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How to Paint a Sail for the Raingutter Regatta

The thrill of competing in the Raingutter Regatta, in which boy scouts race miniature sail boats, is a memorable experience for any young scout. A child feels so much pride watching the results of his handiwork racing for the finish line. Constructing the participating boat promises as many thrills as the event itself. Traditionally, carving the wood boat received the most emphasis, but designing the sail is a wonderful outlet for a child to add their creative individuality. Why settle for a generic prefabricated decal? An original paint job, guided by the loving supervision of a parent, is a bonding experience that instills the child with a deeper pride of ownership.

Things You'll Need

Reference image
Acetate
Felt-tipped pen
X-Acto Knife
Cardboard
Sponge
Water
Tape
Medium-grit sandpaper
Acrylic paint
Paper plate
Newsprint paper
Spoon
Foam brush
Detail fine art paintbrush, round
Acrylic clear coat
Flat, soft brush

Instructions

- 1
  Create the stencil from the reference image. Lay a clear piece of acetate flat over the selected picture.Trace the outline with a thin, felt-tipped pen. Allow the ink to dry. Cut out the design using a small X-Acto knife with a fresh blade. Change to blade if the edge dulls for best control while cutting. Wipe the ink off with a damp sponge.
- 2
  Lay the plastic sail flat on a piece of cardboard. Tape the plastic down at one corner. Smooth the plastic out to the opposite corner and tape it down. Smooth the sail from the center to one of the other two corners and adhere with tape. Smooth the sail from the center to the last free corner the last corner and tape.
- 3
  Sand the sail lightly with medium-grit sandpaper to create a toothed surface. Hold the sandpaper flat and move in small circles repeatedly around the entire sail to achieve an even, rough surface. Wipe clean with a damp sponge. Allow to dry fully.
- 4
  Place the acetate stencil over the sail so the design fits between the two holes that attach the sail to the mast. Tape the stencil to the cardboard at all four corners.
- 5
  Squeeze acrylic paint of the desired color on to a small paper plate. Add water to the paint and mix with a spoon until it is the consistency of cream. Dip both sides of the sponge brush into the paint. Press the brush lightly on a clean sheet of newsprint paper to release excess paint.
- 6
  Dab the loaded foam brush over the stencil to fill the entire design. Allow to dry. Remove the stencil from the plastic sail by carefully peeling away the tape from each corner. Touch up the borders of the painted image with a small, round art paintbrush. Scrape off any paint outside the borders of the image with the tip of the X-Acto knife.
- 7
  Apply several layers of acrylic clear coat over the face of the painted sail with a soft, flat brush in a well-ventilated area. Hold one corner of the sail down with the wooden end of the small, round brush, and brush the clear coat from that corner out to the opposite end. Allow the first layer to dry. Hold a different corner of the sail down with the end of the small bush and apply the second coat. Allow to dry. Continue to apply additional layers, holding down a different corner with each application, until the raised edges of the painted design are smooth.

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