pond yachts (star, alexander, bassett lowke, etc). all our cotton sails are hand cut and beautifully sewn and finished as required to customers order. specialists in museum quality sails with all detail replicated (as required) which found on 18th & 19th century full size royal navy sails. at nylet we don't just 'make' sails, we create sails, we breathe life into the sailcloth in order that they might be shaped by the wind. working with fine cloths & allied materials since 1772. makers of model sails to the national maritime museum cornwall..

The finest model sails created individually to the customers specific requirements, with expertise handed down over eight generations, and our selection of 80 year old threads and specialist line used for hand stitching work, all combine to bring our customers a unique experience when they purchase our hand cut Heritage & Vintage cotton sails. Having been Master Sailmakers making traditional full size sails in cotton cloths since 1932 we have that knowledge of how sails were made for working boats and yachts as well as Ocean Racers 90 plus years ago and make model sails in cotton material employing correct methods/techniques of making that full size sails also demand. We use tablings or false tablings (cut on the warp) when making you can be sure that your model sails will not only be correct down to the smallest detail but importantly behave in right manner. Everything is custom made as you require. For guide prices please see section F8 & F9 of our price list . Speials can cost more. Often our customers will send a photo of their yacht, this is helpful but photos need to be accompanied by sail dimensions (fleshed out with any specific detail required). Without providing us with sail sizes/plan we are obviously unable to quote you. Also useful to know if the sails are for display only. How to make paper templates for making (often required), click on 'help' on top toolbar. Having manufactured full size sails in cotton (and jute) for barges and working vessels as well as pleasure yachts and ocean racers from 1932 until 1965, we appreciate how sails were actually cut and finished and can replicate this on model sails to give them an authenticity peculiar to Nylet; importantly full size sailmaking practise is employed in the construction of our model sails. Each racing 'class' suit of cotton sails now carry our makers mark, an authentic 'facsimile' of my late father's makers stamp (from the 1940's and 50's). Sails made for display models and other sails carry a discreet mark sewn inside the mains'l foot tabling. Our 'Vintage' sails can be made in natural finish cotton, or dyed cotton, with or without bolt ropes applied to the edges, all as requested by the customer. We can add more detail where the parallel seams are picked out (a line of stitching being run down) to indicate where the separate pieces of canvas were stitched together along the selvedges. We can sew these "seams" in a choice of coloured thread, or in white, as you may wish. In days past cotton and jute sailcloth was marked in the weave by a blue thread an inch from the selvedge edge (I sewed thousands of yards of the cloth before the 1980's), the cloth being loomed 18 inches and 2 foot wide as well as a yard width at various times. Vintage style cotton sails have been made by us for many years, indeed, my father started making full size sails and model sails in cotton, in the 1930's, long before synthetic materials were even thought of. We employ techniques and sewing methods that we have used since the 1930's to give our sails a period feel and hopefully a finish that will compliment your model. We also employ correct sailmaking techniques as used on full size sails, i.e. luffs receive false tablings in exactly the same way as large sails must to enable the sail to set correctly. All work on sails are carried out sewn port side uppermost as are full size sails and have been thus for probably 800 years and more. Detail such as reefing points can be sewn/added. We work with care to create finely finished sails that you may be proud of. We have undertaken model sail work for museums, such as The National Maritime Museum Cornwall, and many private collectors in the UK and overseas. If the model is solely for display then please tell us. Prices. Please see sections F8 and F9 in our price list for both specific named yacht sails and also some guide prices (priced from). Generally prices of small suits of sails start at around one hundred and thirty GBp. We will be very pleased to quote you on submission of a sail plan or dimensioned drawing; see the file labelled templates how to.

A note on the weave of cloth. The threads used to make any cloth are termed the weft and the warp. If you look up warp in the dictionary it gives threads stretched lengthwise in loom to be crossed by the weft. Look up more sailmaking terms, click on useful terms via the drop down list. Making your own sails? Then perhaps our B20 'how to' Sailmaking booklet will help you, as a pdf file its in full colour, see section A in the price list. Hopefully the foregoing will give you an insight into the care and attention we give our work, and the service and finishes we offer. Should you require advice or further assistance or information then please ask. On a personal note, a milestone - in 2024 I celebrate 58 years of model sailmaking, and am pleased to say that I take great pleasure in my work, every sail I make is given equal attention to detail. That is also over one hundred years of sailmaking experience when taken together with my late father, who taught me most of what I know. It might actually be over 111 years if I reckon his early years working for his father and making sails for his own dinghy (which he built) in the mid 1920's before he made sails commercially. We often refer to older sailmaking books and in particular a book of my fathers by Terence North (dated 1938) has particularly useful information and also having notes on the back page written in by my late Father; as these may be interest I append those in a small file (go to top links, see Info pages/help/photos) and click on sailmaking terms. Another book by Robert Kipping (1898) is handy to refer to, it has more technical notes on weights of sailcloth use for certain sizes of sails, hardly applicable to model sails but interesting all the same.

  A brief note on our early cotton model sails made in the 1930's . My father's Brighton firm manufactured model sails in cotton material, as well as full size sails, from the early 1930's onward. Some of the first model sails to be manufacturered (before the War) were sewn by my mother who was a skilled sewing machinist in her own right. Richard Howard's boat & yacht musuem in Pangbourne has some of our sails rigged on models on display and dating from the war years and up to the mid 1970's; sadly Richard has passed away and his collection has now been dispersed. My grandfather sailed and raced his yachts off Brighton beach (Sussex) one hundred and twenty plus years ago; his favourite yacht was "WISP" a 33 foot Isle of Wight built lugger (she carried 385 sq feet of sail). In the 1920's my father built his own dinghy naming her WISP (after his father's yacht) and making the sails for her. Another of his hobbies was making marine models. In the 1980's I produced a Nylet plan for a chine built 36 inch yacht, also naming her WISP.

We use the finest materials, equipment, and tools to bring you the best quality sails. We use sewing machines that are renowned for their durability and fine running. Our newest acquisition (in 2019) to our bank of specialist tools is a fine pair of Heritage scissors, replicating the type of shears that my 4th great grandfather would doubtless have used in his work as a Silk Mercer from his shop firstly in Bond Street and then in High Holborn, London in the last quarter of the 1700s and being manufactured by the same makers. The makers state - "Wilkinsons classic iteration of the EXO, made of 100% surgical-grade stainless steel with a striking matte finish, state-of-the-art investment-cast handles, industrial grade precision ground blades and a CNC machined screw, or bolt, all assembled by their master scissors craftsmen in Sheffield, using techniques and skills developed over 257 years". They are simply beautiful to use, have an edge as sharp as a sword, and are a delight to the eye. Manufactured by Whiteley's and who were founded in 1760 and incorporating the firm of Thomas Wilkinson & Son in 1875. Now the last industrial scissor-makers left in the UK and the oldest scissorsmiths in the western world, Whiteley's is a leading producer of industrial and professional scissors and shears.

In my family we can draw on expertise handed down over eight generations, and our selection of 80 year old threads and line used for hand stitching and detail work all combine to bring our customers a unique experience when they purchase our hand cut Heritage & Vintage cotton sails.

Frank Parsons.

This is just one of some 35 pages on our website. 

Some customer comments regarding our cotton sails - Just received my glorious suit! Magnificent! The tablings..... marvellous!!!... the stitching lines, the overall shape, every detail, all very beautiful indeed! I can't tell you how delighted I am. You must understand, the wind has always held a magical place in my heart and the thin membrane with which we apply our feeble human attempts to have it do our way over an equally mysterious sea..... alchemy indeed. I hold this suit in my hands and it all comes alive again. It occurred to me as I relished your suit the day later that one of the things I really appreciated, was that in your masterly execution, despite many years of hard learned science, though perhaps exactly because of them, you approached the design not with a mindless machine but more the inquiring instrument. You took onboard where I'd too easily lined the impossible and wasn't having any of it, discovering a way to play your sound, practical requirements for the well-made, proper sail whilst accommodating the draw perfectly. The narrow tablings, the nicely snug but slidable foot sleeves, even seeing to better sized eyelets where they would best serve tacks and clews. Thank you for your brilliant work, I raise a glass to you Sir. Roger, USA. Sails just arrived, WOW. Mike, West Country. Here is a photograph of my newly rigged Star yacht, ready for its first voyage in nearly 60 years. Many thanks for the beautiful new sails, I'm delighted with them. Philip, Bristol. Sails have arrived safely. But what a superb job, my old girl will be the best dressed yacht at any of our VMYG meetings. Wonderful work of the very highest standard as always from you, I cannot thank you enough. With all good wishes. Richard Howard, Norfolk. . . . to say thank you for the beautiful suit of Heritage cotton sails which you made for Wren. She was re-launched on the boating pond on Saturday and sailed beautifully even in the light winds. The locals proclaimed, At last, a proper yacht!. This was her shakedown and the sails take a beautiful shape. Nick, Norfolk. The (cotton) sails arrived safely, they're beautiful. Bob, Surrey. Hello Frank, the cotton sails arrived yesterday without any damages. They are much better than I even expected, really extraordinary, perfect!!! Again (as your last sails) you made me happy. I will send you pictures from the maiden voyage. Klaus, Germany The sails arrived as promised and I am over the moon with the end result, they are fantastic. Michael, Buckinghamshire. Hi Frank, sails just arrived, they are stunning! Thanks. Ron, Nottinghamshire. Good afternoon Frank, the sails arrived this morning. They are excellent! Nick, Lincolnshire. Absolutely magnificent (cotton) sails! Everyone seeing Columbia and her sails are very impressed with the quality of your workmanship and I cannot thank you enough; the boat sails far better than expected. Bernard, Suffolk. The sails are brilliant. Thanks very much for a great personal service. I will be recommending you to others. Yorkshire. The suit of sails arrived today in fine order, showing the touch of a professional hand in their cut and sewing. I am delighted to have these made by you, my sincere thanks. Co Meath. Ireland. Looking forwards to receiving the (Mascotte) sails, your workmanship always gives me pleasure. Bill from Plymouth. Your workmanship and accuracy are superb and one could not wish for better at this small scale. The bolt rope stitching is particularly impressive, as is the accuracy of the parallel stitching. All in all, simply excellent; although I have said this before, it has been a great pleasure to do business with you and to have had the opportunity to work with you to acheive the desired result. I have the greatest respect for your workmanship. I will not hesitate to use your services again and would recommend your company to anyone. Frank from York. Sails arrived this morning, as promised; they are a work of art - the real thing! Whatever else people say about the barge, they will say "who made her sails?" Mike. Cambridgeshire. Many thanks for the sails, they fitted perfectly and really improved the look of the yacht. Thanks for a great job and all the help. Chris, Wiltshire. Thank you for the sails, they are a lovely suit, your craftsmanship really shows. I have hung them up for the present, I have a few more little jobs on the lugger before I lift them on the masts. Nigel, Bromsgrove. The sails arrived safely and I spent yesterday afternoon fitting them to the Bassett Lowke yacht. The sails are superb and the yacht looks fabulous; thank you very much. Mike from Hertfordshire. Sails received with thanks. You are a true craftsman. John, Glasgow. Thank you very much for the beautiful set of (cotton) sails, they are marvellous. Richard, Norfolk. Thank you, I am very pleased with the quality, fit, and your thoughtfulness. Plymouth. Yesterday I opened a tube with wonderful new sails for my Colin Archer; great job, better than I could expect, you do great work! Bernt. Norway. Thanks again for the super 6M sails which now complete the yacht. Mike, Somerset. Your sails looked great, the guys were mighty pleased. Chris, Hampshire. The sails for my Moonbeam are great! Peter, Dorset. My Moonbeam sails arrived safely this morning. They are superb and well worth the wait - thank you so much. Andy. Benfleet, Essex. Moonbeam sails received in good order. They look beautiful, many thanks. Malcolm, Cheshire. Sails received, super job. Many thanks. Nick, Cornwall. Sails safely arrived. Thank you so much, they look great. Tim, Northampton. Hello Frank. Just to let you know my sails arrived today, I am thrilled with them is an understatement, the stitching is superb & the patience required must have been enormous. Thank you again for your wonderful friendly service + your skills. Paul, Devon. The sails arrived and are wonderful - many thanks for all your help! Alex, London. I received the sails yesterday and am very pleased with them, rest assured the workmanship has not gone unnoticed by me, I have got the main and staysail up and it really looks the part. Michael, Mddx. The cotton sails you made for my Moonbeam are a work of art! I am delighted, thank you. Elwin, Lincs. The sails safely arrived and look just great. Very professional service from Nylet. George, Hampshire. Hi Frank, thanks for your email AND the BEAUTIFUL SAILS which arrived today. What fantastic work. Amazing. Well worth the wait! I'm so grateful to you, and I'll be coming back for more! I've fitted the sails to the spars. Fantastic. My goodness you are a skilled and talented man. I saw the shape you'd made before fitting and understood why you did so, but only when rigged did it all make sense. Amazing. And those tiny brass eyelets... I took the yacht back round to my sister this morning. What a thing of beauty, was the unanimous cry. Forgot to get a picture for you in all the excitement... watch this space. Jasper. Buckinghamshire. Hi Frank, (cotton) sails have arrived, they are perfect, you did a lovely job, will send you a pic when on the boat. Julian, Scotland. Some few years ago I had a phone call from the wife of a customer. All her working life she had been a seamstress and dressmaker. She told me that on seeing my (cotton) sails she told her husband, do you know what you are looking at here? You will never, ever, see anything like this again, not as long as you live. Her husband brought me back down to earth saying, "Your workmanship hasn't gone unnoticed by me." A Yorkshireman, he was sparing with his praise! Sails (for Katie) arrived today - they look great, much appreciated. Andy, Lancs. Dear Frank, The sails arrived safely on time, as promised, superb quality and workmanship, as ever, Noel. (Louis Heloise sail suit) Every letter, email and phone call from our customers is very much appreciated; we can't possibly post every single one on our website but I thank everyone for their kindness in writing to us and for their appeciative comments. Frank Parsons.