OK since I slacked off...I'll sum up the rest of the build:

The last part was to get the rig (the sail and all associated parts) figured out. I decided on a "Balanced Lug" rig, essentially a square sail with spars top and bottom. This is an easy rig to make and sail, and best of all it is really easy to learn on. SO....I had to build: Mast, Boom (bottom spar under sail), Yard (Top spar over sail), sail, and rigging.



Mast is just a nice 12 foot 2x4 (Yeah, almost an oxymoron in today's lumber market) tapered from the 3foot mark to the top. I only tapered one side, too lazy to do 2 sides. I wanted the base to be just a 2x4 with rounded corners so that I could change it out really easy. If I decide I want longer or shorter,....no problem.

The Boom and Yard are 2x2 with groves in the ends. They are very simple! cause I'm a simple guy :-)











OK, the sail. Most people think, as I once did, that a sail is some magic thing made by guys with wizard hats and names like Merlin. Not so! Actually, the first sails were just flat canvas squares. It got Kris Columbus to America...so I guess it works :-) Of course today things have improved. Those sails would not allow a boat to sail to windward, which means upwind. While no boat can sail directly into the wind, a modern sail design will allow a boat to sail at about 45 degrees into the wind and you can reach upwind destinations fairly easy. I won't bore you with the details, but it works JUST like an airplane wing produces lift. very cool.




So MY sail, being of the cheap and home made variety....is a bit, hmmmm...shall we say...Ghetto? hehe. I used a blue tarp as you get in Walmart, $4.99 I believe. Cheap rope around the edges and carpet tape. Simple and fast...took me one hour. The shape (as in the depth part, not the edges) is established by curving the edges, not the absolute best way, but VERY functional!

Well as you see it's done :-)