Answers.Body: <p>Great question. It sounds like you are building a fairly large ship. If the scale is large enough, brick-built sails can look quite nice. You can add shape, contour, and texture using various building techniques. </p>
  
  <p>If you want to keep things simple, you could just use a single layer of bricks as was done in this basic sailboat model that was an in-store build back in 2009:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OgQwy.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OgQwy.jpg" alt="in-store sailboat"></a></p>
  
  <p>That example obviously isn't the most detailed. It's challenging to develop sail-like contours with studs on top.</p>
  
  <p>Here's <a href="http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/91418-limp%C3%A9rial-first-rate-ship-of-the-line/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">one example</a> just using plates that is similar to what you mentioned in your question:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/LUsG3.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/LUsG3.jpg" alt="sails using plates"></a></p>
  
  <p>Notice how it uses <a href="https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=P&amp;catString=583" rel="nofollow noreferrer">wedge plates</a> to round off the square corners of the sails. Wedge plates come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so that gives you some flexibility in the shape of your sail. Here's another shot showing that technique more clearly:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=P&amp;catString=583" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/tlR6r.jpg" alt="sails from behind"></a></p>
  
  <p>Here's a <a href="http://www.greatwesternbrickshow.com/the-journey-of-the-mayflower/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">second example</a> of that technique in a physical model to try to show how the sail sections can be connected using hinges:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/tlR6r.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JkttL.jpg" alt="mayflower example"></a></p>
  
  <p>Here's <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cstmweb/3984441013/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">another</a> where layered plates are used to provide more depth and contour:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/JkttL.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0eVaC.jpg" alt="layers plates with depth"></a></p>
  
  <p>And <a href="http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/104864-lego-schooner-at-arizona-science-center/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">one more example</a> of the same technique:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0eVaC.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6PryN.jpg" alt="plates on side and tighter sail placement"></a></p>
  
  <p>I personally like the aesthetic of studs showing in those examples, but you could also smooth your sails out using tiles and curved slopes if you'd prefer.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-05T13:04:06.963Z
Answers.Text: Oh come on, did you really edit in the same example I wanted to add, while I was writing my answer? :D
Answers.UserDisplayName: zovits
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-05T13:32:10.030Z
Answers.Text: @zovits :D That's certainly what it looks like.
Answers.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-05T13:41:50.607Z
Answers.Text: I've reverted my edit now that you've added this set as a separate answer. I think it works better as a separate answer. You have my upvote. :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-05T13:52:42.123Z
Answers.Text: Thanks, but you really shouldn't have :) This question is linked from the recent Pirates of Barracuda Bay question, and the Creator Pirate Ship is a trivial association to this topic. Whether a long list or multiple single answers is better, I can't really decide, so let's leave it like it is :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: zovits
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2017-03-13T13:58:05.270Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2020-06-05T13:40:37.290Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2020-06-05T13:40:37.290Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Answers.Body: <p>An official example from 2020 is seen in the <a href="https://brickset.com/sets/31109-1/Pirate-Ship" rel="noreferrer">31109 Pirate-Ship</a> using plates and curved panels:</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/BHRmz.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/BHRmz.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/17x7G.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/17x7G.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-05T19:09:20.243Z
Answers.Text: I haven't seen this set until now. Very simple sail construction. Interesting timing by TLG to release this shortly after the Barracuda Bay 21322 (cloth sails). I had to abandon my ship project for a "while", but with all the new pirates in the LEGO world I feel that now is a good time to get it done.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Metalbeard
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2020-06-05T13:02:30.093Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2020-06-05T13:02:30.093Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: zovits
Body: <p>I am building a Sea-Cow(70810)-like ship that of course needs sails. The sails should be larger than the Technic fairings used in the LEGO movie set, but I want to avoid cloth sails and strings.</p>
  
  <p>My idea is to connect rows of white 4x6 modified tiles with studs on edges (part 6180) with hinge plates. That would give a curved rectangular sail. However, sails usually are not rectangular.</p>
  
  <p>Do you have experience with sails made out of tiles or plates? How do you create the shape/curvature you have in mind? I appreciate any ideas.</p>
  
  <p><strong>EDIT:</strong></p>
  
  <p>After very useful suggestions by @jncraton I was able to create a prototype of sail. I found some hinges (4275/4276) to connect the rows of tiles. The brown plates are not the final solution. Now I still have to figure out how to make the sail less rectangular. </p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FP413.jpg" alt="Prototype1">
  <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4KlPP.jpg" alt="Prototype2"></p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2017-03-17T10:12:40.127Z
Comments.Text: Side note: I am not the only one who misses the old finger hinges: [see this question](http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/4524/substitutions-for-vintage-hinges)
Comments.UserDisplayName: Metalbeard
Tags: <building><piece-usage><shapes>
Title: Brick-built sails for a pirate ship
UserDisplayName: Metalbeard
ThreadText: # Brick-built sails for a pirate ship
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2017-03-13)
  
  I am building a Sea-Cow(70810)-like ship that of course needs sails. The sails should be larger than the Technic fairings used in the LEGO movie set, but I want to avoid cloth sails and strings.
  
  My idea is to connect rows of white 4x6 modified tiles with studs on edges (part 6180) with hinge plates. That would give a curved rectangular sail. However, sails usually are not rectangular.
  
  Do you have experience with sails made out of tiles or plates? How do you create the shape/curvature you have in mind? I appreciate any ideas.
  
  **EDIT:**
  
  After very useful suggestions by @jncraton I was able to create a prototype of sail. I found some hinges (4275/4276) to connect the rows of tiles. The brown plates are not the final solution. Now I still have to figure out how to make the sail less rectangular.
  
  ![Prototype1](https://i.sstatic.net/FP413.jpg)
  ![Prototype2](https://i.sstatic.net/4KlPP.jpg)
  
  **Tags:** building, piece-usage, shapes
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Side note: I am not the only one who misses the old finger hinges: [see this question](http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/4524/substitutions-for-vintage-hinges)  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2017-03-13. Score: 10 | Accepted answer
  
  Great question. It sounds like you are building a fairly large ship. If the scale is large enough, brick-built sails can look quite nice. You can add shape, contour, and texture using various building techniques.
  
  If you want to keep things simple, you could just use a single layer of bricks as was done in this basic sailboat model that was an in-store build back in 2009:
  
  [![in-store sailboat](https://i.sstatic.net/OgQwy.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/OgQwy.jpg)
  
  That example obviously isn't the most detailed. It's challenging to develop sail-like contours with studs on top.
  
  Here's [one example](http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/91418-limp%C3%A9rial-first-rate-ship-of-the-line/) just using plates that is similar to what you mentioned in your question:
  
  [![sails using plates](https://i.sstatic.net/LUsG3.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/LUsG3.jpg)
  
  Notice how it uses [wedge plates](https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=P&catString=583) to round off the square corners of the sails. Wedge plates come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so that gives you some flexibility in the shape of your sail. Here's another shot showing that technique more clearly:
  
  [![sails from behind](https://i.sstatic.net/tlR6r.jpg)](https://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=P&catString=583)
  
  Here's a [second example](http://www.greatwesternbrickshow.com/the-journey-of-the-mayflower/) of that technique in a physical model to try to show how the sail sections can be connected using hinges:
  
  [![mayflower example](https://i.sstatic.net/JkttL.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/tlR6r.jpg)
  
  Here's [another](https://www.flickr.com/photos/cstmweb/3984441013/) where layered plates are used to provide more depth and contour:
  
  [![layers plates with depth](https://i.sstatic.net/0eVaC.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/JkttL.jpg)
  
  And [one more example](http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/104864-lego-schooner-at-arizona-science-center/) of the same technique:
  
  [![plates on side and tighter sail placement](https://i.sstatic.net/6PryN.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/0eVaC.jpg)
  
  I personally like the aesthetic of studs showing in those examples, but you could also smooth your sails out using tiles and curved slopes if you'd prefer.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: Oh come on, did you really edit in the same example I wanted to add, while I was writing my answer? :D  
  > **username_1**: @zovits :D That's certainly what it looks like.  
  > **username_1**: I've reverted my edit now that you've added this set as a separate answer. I think it works better as a separate answer. You have my upvote. :)  
  > **username_2**: Thanks, but you really shouldn't have :) This question is linked from the recent Pirates of Barracuda Bay question, and the Creator Pirate Ship is a trivial association to this topic. Whether a long list or multiple single answers is better, I can't really decide, so let's leave it like it is :)  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2020-06-05. Score: 5
  
  An official example from 2020 is seen in the [31109 Pirate-Ship](https://brickset.com/sets/31109-1/Pirate-Ship) using plates and curved panels:
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/BHRmz.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/BHRmz.jpg)
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/17x7G.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/17x7G.jpg)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I haven't seen this set until now. Very simple sail construction. Interesting timing by TLG to release this shortly after the Barracuda Bay 21322 (cloth sails). I had to abandon my ship project for a "while", but with all the new pirates in the LEGO world I feel that now is a good time to get it done.  
  
  ---
  
  