A Ship in a Bottle

MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... MORE THAN 40 MILLION PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR THEIR CARS AND HOMES CHOOSE STATE FARM FOR THEIR INSURANCE.

STATE FARM--A PROUD SUPPORTER OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HEY.

HELLO AGAIN.

AND WELCOME BACK TO "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP."

I'M ROY UNDERHILL, AND I'M SO GLAD YOU CAN BE WITH ME AGAIN TODAY BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE THE FLEET HAS COME IN.

YES, THE FLEET IS IN THE FLASK.

THE BOAT IS IN THE BOTTLE.

AND THAT COULD ONLY MEAN THAT THAT MASTER OF THE MARITIME MINIATURE HAS COME TO VISIT TO SHOW US HOW TO DO BOATS IN BOTTLES.

YES, FOLKS, IT'S JIM "GOOSE" GOODWIN HERE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, JIM.

HOW'S IT GOING?

ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD.

VERY GOOD.

YOU'RE GOING TO SHOW US TO DO SHIP IN A BOTTLE LIKE THIS ONE RIGHT HERE NOW, IS THAT RIGHT?

RIGHT.

THIS IS A SHARPIE, MORE SPECIFICALLY A CAROLINA SHARPIE, AND THIS PARTICULAR SHARPIE IS CALLED THE "HATTIE CREEF" AND BASED OUT OF ELIZABETH CITY, AND THIS MODEST LITTLE WORK BOAT HOLDS AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN HISTORY.

OH, REALLY?

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT KIND OF ASSEMBLED OVER HERE--A HISTORY OF A SPECIFIC REGION OF THE UNITED STATES IN MARITIME MODELS.

THIS IS THE OUTER BANKS HISTORY.

RIGHT, AND JUST LIKE IN ANY SHIP MODEL, NOT ONLY IS IT A PIECE OF ART, BUT IT'S ALSO A PIECE OF HISTORY.

WHAT ARE THESE?

AND THIS PARTICULAR PIECE RIGHT HERE I'M CALLING "BLACKBEARD'S FLEET," AND IT HAS THE "QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE," THE 2 SLOOPS THAT ACCOMPANIED BLACKBEARD, THE "ADVENTURE" AND THE "RANGER."

AND UP HERE IN THE NECK, I EVEN SEE YOU'VE GOT BLACKBEARD HIMSELF THERE.

DEFINITELY.

WATCHING OVER THE PLACE.

WONDERFUL.

NOW, OF COURSE, THE OUTER BANKS WAS CALLED THE GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC.

ALL THESE SHIPS SINKING THERE.

IS THAT WHAT WE'VE GOT UP FRONT HERE?

RIGHT, AND WE HAVE, LIKE, A TOPSAIL SCHOONER.

AH.

THAT'S IN A GORDON'S GIN BOTTLE, TOO.

SO I CAN RELATE TO THAT.

AND THEN WE HAVE-- WHAT'S THIS HERE?

THIS IS THE "CRISSY WRIGHT," A 3-MASTED SCHOONER THAT WAS BUILT IN MAINE.

SEE, MAINE VESSELS...

WRECKED A LOT DOWN HERE.

THEY WERE THE ONES BUILDING THE BOATS, AND DOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA, HAD THE GRAVEYARD OF THE ATLANTIC.

AND THEN FINALLY THIS ONE HERE.

WHAT IS THIS?

THIS IS THE 5-MASTER BUILT IN CAMDEN, MAINE, CALLED THE "CARROLL A. DEERING," AND IT WAS THE GHOST SHIP OF THE DIAMOND SHOALS.

IT CAME ASHORE WITH ALL SAILS SET AND NO ONE ON BOARD.

OH, MY GOSH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND WHAT YEAR WAS THAT, DO YOU THINK?

THAT WAS ABOUT 1921, AND THERE ARE TALES OF MUTINY AND PIRACY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

ARR, MATEY.

ALL RIGHT, NOW THIS IS THE ONE, I GUESS, YOU'RE SAYING THE LITTLE-- IT WAS CALLED THE...

THE "HATTIE CREEF."

HAD TO DO WITH THIS STORY RIGHT HERE A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE OUTER BANKS HISTORY.

THIS IS THE WRIGHT BROTHERS' PLANE.

AND THE "HATTIE CREEF" CARRIED THE WRIGHT BROTHERS AND THEIR MATERIALS FROM ELIZABETH CITY OVER TO KITTY HAWK.

AH.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THE LITTLE SHARPIE THAT CARRIED THE PARTS FOR THE FIRST FLYING MACHINE.

EXACTLY.

NOW, BUILDING AN AIRPLANE, THAT'S NOTHING.

ANYBODY CAN DO THAT-- THE FIRST AIRPLANE.

BUT HOW ON EARTH DO YOU GET THE SHIP IN THE BOTTLE?

THAT'S THE THING THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW.

WELL, THE HARDEST PART IS EMPTYING THE BOTTLE.

OH, OK.

I CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT IF YOU NEED TO.

YOU HAVE ONE--SHOW-- ALL RIGHT.

SHOW US HERE NOW HOW YOU DO THIS.

WELL, WHAT I'VE GOT RIGHT HERE IS A LITTLE DEMONSTRATION MODEL THAT I USE WHEN I GO TO MARITIME SHOWS AND FAIRS, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN WHAT THE SECRET IS, AND THE SECRET IS, REALLY, KNOWING HOW.

OK. HA HA HA!

BUT IF YOU LOOK RIGHT DOWN AT THE BASE OF THE MAST, YOU SEE A LITTLE BRASS HINGE RIGHT THERE, AND THAT ALLOWS THE MAST TO COLLAPSE DOWN.

AND IF YOU'LL ASSIST ME WITH MOVING THE MAINSAIL BACK... OK.

I'VE GOT IT THERE.

OK. AND SEE, WHEN IT GOES INTO A BOTTLE, THE MAINSAIL WILL GO BACK FIRST, AND THEN THAT WILL CURL UP AND FIT INTO THE BOTTLE.

NOW, WITH YOUR SQUARE SAILS, YOU CAN COCKBILL THEM AROUND SO THAT THEY ARE PARALLEL TO THE MAST, AND THEN YOU COLLAPSE THE MAST DOWN...

AAH...THERE IT IS.

SO IT GOES OUT ALL THE WAY, SMALL LIKE THAT, WITH THOSE LINES.

AND THIS IS ABLE TO SLIP THROUGH THE NECK OF THE BOTTLE.

AND THEN, ONCE IT'S INSIDE... ONCE IT'S INSIDE, WHAT WE DO, WE PULL THE JIB SAILS UP, OK?

AND THEN WE PULL OUR MAINMAST BACK IN.

YEAH.

AND SO THAT'S ALL SNUG, AND THEN WE HAVE SPECIAL TOOLS WHICH ARE NOTHING MORE THAN BENT COAT HANGERS AND BENT KNITTING NEEDLES.

YOU JUST KIND OF REACH AROUND AND REARRANGE THESE?

RIGHT, AND WITHIN THE BOTTLE, AND THEN ONCE IT'S IN, WE APPLY A LITTLE ADHESIVE, AND AWAY WE GO.

AND THAT'S IT?

SO YOU'VE JUST GOT TO MAKE A LITTLE BOAT THAT COLLAPSES?

THAT'S THE TRICK.

WELL, ALL RIGHT.

I KNOW THERE'S MORE TO IT.

HOW DO YOU BEGIN?

DO YOU JUST START MAKING BOATS AND THEN FIND BOTTLES TO PUT THEM IN?

WELL, YOU WORK WITH...

PICK OUT YOUR BOTTLE, AND THEN YOU DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF VESSEL YOU'RE GOING TO PUT IN THAT BOTTLE.

SO THE BOTTLE IS THE... WHAT KIND OF BOTTLE DO YOU LOOK FOR?

SOMETHING THAT'S CLEAR, I GUESS.

RIGHT.

YOU WANT SOMETHING OPTICALLY CLEAR, AND SOME BOTTLES WILL HAVE SOME DISTORTION IN THEM, AND THAT'S JUST NORMAL... KIND OF LOOK GOOD.

YEAH, IN TODAY'S MANUFACTURING.

I HAVE A CERTAIN EXPERTISE IN THIS.

THIS LOOKS LIKE AN MD 20/20 BOTTLE.

YOU ARE WELL VERSED IN YOUR BOTTLES, THEN.

I KNOW ME BOTTLES THERE, LAD.

SORRY.

SO YOU GET YOUR BOTTLE... AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS GET SOME REFERENCE LINES, AND ON THIS PIECE OF PINE, I HAVE 2 REFERENCE LINES, WHICH WILL GIVE US THE HEIGHT OF THE BOTTLE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH.

OH, OK.

SO WHEN WE COME TO DETERMINE OUR SAIL HEIGHT, WE WILL USE THOSE REFERENCE LINES.

SO WE DON'T END UP MAKING A BOAT THAT'S TOO TALL TO FIT IN THE BOTTLE.

EXACTLY.

SO YOU GET YOUR INSIDE DIMENSIONS THERE.

THEN WE START WORKING WITH OUR WHITTLING OUT ON OUR BOAT, ON OUR PIECE OF WOOD.

SO THIS IS A HULL.

THE HULL IT WILL BE.

AND I'M USING JUST RED CEDAR, AND I LIKE THE WAY IT CUTS.

YEAH.

IT'S GOOD CARVING WOOD.

IT'S SOFT AND EASY TO CARVE DOWN.

SO YOU WHITTLE DOWN THE SHAPE OF THE BOAT.

NOW, THIS IS A SHARPIE, AND IT'S LIKE A CHISEL POINT, YOU TOLD ME.

IS THAT RIGHT?

EXACTLY.

INTERESTING.

AS OPPOSED TO THIS, WHICH HAS... WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT BOW?

THAT'S CALLED JUST A V-SHAPED BOW, AND IT HAS A MODERATE DEAD RISE, WHICH IS...

THE DEAD RISE IS GOING TO BE THE ANGLE FROM YOUR TIP OF THE BOW ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BASE OF THE HULL THERE.

BUT THIS IS A SHARPIE BECAUSE IT GOES ALL THE WAY FLAT DOWN.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S SEE YOU DO A LITTLE CARVING ON THAT, BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE COCKPIT IN THERE, I KNOW.

WELL, WE HAVE... WHAT WE HAVE... WE HAVE THE COCKPIT, WHICH IS IN THE BACK.

UH-HUH.

OH, AND THEN THE-- WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT CENTER?

THAT'S THE HATCH.

THAT'S THE WORKING HATCH WHERE THEY WOULD PUT THEIR OYSTERS, THEIR CARGO.

AND SO WE CARVE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT OUT.

AND ON THIS LITTLE CAROLINA SHARPIE, ALL THE PARTS AND THE ENGINE AND EVERYTHING FOR THE WRIGHT BROTHERS' FIRST AIRPLANE TRAVELED ACROSS THE SOUND.

SO THE FIRST...

THE FIRST AIRPLANE WENT ACROSS IN THIS...

IN A SAILBOAT.

IN A SAILBOAT.

NOW, INTERESTING ENOUGH, A YEAR AFTER SHE CARRIED THE WRIGHT BROTHERS OVER, SHE WAS CONVERTED TO STEAM.

AH.

NOW, DID IT HAPPEN TO A LOT OF THESE BOATS?

YES, IT DID ACTUALLY, AND WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING THE "HATTIE CREEF," I FOUND A PICTURE OF HER AS A STEAMSHIP, AND I HAD LOOKED AT THE BOW ITSELF, AND I GO, "MAN, THAT'S A SHARPIE BOW."

SO SHE WAS ORIGINALLY A SAILING SHIP AND THEN CONVERTED TO STEAM LIKE SO MANY SHIPS WERE DONE AT THE TURN OF THE 19th CENTURY THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, I SEE-- AS YOU'VE BEEN TALKING, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THOSE SAILS-- YOU KNOW, THEY TOOK THEM OFF TO CONVERT TO THE STEAM.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE SAILS THAT YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE HULL FITS IN.

EXACTLY.

NOW, WHEN YOU GET...

IF WE...SEE THERE?

RIGHT THERE.

SO YOU GOT LITERALLY A BOTTLENECK THERE.

YOU CAN'T GET-- IT'S NOT GOING TO FIT.

AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO FILE OR SAND DOWN...

SO THAT'S THE OTHER LIMIT THERE-- MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GO IN.

MM-HMM.

AND ALSO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE HULL TO GO THROUGH, AND THEN WHEN IT'S ALL PAINTED UP, YOU'LL BE PUTTING ON SOME DECK FURNITURE AS WELL.

AND THAT HAS TO HAVE CLEARANCE AS WELL.

EXACTLY, AND WHAT THAT DECK FURNITURE IS IS GOING TO BE EITHER HATCHES OR, UH...SKYLIGHTS.

AND HERE YOU'VE MADE A BUNCH OF THEM IN A LINE.

RIGHT, AND SO I WILL JUST... THAT SAVES A LITTLE TIME, AND WHEN I NEED ONE, I WILL JUST CUT THEM OFF.

AND ON THE FLIPSIDE OF THAT, I THINK I'VE GOT MY LITTLE CABIN RIGHT THERE.

YEAH.

THERE'S YOUR CABINS, OK.

SO JUST LITTLE STRIPS OF WOOD THERE.

NOW, WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'VE GOT A BIG BOAT, YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING-- A HULL THAT'S TOO BIG TO GO THROUGH THAT NECK.

SAY, SOMETHING LIKE "THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I HAVE, UH...

THEY WILL COME IN 2 PIECES.

YOU WILL PUT THEM INTO BREAD AND BUTTER.

OH, OK.

SO IT'S LIKE A SANDWICH THERE.

SO THIS WOULD GO IN FIRST AND THEN GLUE DOWN.

MM-HMM.

AND THEN YOU WOULD PUT IN YOUR... UPPER PIECE, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALL YOUR SAILS AND YOUR-- OH.

OK, HERE'S ANOTHER ONE, AGAIN, WITH THAT 2-PIECE HULL THERE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THERE'S LOTS OF TRICKS.

YOU CAN DO THESE IN SLICES AND BUILD THEM UP.

SEE, WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS, UNLESS YOU HAD TO DO IT?

AND WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING A 2-PIECE TOGETHER, YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME GOUGES FOR YOUR RIGGING TO GO THROUGH SO IT WILL SEAT PROPERLY ONTO YOUR BOTTOM PIECE THERE.

I SEE.

NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU ALSO TOLD ME-- YOU'VE GOT TO DRILL SOME TINY LITTLE HOLES HERE.

OF COURSE, YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND PAINT IT FIRST AND THEN DRILL THE HOLES, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THAT PAINT WILL FILL THE HOLES, AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF TO DO.

BUT I GUESS YOU'RE READY TO DO THAT.

IS THAT THE NEXT THING, ONCE YOU GET THE MAST AND EVERYTHING?

ONCE WE GET OUR DECK FURNITURE IN, YOU WANT TO MEASURE UP YOUR MAST.

AND ON THE SHARPIE, YOUR AFT MAST IS SHORTER THAN YOUR FORE MAST.

AND SO WHAT WE DO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CLEARANCE, AND SO I TAKE A LITTLE POINTER SCRIBE AND POINT OUT...

PUT A LITTLE MARKER HOLE PILOT INDENTION RIGHT WHERE I WANT MY STAPLE TO GO.

AND THAT WILL GIVE YOU A HINGE POINT AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE ROOF SO IT CAN DROP DOWN FLAT, BECAUSE OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE COCKED IF YOU HAD IT AT THE BOTTOM.

SO AGAIN, ANOTHER OF THOSE THINGS YOU WOULDN'T THINK OF.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU GOT THAT MARKED.

WE JUST TAKE A LITTLE JEWELER'S DRILL AND THEN, WITH A VERY SMALL BIT, GO IN AND MAKE OUR HOLE.

THAT'S A TINY LITTLE DRILL.

NOW, THERE ARE SUPPLIERS, I GUESS-- SINCE IT'S A LONG TIME, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN-- THERE ARE MAIL-ORDER LITTLE COMPANIES THAT SELLS DOWELS AND DRILLS AND STUFF?

EXACTLY.

BUT I IMAGINE THAT THE OLD-TIMERS WOULD EITHER HEAT UP A WIRE AND DRILL THE HOLE THAT WAY.

AND SO WE TAKE OUR LITTLE SMALL-GAUGE WIRE, BRASS WIRE, AND FLIP IT THROUGH OUR HOLE, PUT IT IN, INSERT IT IN THERE, AND THEN JUST BEND THAT DOWN, AND THERE WE HAVE OUR LITTLE-- THAT'S IT?

THAT'S THE HINGE?

THAT'S IT RIGHT THERE.

A SIMPLE MACHINE.

OK. OK?

AND THEN WE JUST CLIP THAT OFF.

ALL RIGHT.

AND THEN WE'RE ALL SET TO GO.

AND THEN WE PUT THAT RIGHT IN THERE.

AND I GUESS YOU COULD GLUE THOSE IF YOU FELT THE NEED, BUT YOU CAN JUST KIND OF STICK THEM IN LIKE NAILS.

I CAN STICK THEM IN LIKE NAILS.

AND SOMETIMES YOU NEED TO BEND THAT JUST RIGHT, AND IT JUST FITS RIGHT IN.

AND YOU CAN SEE, AS IT FLIPS DOWN, THAT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF CLEARANCE, AND THEN YOU ALSO WANT TO CHECK THE CLEARANCE GOING INTO THE BOTTLE AND SEE HOW IT FITS.

IS IT GOING TO CLEAR?

YES, IT DOES.

OH, LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S TIGHT, BUT I SEE THAT.

ALL RIGHT.

WHEW.

THAT'S OK.

CHECK YOUR NECK, IN OTHER WORDS.

CHECK YOUR NECK, AND SOMETIMES IN GETTING IT IN, YOU MIGHT NEED TO WIGGLE.

NOW, WE ALSO NEED TO PUT DOWN OUR RIGGING LINES, OK?

NOW, SHIPS WILL HAVE A STANDING RIGGING AND A RUNNING RIGGING.

AND SO STANDING RIGGING GOES FROM THE HULL, AND IT SUPPORTS THE MAST, AND IT SUPPORTS IT IN A TRIANGULAR FASHION.

SO 2 LITTLE-- WE'VE GOT 2 HOLES.

JUST HOLES YOU PRESSED IN THERE WITH A SET OF DIVIDERS.

RIGHT.

AND IF YOU COULD PUT THAT IN THE VISE FOR ME, PLEASE, WHILE I REACH AROUND YOU TO GET THE DRILL RIGHT THERE.

YOU GOT A NICE LITTLE DRILL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE THE HOLES WHERE THE LINES COME OUT.

LET ME SEE IF I CAN ORIENT THIS WHERE WE ARE ON THE ITEM WE'RE WORKING ON-- THOSE LITTLE LINES RIGHT THERE.

SO THESE ARE THOSE HOLES, WHERE THOSE LINES ARE GOING TO GO RIGHT THERE TO HOLD THE BACK STAYS AND THE SHROUDS.

AYE, MATEY.

ALL RIGHT.

DEFINITELY.

SO, ALL WE DO IS JUST PUT OUR LITTLE DRILL BIT IN, AND THEN WE JUST DO A LITTLE DRILL.

YES.

WE'RE DRILLING ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE HULL SO OUR LINES WILL GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH, AND THEY WON'T BE SEEN WHEN WE PUT IT THROUGH.

AND LET ME KNOW WHEN I BREAK THROUGH.

I DIDN'T LET YOU KNOW IN TIME THERE.

OK. LET'S BACK OUT THE DRILL.

THERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT, SO YOU DRILL A COUPLE OF THOSE, AND I GUESS.. ARE YOU READY?

ARE WE REALLY READY?

FOR DOING THE NEXT STEP, AND THAT IS TO DO THE RIGGING.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW, I GUESS MOST BOAT YARDS, THEY HAD A RIGGING YARD AND A SAIL LOFT AND ALL THAT STUFF.

YOU GOT ANOTHER PLACE TO WORK FOR US?

EXACTLY.

AND SO WE'LL JUST MOVE... WE'LL MOVE ON, FOLKS.

WE'RE HEADING ON DOWN IN THE SHIPYARD NOW.

AH, IT'S GREAT.

NOW, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THESE?

I'VE BEEN HITTING THE BOTTLE FOR ABOUT... HA HA HA!

6 YEARS NOW.

DROPPED MY THREAD.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE FIRST ONE YOU MADE?

YES, I DO, AND I RECALL THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS USING MY OLD OIL-FIELD TONGUE-- I USED TO WORK IN THE OIL FIELD-- WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SAILORS' TONGUE.

ABSOLUTELY.

SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IS SHARED, YES.

AND SO MY WIFE SAID, "IF YOU ARE GOING TO TALK THAT WAY, YOU NEED TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO."

BUT I PROGRESSED A LITTLE LATER, AND WHEN WE DO OUR RIGGING, YOU WANT TO HAVE A LITTLE STOPKNOT IN THERE.

SO THAT IS WHAT?

A THREAD?

THIS IS JUST A NUMBER-10 BEADING NEEDLE.

UH-HUH.

AND YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO FIND WHERE IT COMES THROUGH ON THE BOTTOM THERE.

THERE WE GO.

AH, THERE WE GO.

OK. NOT SO CLEAR ON THE RAW WOOD.

THERE WE GO.

THERE'S THE STOPKNOT.

AND THEN WE JUST START THREADING WITH OUR SHROUDS, AND BRING THAT DOWN.

THIS IS FUNNY.

IT'S SEWING A BOAT.

IT'S PRETTY FUNNY.

YEAH, IT KIND OF IS.

BUT I SEE WHY... A LOT OF THINGS ARE MAKING SENSE HERE, BECAUSE ON A SAILING SHIP, THE BACK STAYS AND STUFF KEEP THE MAST FROM GOING FORWARD TOWARDS THE BOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE WIND PRESSURE IS.

RIGHT.

THAT'S WHERE THE STRESS WILL BE.

AND A LOT OF SHIPS HAVE HAD THEIR BACK STAYS SNAP, AND THEN THE MAST FELL DOWN AND GOT WRECKED.

AND PEOPLE GET HIT.

YEAH, THAT'S ALWAYS THE DRAMATIC SCENE IN THE OLD SEAFARING FILM THERE.

NOW, ON THE BACK STAYS, WE JUST GO THROUGH OUR LAST HOLE, AND OUR BACK STAY IS WHAT KEEPS THE MAST FROM SPRINGING, AS IT'S CALLED.

BUT THAT'S ALSO BECAUSE THEY'RE TRIANGLES COMING TOWARDS THE AFT OF THE SHIP.

THAT'S THE REASON THAT THE MAST HAS TO DROP DOWN THIS WAY, AND THAT'S WHY MOST SHIPS IN A BOTTLE ARE SAILING BACK OUT TOWARDS THE NECK.

RIGHT.

ALSO MAKES SENSE.

YOU WANT TO HAVE IT SAILING TOWARDS THE... OUT INTO THE... OUT THE BOTTLE, RATHER THAN TOWARDS THE BACK END, TOWARDS THE LIGHTHOUSE.

NOW, WHEN YOU ARE FINISHING UP YOUR STRINGS, ALL YOU DO IS JUST TIE A LITTLE KNOT RIGHT DOWN THERE, AND YOU CAN JUST DO A COUPLE OF LOOPS OVER THERE LIKE THAT, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THAT TIED OFF.

AND NOW YOU ARE READY FOR YOUR RUNNING RIGGING.

OK. NOW THAT'S READY.

THIS WILL FOLD BACK ON THAT HINGE JUST LIKE THE OTHER ONE, BUT IT HAS THE STANDING RIGGING ON IT.

AND THE RUNNING RIGGING IS WHAT HOLDS THE SAILS.

IS THAT RIGHT?

IT HOLDS THE SAILS AND ALSO LETS YOU PICK UP OR POSITION YOUR MASTS.

AND WHAT I HAVE IS A LITTLE STOPKNOT RIGHT THERE.

OH, MY GOSH.

OK.

IT'S SO FINE YOU CAN'T SEE IT, BUT THERE'S A THREAD THERE WITH A KNOT IN IT.

WITH A LITTLE STOPKNOT, AND THEN ALSO I HAVE SOME EXTRA THREAD, AND I NEED THAT EXTRA THREAD FOR SECURING THE TOP BOOM.

AND WHAT WE DO, WE JUST... THAT GOES RIGHT THROUGH THE TOP OF THE MAST.

NOW, YOU HAVE GOT TO HAVE INCREDIBLE EYESIGHT OR SOME MAGNIFICATION TO DO THIS.

I'M GOING BLIND, ROY.

HA HA HA!

WELL...

I AM GOING BLIND.

THE THING IS, YOU CAN STILL COUNT ON THIS.

YOU'VE DONE HOW MANY OF THESE?

YOU'VE DONE A BUNCH OF THESE.

I'VE DONE OVER 500.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I'M NOT KIDDING, NO.

500 SHIPS IN A BOTTLE?

OH, MY GOSH.

SO...NOW, SEE.

WE'VE GOT OUR RUNNING RIGGING GOING HERE.

AND SEE, WITH THAT STOPKNOT SO WHEN IT'S DOWN AND YOU'VE GOT THE VESSEL IN THE BOTTLE, ALL YOU DO IS JUST PULL THAT STRING, AND IT POPS RIGHT BACK UP.

ISN'T THAT NEAT?

THAT'S GREAT.

YES.

EXCELLENT.

ISN'T THAT NEAT?

AND THEN THE SAME THING BACK HERE.

EXACTLY.

THEN THE NEXT THING THAT WE DO IS PUT IN OUR BOOMS FOR OUR SAILS.

AND THAT'S THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM OF THE MAINSAILS THERE.

THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM.

AND FOR THE BOTTOM, WHAT I DO IS USE A DIFFERENT COLOR THREAD.

I SEE IT.

IT'S ON THIS SIDE.

THERE YOU GO.

YOU'RE IN IT.

AND BY USING A DIFFERENT COLOR THREAD, I KNOW WHICH STRING TO PULL.

"I KNOW WHICH STRINGS TO PULL."

I GET YOU.

SO THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM, TOO.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE BOOMS GO ON NOW.

AND THEN I GUESS... ARE WE REALLY READY FOR THE SAILS NOW?

WE'RE READY FOR SAILS.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SEE HOW THAT GOES.

SHOULD I TAKE THAT OFF OF THERE?

YES, YOU CAN.

BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE WORKING ON A DIFFERENT KIND OF JIG HERE.

THIS IS CALLED A...

THIS IS JUST THE WORKING JIG, AND ALL IT IS-- MAYBE WE CAN STICK THAT UP IN OUR LITTLE NAIL.

STICK THAT ON THE NAIL THERE.

YEAH, ALL RIGHT.

THERE WE GO.

OK, AND WHAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE OUR SAILS, ONE SAIL ALREADY ATTACHED.

AND THE SAIL MATERIAL IS JUST COTTON RESUME PAPER I LIKE USING.

SO IF YOU'VE GIVEN UP HOPE OF GETTING A JOB AND YOU'VE GOT THAT RESUME PAPER LEFT OVER, THAT WOULD DO WELL FOR YOU.

YOU JUST CUT IT TO FIT.

AND YOU CUT IT TO FIT, AND YOU USE JUST WHITE GLUE TO GLUE IT ON, AND YOU LET IT DRY.

NOW, YOU CAN ALSO USE SOME RESUME PAPER AND JUST STAIN IT WITH COFFEE LIKE I'VE DONE HERE, AND I DO THAT WITH PIRATE SHIPS.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT HERE.

AYE, COFFEE-STAINED, MATEY.

AND THIS IS A PIRATE SHIP?

THIS IS THE "QUEEN ANN'S REVENGE," OK?

AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A FULL-RIGGED SHIP, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU'VE GOT THAT TRIANGULAR STACKED SAIL.

WONDERFUL.

NOW, THIS LOOKS LIKE IT HAS LOTS OF INSULATION IN IT.

WHY DID THE PIRATES LIKE THE INSULATION?

BECAUSE THEY LIKED HAVING AN "R" FACTOR.

OH.

OH, I SEE.

HA HA HA!

SO ENOUGH OF THAT.

THERE'S THE SAILS.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

NOW, HOW DO YOU GET THE CURL ON THERE?

WELL, THAT'S QUITE EASY.

ALL YOU DO IS WITH...

I LIKE USING A CHOPSTICK, OR ANY TYPE OF ROUND STICK WILL DO, AND WHAT YOU DO, YOU JUST MAKE A CURL, AND THERE YOU GET THE BILLOW EFFECT IN THE SAIL.

AND SEE, I GOT THAT GOING THE WRONG WAY FOR OURS.

SO WE CAN TRY A DIFFERENT TACK THERE.

WE CAN TRY A DIFFERENT TACK, AND, WHOA, I WAS THERE.

SO DEPENDING ON HOW YOU WANTED THE VESSEL TO BE ON A STARBOARD TACK OR... AND I SEE THE SAILS HERE... THAT'S ON A STARBOARD TACK.

ARE BILLOWING OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW, THAT'S THE SAILS.

THAT'S THE BOOMS.

I TELL YOU WHAT.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT HOW YOU PUT THIS THING IN HERE, BECAUSE I SURE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THIS THING INTO A BOTTLE BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME.

SO IF YOU'RE ALL READY WITH THAT, WE'LL COME BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS.

LET'S SEE HOW THIS ASSEMBLY GOES.

NOW, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A WAY TO MAKE AN OCEAN WITH YOUR CLAY, ROLLING IT TOGETHER.

SO YOU'VE PREPARED... MM-HMM.

YOU JUST MAKE SOME WORMS OF DIFFERENT COLOR.

RUB THEM TOGETHER.

I LOVE IT.

AND ROLL THEM, JUST LIKE DAMASCUS STEEL.

YOU JUST ROLL IT IN.

AND THEN FLATTEN THEM OUT.

AND YOU'VE GOT WATER.

THERE'S YOUR WATER.

ALL RIGHT.

SO NOW THE BOTTLE'S READY.

LET'S SEE YOU GO AHEAD AND PUT ONE IN HERE.

ALL RIGHT, SO THIS IS THE SHIP NOW.

AND WHAT WE DO...

PULL IT BACK.

PULL THAT BACK, COLLAPSE OUR AFT SAIL, OUR AFT MAST, AND THEN PULL THE MAIN MAST, AND THEN... ALL RIGHT.

NOW, YOU CAN SEE HOW I'VE GOT MY LINES NUMBERED, AND THEN WE CURL THIS AROUND.

ALL RIGHT.

HA HA HA HA!

AND WE INSERT THAT INTO THE MOUTH.

AS HARD AS IT IS TO GET THESE THINGS IN, IT'S EASIER TO GET THEM IN THAN IT IS TO GET THEM OUT.

AH, NOT THAT BAD.

OK. AND THEN AT THIS POINT, I LIKE TO LET GRAVITY ASSIST ME.

OK.

SO TURN THIS UPRIGHT.

TURN THAT UPRIGHT.

THAT WAY YOUR SAILS ARE KEEPING OUT.

AND THEN WE DO A LITTLE WIGGLE AND JIGGLE, AND THEN WE JUST PUSH THAT THROUGH, AND LO AND BEHOLD... OH, YEAH.

AND THEN WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SOME TALL TWEEZERS, THE FIRST LINE THAT I WANT TO PULL UP IS GOING TO BE THE JIB.

SO YOU START FROM THE BOW OF THE SHIP.

EXACTLY.

AND THEN WE PULL OUR MAINSAIL UP.

AH.

LOOK AT THAT.

AND THEN WE PULL... OH, IT'S PERFECT.

OUR AFT SAIL UP.

HA HA HA!

AND THEN WE POSITION OUR BOAT WITHIN THE SEA.

NOW, AT THIS POINT, YOU CAN ADD SOME ADHESIVE DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AND HELP SECURE THAT BOAT, OR YOU CAN JUST PUT SOME MORE CLAY AROUND IT AND SECURE IT.

OH, THAT'S WONDERFUL.

OK.

SO THEN YOU CAN GLUE THESE INTO PLACE THERE, GLUE THE LINES AND THEN REACH IN THERE AND START CUTTING THEM?

WELL, BEFORE YOU DO-- IF YOU MOVE THAT ONE DOWN, I HAVE ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION RIGHT HERE.

WE HAVE--THIS ONE'S ALREADY SECURED IN.

AND WITH A LITTLE DOWEL THAT'S GOT A BRASS WIRE THAT'S GOT A LITTLE LOOP ON IT, I CAN PUT SOME ADHESIVE ONTO THAT LITTLE LOOP, AND THAT ADHESIVE WILL STAY IN, AND SO I WILL COME IN AND TOUCH THE LINES AND MY LITTLE BRASS HINGE WITH THE GLUE, AND IT WILL STAY.

HOW DO YOU MAKE THE GLUE DRY?

WELL...OH.

YEAH.

YOU'VE GOT TO BLOW THE OTHER WAY.

TOO MUCH GLUE.

AND THEN, SO THEY'RE GLUED DOWN, AND THEN I GUESS YOU REACH IN AND DO THE CUTTING, AND THAT'S WHY ALL THE LITTLE KNIVES...

I'VE GOT KNIVES SET AT DIFFERENT ANGLES ON DOWEL RODS, AND THIS IS A RIGHT ONE, AND SO I CAN JUST NIP THOSE STRINGS RIGHT THERE.

ALL RIGHT, AND THEN YOU SEAL UP THE BOTTLE.

WELL, THAT'S GREAT.

ALL RIGHT, SO THERE IT IS.

AND AGAIN, THE NAME OF THE SHIP, JIM, IS... IS THE "HATTIE CREEF."

THE "HATTIE CREEF," AND HERE IT IS RAISED UP INTO PLACE, AND HERE'S ONE ALL FINISHED UP.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

A CAROLINA SHARPIE.

NOW, YOU HAVE AN ANTIQUE HERE I WANTED TO TAKE A SECOND TO LOOK AT.

AND I NOTE YOU WERE WORKING WITH PLASTICINE CLAY.

THIS LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING ELSE DOWN HERE ON THE BOTTOM.

IT LOOKS LIKE A TYPE OF PLUMBER'S PUTTY RIGHT THERE, AND THIS IS A EUROPEAN-MADE, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY A BRITISH-MADE SHIP.

YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE IT HAS THE BRITISH MERCHANT FLAG ON THE BACK OF THE CLIPPER SHIP.

AND THIS IS VERY TYPICAL OF, SAY, LIKE A 1910 UP TO, LIKE, A 1930 PIECE BECAUSE IT HAS THE PAINTED BACKGROUND, THE VERY DETAILED VILLAGE IN THERE, AND WHAT-- CAN YOU READ IT?

IT SAYS GUINNESS STOUT" IN THERE.

AND IT'S GOT BEAUTIFUL ROPEWORK ON THE FRONT.

WELL, GUINNESS WOULDN'T WORK FOR A BOTTLE.

IT HAS TO BE CLEAR.

YOU'VE MADE IT ALL VERY CLEAR TO US.

JIM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING US HOW TO DO THIS, AND HEY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.

YOU CAN START EMPTYING THOSE BOTTLES.

WE'RE GOING TO PUT SHIPS IN THEM NEXT TIME WE GET TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

IT'S ROY UNDERHILL.

BYE-BYE.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, VISIT PBS ONLINE.

YOU CAN FIND US AT pbs.org.

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CAPTIONED BY NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org-- MAJOR FUNDING FOR "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" IS PROVIDED BY... ROY UNDERHILL IS THE AUTHOR OF "THE WOODWRIGHT'S SHOP" AND OTHER BOOKS ABOUT TRADITIONAL WOODWORKING, PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS AND AVAILABLE AT BOOKSTORES AND LIBRARIES.